What Can You Do With a Master’s in Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare is not just doctors and nurses. Behind every healthcare system is a network of decisions about people, processes, budgets, regulations and organizational strategy. Healthcare administrators oversee each piece of this, and their work directly affects how effectively patients receive care.
If you’re drawn to the business side of healthcare and want to make a measurable impact, a healthcare administration master’s degree offers a clear path forward. Explore healthcare management careers, review professional responsibilities and learn how Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) prepares you for advanced, leadership-focused roles in one of the nation’s fastest-growing employment fields.
Healthcare Administration Careers: Become the Strategic Mind Behind Patient Care
Healthcare management offers a wide range of professional opportunities for those who want to improve healthcare systems from the inside out. Whether you’re a business leader in a different field or currently working in healthcare and looking to advance your career, with a master’s degree in healthcare administration, you can take on roles that combine business strategy with the day-to-day demands of healthcare organizations.
- Hospital Administrator: Leads departments or entire facilities and manages staffing, compliance, budgets and long-term planning.
- Medical Practice Manager: Manages operations within outpatient clinics or group practices, from scheduling and finance to patient services and regulatory requirements.
- Long-Term Care Administrator: Coordinates the day-to-day functions of assisted living and senior care facilities, ensuring quality care and an excellent resident experience.
- Healthcare Consultant: Provides strategic advice to healthcare organizations on improving systems, budget management, integrating technology and enhancing care delivery.
- Public Health Administrator: Develops and directs programs that impact community health, often working in government or non-profit settings.
- Chief Executive Officer: Works closely with the board of directors and senior leadership to determine the strategic direction of the organization to ensure patient satisfaction and growth.
- Operations Director: Focuses on system-wide process improvement, logistics and resource usage within healthcare organizations.
- Health Insurance Administrator: Oversees provider relations, policy compliance and plan management in insurance companies or third-party organizations.
Job Outlook and Salary Potential
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the healthcare sector employed more than 5.4 million people in 2022, with a median annual wage of $70,000. It’s the largest field of employment in the country and continues to expand as populations age, technology evolves and demand for accessible, high-quality care increases.
Healthcare managers are essential to the success of today’s healthcare system and play a significant role in the field. The BLS projects that the employment of medical and health services managers will grow by 29% through 2033. That’s more than four times the national average. The BLS anticipates this will create roughly 61,400 job openings each year.
These positions are not only high-impact but also high-paying. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2023, the median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $110,680. With a master’s degree in healthcare administration, professionals often qualify for more advanced roles with greater salary potential.
What Do Healthcare Administrators Do?
From managing hospital budgeting and staffing to overseeing the daily workflow of doctors’ offices, healthcare administrators work behind the scenes to keep the business side of healthcare running smoothly. They play a critical role in determining long-term goals of healthcare organizations, including financial decision-making. At the same time, they’re responsible for creating environments that support better health outcomes and directly influence how patients experience care.
While their responsibilities may vary depending on the setting, most healthcare managers focus on improving day-to-day operations, managing people and addressing patient needs.
Common responsibilities include:
- Developing and managing department or organizational budgets
- Hiring and supervising administrative and clinical staff
- Ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations and accreditation standards
- Overseeing operations such as scheduling, billing and supply chain
- Using data analysis to guide decision-making and measure operational outcomes
- Communicating with team members and stakeholders, including executives, board members and community partners
Overall, healthcare administrators ensure that healthcare delivery is efficient, effective and aligned with patient expectations and organizational goals.
Where Do Healthcare Administrators Work?
Healthcare administrators are essential to nearly every part of the healthcare system. Graduates of healthcare administration programs work across a wide range of environments—some lead departments inside hospitals, while others oversee the operations of outpatient clinics, public health facilities or nursing homes. Many professionals also find opportunities in healthcare consulting or government-related roles.
The versatility of this career path gives you the flexibility to specialize your skill set and align your work with your values. Whether you're passionate about improving organizational systems, supporting patient care or advancing public health, there’s a place for you in the field.
Healthcare managers work in settings such as:
- Hospitals and hospital systems
- Outpatient care centers and specialty clinics
- Assisted living and long-term care facilities
- Public health departments
- Government agencies
- Health insurance companies
- Non-profits and community health organizations
- Health consulting firms
- Rehabilitation centers
Outside of the healthcare industry, graduates may pursue professional roles in education, technology, business and more. The leadership, communication and strategic thinking skills you’ll gain in a healthcare administration graduate degree program are highly valuable and transferable to other areas of work.
Why Earn a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration?
While you may begin your career as a healthcare manager with a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree in healthcare administration is seen as the standard for advancement to mid- to senior-level leadership positions. It builds your credibility in the workplace and unlocks opportunities for higher-level, better-compensated roles.
Beyond the credential itself, a master’s degree gives you access to tools and training you won’t get from experience alone. You’ll explore the inner workings of healthcare systems, strengthen your business knowledge, learn how to evaluate operational needs and lead your team effectively. These are skills today’s employers value, and at Missouri Southern, you’ll become an expert in:
- Strategic Decision-Making: Analyze information to make choices that balance organizational success with patient outcomes and employee satisfaction.
- Financial and Resource Management: Learn how to manage budgets, allocate resources and evaluate cost-saving opportunities.
- Regulatory and Legal Knowledge: Understand healthcare laws, compliance requirements, risk management strategies and ethical concerns.
- Communication and Collaboration: Lead diverse teams, communicate across departments and present clearly to organizational stakeholders.
- Data Analytics: Use real-world data to identify trends that guide continuous improvement and innovation.
Pursue Your Healthcare Administration Graduate Degree at MSSU
Missouri Southern’s online Master of Science in Healthcare Administration 30-credit degree program prepares you to lead within today’s fast-changing healthcare landscape. With an emphasis on real-world application, the curriculum blends strategic problem-solving, operational management and interdisciplinary insight to help you guide systems, teams and patient-focused outcomes.
Designed for working professionals, this fully online program allows you to grow as a leader without putting your current career on pause. Courses cover a wide range of focus areas—finance, data analytics, epidemiology, negotiation and organizational behavior—to ensure you have a comprehensive perspective on healthcare operations. And, you’ll learn from experienced faculty who bring real-world healthcare management insights into the classroom.
Begin Your Path Toward Leadership in Healthcare Administration
Healthcare needs strong leaders who understand both people and business operations. Missouri Southern State University’s online MS in Healthcare Administration degree program gives you the tools to allocate resources, manage teams and improve health services so you can make a difference in patient care and organizational performance.
Apply now or connect with us to learn how a master’s degree in healthcare administration can move your career forward.