Quick answer
A healthcare administration degree leads to jobs in practice and department management, health information, patient services, health education and, after experience or a master's (MHA), to medical and health services manager roles. BLS reports a median of $117,960 for medical and health services managers and $67,310 for health information technologists (May 2024).
Plenty of teens want to work in health care but don't want to be a nurse or a doctor. Healthcare administration is the business side: scheduling, budgets, staffing, billing, quality and compliance.
Health care is a huge employer, and every clinic and hospital needs managers. Below we explain the jobs a bachelor's leads to, where the higher pay is, and when a master's makes sense. If your teen is drawn to population health and prevention instead, see our public health degree guide.
What Jobs Can You Get With a Healthcare Administration Degree?
Pay figures are national medians (the middle wage, not the average) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Half of workers earn more and half earn less. Our calculators and Continuum chart use BLS averages (means), which are usually higher, so their numbers may not match these.
1. Medical and Health Services Manager
Runs a clinic, a hospital department or a medical practice. New grads often start as a coordinator or assistant manager and grow into it. BLS: median $117,960 (middle half earns $88,560–$162,420).
2. Health Information Technologist
Manages patient records and health data, and the systems that store them. BLS health information technologists and medical registrars earn a median $67,310 ($48,400–$92,410).
3. Medical Records Specialist
Codes and organizes patient records for billing and reporting. BLS: median $50,250. It is usually an entry-level step, not the destination for a four-year grad.
4. Health Education Specialist
Plans and runs programs that help people stay healthy, at hospitals, insurers and public agencies. BLS: median $63,000 ($49,880–$84,460).
5. Community Health Worker
Connects patients with care and services in the community. BLS: median $51,030.
When Does a Master's in Health Administration Make Sense?
Many hospital and health system leadership tracks prefer or require a master's (MHA, MPH or MBA). Some employers pay for part of it. A common plan is to work for two or three years, then go back.
6. Hospital or Health System Leader
Department director, practice administrator or operations executive. These roles fall under the medical and health services manager category above, at the top of its range.
7. Epidemiologist or Health Analyst
Studies disease patterns and health data. BLS epidemiologists earn a median $83,980 and usually need a master's.
How Much Do Healthcare Administration Majors Make?
| Career | Median pay | Middle 50% range | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical records specialist | $50,250 | $41,600–$64,070 | Certificate or associate |
| Community health worker | $51,030 | $44,370–$63,150 | Varies |
| Health education specialist | $63,000 | $49,880–$84,460 | Bachelor's |
| Health information technologist | $67,310 | $48,400–$92,410 | Associate or bachelor's |
| Epidemiologist | $83,980 | $68,040–$106,040 | Master's |
| Medical and health services manager | $117,960 | $88,560–$162,420 | Bachelor's; master's common |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 national estimates. The middle 50% is the 25th to 75th percentile. Pay varies by state, employer and experience.
What Do Healthcare Administration Majors Study?
Coursework mixes business and health: the U.S. health care system, health policy and law, health care finance and accounting, human resources, quality and patient safety, health information systems, ethics and statistics. Most programs include an internship at a hospital, clinic or insurer, and that internship is often what lands the first job.
Is a Healthcare Administration Degree Worth It?
MajorMatch's Health Services Loan vs Upside calculator starts from Continuum wages of about $76,000 early-career and $106,000 mid-career. At its default $50,000 loan (6.5% for 10 years), total repayment is about $68,129, against an estimated lifetime earnings gain of about $1,150,851 over a high-school-only path, about 16.9 times the loan cost. It is an illustration, not a promise, and you can change every input.
The payoff depends a lot on moving up. Entry-level coordinator and records jobs pay modestly, while managers earn well. Students who get an internship, take on responsibility early and consider a master's later get the most from this degree.
How Will AI Affect Healthcare Administration Careers?
MajorMatch's AI-Proof Career Check (part of the assessment results) estimates what share of a job's tasks AI tools could significantly speed up or automate. It measures exposure, not a forecast of job loss. Medical and health services managers score 40%, and health information technologists score 59%. Records, coding and data entry are the most exposed tasks. Leading staff, working across departments and making judgment calls about patient care operations stay human.
Is Healthcare Administration the Right Major for Your Teen?
Healthcare administration fits organized students who want to help people through health care but prefer managing teams and systems to hands-on patient care. If your teen wants a clinical role, read our best majors for healthcare guide. If they want prevention and community health, compare public health. The free MajorMatch assessment uses our own proprietary scoring method to compare your student's strengths and interests with all 100 majors, including health services, and shows their top 3 for free. Take the assessment before you commit to a program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you do with a healthcare administration degree?
Work in practice or department management, health information, patient services, health education or insurance operations, and grow into medical and health services manager roles.
How much do healthcare administrators make?
BLS reports a median of $117,960 for medical and health services managers in May 2024. Entry-level roles pay less.
Is healthcare administration a good major?
For students who want a health care career without clinical work, yes. Health care employs a lot of people, and managers are well paid.
Do you need a master's for healthcare administration?
Not to start. Many senior hospital roles prefer a master's (MHA, MPH or MBA), and many people earn it after a few years of work.
What is the difference between healthcare administration and public health?
Healthcare administration focuses on running health care organizations. Public health focuses on preventing disease across whole communities.
Will AI replace healthcare administrators?
MajorMatch's AI task-exposure estimate for health services managers is 40%. Records and data work is most exposed; leading people and running operations stays human.