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Online Degrees

Part of Western Governors University

Career Guide | Healthcare Management

Start on your career path with a bachelor's degree or MBA in healthcare management.

A degree in healthcare management is crucial for a leadership and management role in the healthcare industry. A bachelor's degree in healthcare management gives a vital foundation in healthcare, business fundamentals, and management skills. This can lead students to an exciting career and put them on the path to getting an MBA in healthcare management. A healthcare management MBA will prepare students to take management and leadership roles in the healthcare setting, making important decisions that drive better patient outcomes and higher employee satisfaction. 

Learn what careers students can pursue with a bachelor's degree or MBA in healthcare management.

A nurse manager speaks with a nurse in a hallway.

Healthcare Manager

Average Salary—$100,000 per year | Job Outlook—18% growth by 2028

Healthcare managers can also be called healthcare administrators, hospital managers, hospital administrators, and other similar job titles. These professionals focus on some of the business aspects of the healthcare field, helping recruit and train staff members, focusing on budgets for departments or facilities, managing patient finances and insurance, creating work schedules for staff, ensuring the organization is following regulations and standards, and working with other executives to meet facility goals and objectives.

The salary for a healthcare manager will vary greatly depending on several factors. The specific job title, your years of experience, your education level, and the size of the facility you are managing are all important factors for your salary. Some healthcare managers are in charge of small departments, while others run entire hospitals and facilities. This will all impact your earning potential.

Healthcare management is expected to grow 18% by 2028, three times faster than the national average. This is largely due to the constant growth and change of the healthcare industry and the need for professionals who can manage it effectively.

A bachelor's degree in healthcare management is a great place to start on this career path. A bachelor's degree will start by giving you medical and healthcare understanding, as well as business fundamentals. Additionally, an MBA in healthcare management will give you even more credentials and skills. An MBA will dive deeper into leadership, communication, and strategy that can be crucial for healthcare managers.

A nurse helps an elderly woman stand from a chair.

Nursing Home Manager

Average Salary—$75,000 per year | Job Outlook—17% growth by 2028

Nursing home managers are in charge of making sure everything in a nursing home is taken care of and runs smoothly. They are in charge of hiring and training staff, creating work schedules, working with the families of their residents, keeping up with laws and regulations, and ensuring their facility is up to standards, deciding when to send residents to hospitals and other facilities, running the schedules of residents, coordinating with other medical professionals, and more. 

Nursing home managers make an average annual salary of $75,000 per year. Entry-level nursing home managers make an average of $55,000 per year, and the top 10% of nursing home managers can make more than $105,000 per year. The location where you work plays a major role in your annual salary. Additionally, the education level you have and the years of experience you have will greatly impact your salary level.

Nursing home manager roles are expected to grow 17% by 2028, much faster than the national average. As the population ages there is even greater demand for nursing home managers to help run the facilities that care for the aging population.

A bachelor's degree in healthcare management is a great place to start if you want to pursue a career in nursing home management. This degree program will help you understand the business side of the healthcare industry, focusing on accounting, finances, communication, and more. Additionally, after you obtain a bachelor's degree, an MBA in healthcare management can be a great way to propel your career. This degree program focuses on management, strategy, and leadership—key skills for a nursing home manager.

Businesswoman attending listening to a client who is talking at office.

Insurance Manager Career

Average Salary—$99,000 per year | Job Outlook—18% growth by 2028

Health insurance managers are in charge of maintaining and managing the insurance operations for healthcare clinics and facilities. They are often involved with account creation, client support, claim processing, enrollment, and eligibility. Insurance managers may work at a hospital to help patients understand their insurance and payment plans, or work for an insurance company to help customers with their health insurance needs and questions.

Health insurance managers earn an average yearly salary of $99,000 per year. The bottom 10% earn about $83,000 per year and the top 10% earn more than $136,000 per year. The salary for a health insurance manager largely depends on the experience you have, the location where you work, and your education level.

Health insurance management careers are expected to grow about 18% by 2028, keeping up with other health management positions. Healthcare is a crucial industry that isn't going away, and there will always be demand for professionals who work in healthcare.

A B.S. in healthcare management is an important first step on the path to an insurance management career. A bachelor's degree program will go over technology, communication, finances, and management for the healthcare industry. Additionally, a bachelor's degree will prepare you for a master's degree or MBA. An MBA in healthcare management will dive deeper into finances, management, and strategy for the healthcare industry. 

A man in a suit talks to a group of doctors.

Community Health Manager Career

Average Salary—$96,000 per year | Job Outlook—13% growth by 2028

Community health managers, sometimes called public health managers or directors, are in charge of overseeing public and community health programs in their area. They recommend community health initiatives, implement policies, establish budgets and get funding, and work directly with health professionals in the area to implement these practices. Their overall goal is to prevent disease and promote health in their community. Community health managers often have several employees working with them to reach all their goals and objectives for their community. 

Community health managers make an average annual salary of around $96,000 per year. Your salary level will largely depend on the size of the community where you work and your experience level. The amount of education you have is also a direct impact on your salary.

Careers in community health management are expected to grow 13% by 2028, quite a bit faster than the national average. Healthy lifestyles and initiatives are important for many communities as they work to ensure their citizens are as healthy as possible. That makes public health management positions incredibly important for many governments and businesses.

A bachelor's degree in healthcare management is an ideal starting place for this career. This degree will help students learn about healthcare technology, regulations, budgets, marketing, and more. A bachelor's degree can help students be prepared for higher education, like an MBA in healthcare management. An MBA in healthcare management can get students further prepared for a future in community health management. It helps students learn about leadership, strategy, and other vital elements of community healthcare. 

3 Non-Nursing Jobs

C-level Executive Career

Average Salary—$130,000 per year | Job Outlook—6% growth by 2028

Top-level executives in a hospital hold titles like chief executive officer (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO), hospital director, chief operations officer (COO), and more. These executives are in charge of the overall management of the hospital and how it runs. They oversee all goals, processes, budgets, operations, and more. They oversee hundreds of employees and have many people reporting directly to them to ensure the organization runs smoothly.

The average annual salary for C-level executives is $130,000, but this will largely depend on the size of the hospital where you work. Hospital executives in rural areas may earn less, while hospital executives in large cities can earn much more. You will need many years of experience and at least a master's degree in order to be qualified for these positions.

C-level executive positions are expected to grow 6% by 2028, about as fast as the national average for job growth. This is largely because there is little turnover once professionals get to this level, so there aren't as many positions available. But working in the industry and getting experience will help prepare you for this role. 

If you want to become a C-level healthcare executive, you'll need to start with a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree in healthcare management can be a great first step on this path. But you'll have to get a master's degree in order to be qualified for this position. An MBA in healthcare management can be a great degree for those interested in an executive career. This degree program will give you additional insight into management and leadership strategy and techniques that are vital to your success.