Health Administration MHA Programs in Maryland & Salary Info.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Maryland ranked among the top states with the highest concentration of health administration jobs and this is a reason well enough to start thinking about a career in this field.

Health Administration Degrees in Maryland

You need to make a decision about which positions you would like to take once you start working, being that senior-level positions in health administration require a master’s degree.

Our suggestion is that students in Maryland first begin to explore this career by achieving a bachelor’s degree, and then think about advancing in the field.

You will not make a mistake if you choose any of the two mentioned educational institutions offering health administration degrees.

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY – Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore

• Master of Health Administration (Accelerated, On Campus)

The estimated cost per academic year is $54,144 and the school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education; Council on Education for Public Health.

UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY – Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics – Bethesda

• Master of Health Administration and Policy (On Campus)

The school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education; Council on Education for Public Health.

Undergraduate Degrees in Healthcare Management and Administration in Maryland exist both online and on-campus.

The undergraduate degree programs are structured as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or a Bachelor of Health Administration (BHA).

Bachelor’s degrees in health administration or healthcare management prepare students with knowledge related to the delivery of healthcare services so that they can find employment in small physician practices or in entry-level management positions with home healthcare providers, hospices, and public health agencies.

The programs last four-year programs and consist of 120-semester credits.

The second two years will include core courses in a bachelor’s degree in health administration such as:

• Information systems management
• Health care management
• Community health
• Critical issues in healthcare
• Leadership
• Human resource management
• Health care law

Maryland is home to numerous graduate degrees in healthcare administration and management, offered both online and on-campus and the possible titles you can get are:

• Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
• Master of Science (MS) in Health Care Administration
• Master of Science (MS) in Management: Healthcare Administration

Furthermore, colleges of public health, colleges of business administration, and colleges of public policy/administration offer health administration programs which are often structured as:

• Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA)
• Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA)

Master’s degrees in healthcare administration also vary according to their target student so these programs may be designed as:

• Resident programs (on-campus programs for the traditional student)
• Executive programs (designed for the working professional with the online, evening, and part-time study)
• Accelerated programs (combines both undergraduate and graduate coursework in an accelerated format)

To enroll in a master’s degree in healthcare administration applicants are required to possess:

• Minimum undergraduate GPA (along with the completion of specific undergraduate courses)
• Admissions essay
• GRE scores
• Letters of recommendation

Admission into master’s degree programs is available to students who possess undergraduate degrees in everything from nursing/allied health profession to finance to accounting to business administration.

These studies will cover core topics such as:

• Managerial epidemiology and statistics
• Healthcare policy and law
• Legal and ethical issues in healthcare
• Organizational behavior in healthcare
• Healthcare finance
• Strategic planning and marketing in healthcare

Most programs take about two years to complete, and a capstone project or master’s thesis is obligatory before graduation.

Job Postings in Healthcare Administration in Maryland

Once you become a qualified healthcare administrator, your work will be important and you can look for a job into a number of organizations, including:

• Consulting firms
• Ambulatory care facilities
• Home health agencies
• Public health departments
• Hospitals

What we wanted to do is to provide you an insight into what employers expect from employees and applicants, in terms of education and experience when specific jobs are in question, so we gathered the following job descriptions as illustrative examples.

Assistant Nursing Home Administrator, Baltimore –  He/she will provide a wide range of services, including assisted living, skilled nursing, so a bachelor’s degree in nursing home administration or a related field is required.

Administrative Manager, Baltimore – His/her duty will be to manage human resources, operational planning, and administrative oversight. This position requires a bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, or a related subject, while those applicants with a master’s degree in healthcare administration or a related field will be given preference.

Administrative Director, Lanham –  He/she will provide support to the programs and regional director and the position requires a master’s degree in health and human services or a related field.

Director, Quality and Patient Safety, La Plata – this individual will direct and coordinate the daily administrative activities and personnel of the Performance Improvement department; he/she should possess a master’s degree in healthcare administration or business administration.

Executive Director Behavioral Health, Salisbury – he/she will provide leadership, direction, and coordination for hospital departments, so a master’s degree in business or healthcare administration is preferred.

Possible Employers and Professional Resources for Health Administrators in Maryland

These are some of the largest employers of professionals in health administration in Maryland:

• Mercy Health Services, Baltimore
• LifeBridge Health, Baltimore
• University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore
• MedStar Health, Columbia
• John Hopkins Health System, Baltimore

Professional associations that provide administrators and managers with opportunities to network with others in their profession and pursue continuing education are the following:

• Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives
• Maryland Hospital Association
• Health Facilities Association of Maryland
• Maryland – National Capital Homecare Association
• Maryland Rural Health Association
• Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers
• Maryland Medical Directors Association

Health Administration Salaries and Job Growth in Maryland

There are 11,210 healthcare administrators in Maryland and they make a median annual wage of $120064 each year according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This is more than satisfying, being that the salary is higher than the national rate.

The very best administrators can even make nearly $135409 a year.

Maryland has the third-highest concentration of healthcare administrators in the nation and the state Department of Labor estimates an 11.9 percent increase in medical manager positions which will lead to a predicted 890 openings each year in the field.

Regional Salary in Maryland