51ÂÒÂ×

The healthcare sector is growing rapidly, with recent estimates from McKinsey & Company suggesting that industry earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) will increase to $987 billion in 2028.¹

This industry growth is reflected in the U.S. job market: About 1.9 million healthcare job openings are projected each year from 2023 to 2033.² During the same period, management and leadership roles in healthcare are expected to grow an impressive 29 percent.³

Data like this makes it clear that skilled healthcare professionals are in high demand, from executive jobs to positions in human resources and project management. As a leader in this field, you will play an essential role in maintaining high-quality patient care while ensuring organizations can operate efficiently in a constantly changing environment.

The Evolving Landscape of Health Administration

Healthcare organizations of all types rely on professionals with expertise in health administration to succeed in a complex and dynamic industry. The following are some of the trends impacting the field today.

• Emerging technology: A 2024 survey of C-suite healthcare executives found that around 90 percent of respondents expected the use of digital technologies to accelerate, with more than 40 percent saying their organizations have seen a significant to moderate return on their investments in generative AI.⁴
• Workforce challenges: The U.S. is experiencing a healthcare labor shortage, with a deficit of 100,000 workers expected by 2028.⁵ This makes employee recruitment and retention essential, and organizations must prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of staff who are experiencing heavy workloads.
• Changes in healthcare delivery: Healthcare organizations are leveraging information technologies and adopting practices like virtual appointments, online scheduling, remote monitoring, alternative sites of care and mobile healthcare apps to support streamlined care delivery and better meet patient needs.

With skilled leaders at the helm, organizations can navigate these challenges strategically and ethically.

Explore Health Administration Jobs

Health administration expertise opens doors to a range of career paths. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the top roles in the field. 

• Healthcare Human Resources: HR professionals in the healthcare industry are responsible for hiring, onboarding, and supporting healthcare workforce. They must also ensure that organizational policies comply with state and federal government regulations. The median annual wage for human resource managers in the healthcare sector was $120,010 in May 2024.⁶
• Healthcare Leadership: Healthcare executives and other healthcare management professionals are responsible for directing health services and operations. They can oversee departments, clinical areas, or entire facilities, depending on the size of the organization. Medical and health services managers earned a median salary of $117,960 in May 2024.³
• Management Analysts: Analysts in the healthcare field are strategic leaders who use organizational data insights to create streamlined processes for better patient care. The average salary for management analysts is $101,190 per year.⁷
• Healthcare Project Management: Project managers in healthcare settings ensure that organizational initiatives are achieved on time, within budget, using the correct resources and personnel. The average clinical project manager salary is $98,923 per year.^8 

Chart Your Career Trajectory

 View the Online MHA

With the online Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree from 51ÂÒÂ×, you will graduate ready to pursue healthcare leadership roles like these. Our 36-credit program delivers the expertise you need to lead teams, organizations and communities to better health outcomes. Additionally, specialization options in business analytics, healthcare leadership, project management and quality improvement can help you gain competencies that align with your specific career goals. 

Essential Skills to Stand Out in Healthcare Leadership Roles

No matter which career path you choose in healthcare administration, you will need an interdisciplinary skill set that prepares you to advance. Developing expertise in the following areas can help increase your marketability for professional success in settings like hospitals, physician practices, behavioral health organizations, rehabilitation centers, and more.

• Budgeting and finance: Financial administration concepts are essential for healthcare management professionals. These include the ability to assess the financial strength of an organization, evaluate the financial effectiveness of operations, forecast revenue and expenses, and manage budgets.
• Data-driven decision making: For healthcare leaders, the ability to apply descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics to make organizational decisions is invaluable. Developing these technical skills can help you stand out in a competitive job market.
• Health law and policy: Studying health policy development and implementation allows health administration professionals to create organizational strategies that comply with government laws and regulations.
• Quality improvement: Healthcare leaders are responsible for ensuring their organizations meet quality and safety standards while operating efficiently. The ability to design evaluation protocols and implement quality assurance processes is critical to medical administration.
• Strategic leadership: Healthcare executive jobs require core leadership competencies like change management, communication, decision-making, collaboration and systems thinking. In addition, healthcare leaders must create a supportive culture that encourages collaboration and continuous improvement.

OHIO’s online health administration degree features a 100% online curriculum with immersive courses in these topic areas and more. You will learn to balance the patient-centered mission of healthcare with the core business principles that help health organizations succeed.

Take the Next Step in Healthcare Administration

If you are interested in creating positive change and driving innovation as a healthcare leader, the online MHA from OHIO can put you on the path to success. This flexible, two-year program is designed for professionals ready to pursue management-level opportunities. It emphasizes the advanced competencies you need to develop strategic solutions to healthcare challenges now and in the future.  

In the online health administration degree program, you will grow your skills in leadership, communication and problem-solving tailored to healthcare contexts. Our faculty includes full-time instructors and experienced health care professionals who bring academic expertise and real-world insights to every course. And as an associate graduate member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), we are committed to delivering excellence in healthcare management and policy education.  

Learn more about our online MHA and discover how an OHIO degree can help you reach your professional goals.  

Related Resources

• Healthcare Human Resources Jobs and Skills Needed
• What are the Differences in These Healthcare Leadership Degrees? MHA vs. MSN NL

Sources

1. McKinsey & Company. What to expect in U.S. healthcare in 2025 and beyond. Retrieved May 2025, from .
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Healthcare Occupations. Retrieved May 2025, from .
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Medical and Health Services Managers. Retrieved May 2025, from .
4. Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. 2025 Global Health Care Outlook. Retrieved May 2025, from .
5. Mercer. Future of the U.S. Health Industry: Labor Market Projections by 2028. Retrieved May 2025, from .
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Human Resources Managers. Retrieved May 2025, from .
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Management Analysts. Retrieved June 2025, from .  
8. Payscale.com. Average Clinical Project Manager Salary. Retrieved May 2025, from .

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