6 Reasons to Pursue an MBA In Healthcare Management

Healthcare is a business.

It’s a unique business that is primarily about helping people in need, but that also relies on revenue. Because of that, the healthcare world needs more leaders with a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare who are capable of addressing challenges at a system level, while still making an impact on individuals at the patient level.

Why You Should Pursue an MBA in Healthcare Management?

Healthcare management and leadership roles are in demand as hospital systems and clinics strive to keep pace with shifting demographics, increasing use of big data, technological advancements and evolving payment models.

Employment of healthcare managers and administrators is expected to grow 28% between 2022 and 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Working in healthcare management is also a rewarding career that allows you to impact patient care on a systemic level. 

Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) is prepared to meet that demand by educating business professionals who seek to offer a compassionate approach to administration as they embrace the challenges of the future. 

Read more: Why You Should Choose a Healthcare Management Degree

Career Advancement Opportunities

A master’s degree in healthcare management can open doors to leadership and specialized roles.

Whether you want to become a healthcare administrator, a clinic director, a healthcare finance director or an assisted living residence manager, a healthcare management master’s degree can help you get there.

With these management and administrative roles comes an increase in earning potential and career longevity.

Leadership and Specialized Roles

As you’re considering healthcare management jobs, you’ll want to match your interests with possible career paths.

This will allow you to get on the right path for future leadership and specialized roles in healthcare management. Possible career options include:

• Healthcare administrator
• Clinic coordinator
• Clinic director
• Healthcare finance manager
• Healthcare department manager
• Quality and improvement manager
• Medical practice manager
• Ambulatory care manager
• Assisted living manager

A Master of Business Administration in Healthcare will help you prepare for these roles.

You’ll learn the skills needed to provide compassion with managerial techniques, preparing you to become an effective healthcare leader.

Read more: 6 Lesser-known Healthcare MBA Jobs That Are Worth Pursuing

Increased Earning Potential

As a master’s-prepared healthcare manager, you’ll have the opportunity to increase your earning potential.

While some manager-level positions require a bachelor’s degree and a minimum amount of years of experience, a master’s degree can make you a more marketable candidate.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare managers and administrators earned a median salary of $110,680 in 2023.

Ready to find out if healthcare management is right for you? Below are six reasons to pursue your MBA and start a career as a leader in healthcare.

1. You’re a Healthcare Professional Who Wants More Opportunities

Oftentimes, a person who has spent years or decades as a nurse, a technician or a practitioner of some kind will seek out a job that offers a different sort of challenge. Maybe you want to get away from the clinical portion of care or you just want additional responsibilities.

Without an upper-level degree, it could be tough to take on an executive role. The MBA in healthcare allows you to demonstrate to other leaders that you’re equipped with a healthcare skill set that also translates to effective management.

If you’re looking for additional responsibilities in healthcare, that position in management could be easier to come by with an MBA.

2. You’re a Businessperson Who Wants a Healthcare Job

Maybe you have no clinical experience, but are still interested in healthcare. If so, you’d be a perfect fit for an MBA in healthcare program.

There are challenges that are unique to healthcare. Not all business programs are set up to address these challenges. Running a hospital system can be quite different from managing other kinds of commercial enterprises. With plenty of MBA programs available, you need something unique if you truly want to enter healthcare from the management side.

At NMC, the MBA in healthcare management program creates effective leaders because it combines proven managerial techniques that cut across multiple industries with those processes and insights that apply specifically to healthcare. With that kind of background, you should be able to seamlessly transition your business skills to a healthcare setting.

3. It’s a Great Entry Point to Numerous Organizations

Hospitals are but one of many types of organizations a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare provides entry to.

Health insurance companies need people skilled in business. So do clinics, long-term care facilities and even governmental organizations associated with healthcare.

So if a hospital isn’t your ideal locale? That’s okay, it’s only the beginning of where you can work with this degree.

4. It’s the Logical Progression From a Healthcare Management Bachelor’s Degree

The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management is a program that serves traditional and transfer students. It provides an entry pathway to people who want to get into healthcare, but feel they belong somewhere besides the clinical side.

The MBA in Healthcare is different. It’s meant for those who already have some experience in a healthcare setting or have some education in management. As such, it’s a logical progression for those who have completed the bachelor’s program and see themselves moving even further up the management chain.

5. The Online Format Is Perfect for Working Professionals

We know that many people who pursue their master’s degree will have family and professional commitments. Getting a healthcare management degree online offers a certain degree of flexibility that wouldn’t be there otherwise.

It also allows us to offer the degree throughout the entire country. Supply and demand in one area may ebb and flow, so having an online MBA lets us always be providing education to people in parts of the country where demand is on the rise, serving anyone who feels they’re ready for new challenges.

6. It’s More Than Just a Business Degree

What separates NMC from other MBAs is the same thing that separates us in other disciplines: our heart.

The compassion we emphasize to our students is something we fully apply to our MBA program. Just because you’re not in clinical rotations at a hospital doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference to patients.

When compassion informs your every move, from policy-making to management techniques, you’ll become a better business person. That’s the NMC difference.

Advance Your Healthcare Management Career at Nebraska Methodist College

NMC is a true healthcare college, specializing in educating future nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare administrators.

Discover Our Healthcare Management Programs

Whether you’re just getting started with your high education journey and want to get a bachelor’s degree or you’re ready to get your graduate degree to take your career to the next level, NMC has a healthcare management program for you.

The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management program is online with options to complete arts and sciences courses in person.

The Master of Business Administration in Healthcare program is 100% online and can be completed in 16 to 28 months depending on your plan of study.

Support and Resources for Healthcare Management Students

Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, NMC has support services to help you succeed.

Students can schedule in-person or virtual meetings with NMC’s librarian for assistance researching a topic, writing in APA style and more. 

NMC’s Center for Research, Education and Teaching Excellence (CREATE!) provides students with help navigating Brightspace, the online learning platform used by the College.

Students also have access to free, confidential counseling to support their mental health needs.

How to Apply and Begin Your Healthcare Management Journey

Getting a healthcare management degree gives you many career opportunities.

Whether you’re ready to get your BS or MBA, Nebraska Methodist College has a program that will prepare you for your career in healthcare management.

You can apply online for undergraduate and graduate programs at NMC. 

If you’re ready to apply, fill out an application. If you have questions or want to schedule an in-person campus visit, contact an admissions coordinator at admissions@methodistcollege.edu or (402) 354-7200.