Individuals who earn a master's in health administration can work in a variety of different industries within the healthcare field. Graduates of MHA programs can work for hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, and research and development laboratories. The amount of money an individual with a master's in health administration can earn each year depends on where he or she works and how much experience he or she has in the field, as well as the exact job title. For example, an individual with an MHA degree who works in lower management may earn less than an individual with an MHA degree who works in upper management for the same hospital.
The average wage of all individuals working in positions that require a masters in health care administration is $93,670. The average hourly wage is $45.03, and approximately 282,990 people with a master's health administration currently work in this position in the United States. The top ten percent of MHA workers earn at least $144,880 per year, while the lowest ten percent of MHA workers earn less than $51,280.
Graduates of MHA programs may work in general surgical and medical hospitals. Such workers typically earn an average of $99,570 per year. The average hourly wage for such individuals with a master's health administration is $47.87. Approximately 108,140 individuals are employed as administrators of hospitals across the United States.
A graduate with a master's in health administration may also work in a doctor's office. MHA graduates employed by doctor's offices typically earn around $91,000 per year. The average hourly wage for workers in this industry is $44.14. Around 27,000 people in the United States who work in medical administration are employed by doctor's offices.
A worker with a master of health administration degree may work in a nursing home. Graduates of MHA programs who work in nursing homes earn an average of $79,010 per year. Their average hourly wage is $37.99. There are approximately 20,000 individuals in the United States who work in this field.
Some graduates of MHA programs work for home health care providers. Such workers typically earn around $84,710 per year. The average hourly rate for these administrators is $40.73. There are approximately 16,690 people employed under this job description in the United States.
An individual with a master of health administration sometimes works as the administrator of an outpatient care center. These MHA program graduates earn around $89,200 per year. The average hourly wage in this sector is $42.88. At the time of publication, 14,780 workers with this degree are employed by outpatient care centers.
Specialty hospitals also employ individuals who have earned a master of health administration. Individuals working in this role in a specialty hospital earn an average annual wage of $105,650. Their average hourly wage is $50.80. In the United States, only 4,830 people are currently working with this job description.
Some individuals with masters in health care administration work in diagnostic or medical laboratories. The average wage for this position is approximately $102,000. The average hourly wage is $49.04. Only 4,440 people are currently working as administrators in medical and diagnostic laboratories in the United States.
The smallest employment sector for individuals with a master's in health care administration is health-related research and development. The average annual salary for this sector is $138,420. The average hourly wage is $66.55, which is much higher than other employment sectors. Currently, 1,210 people are employed as administrators in this field.
The states with the highest average salary for individuals holding a master's of health administration are Massachusetts, Washington, Rhode Island, New York, and Connecticut. The most jobs for graduates of an MHA program are available in Maryland, New York, the District of Columbia, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Salaries in these regions range from $70,000 to more than $108,000. However, these averages aren't guaranteed to all workers. The salary of an individual with an MHA degree in any location will also depend on his or her exact job title.
Individuals who earn online MHA degrees can expect salaries similar to those of traditional MHA program graduates. Most accredited online MHA programs have the same requirements as classroom-based programs. The masters of health administration degree earned in an online course is equivalent to the degree earned in any other course. However, a master's of health administration degree from any accredited school, whether online or traditional will be considered superior to a master's health administration degree from a school that is not accredited.