Want a career that truly makes a difference? Health systems are in dire need of quality administrators, and they’re willing to pay well.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in healthcare management and administration will grow 28% between 2021-2031, with median earnings of $101,340. This sounds enticing, but you may worry about the demand of returning to school as an adult learner with a career, a family, volunteer commitments and more.
Fortunately, online learning offers a path to higher earnings without all the stress of in-person classes.
An online healthcare administration degree can jumpstart your career, increase your earnings and allow you to change healthcare for the better. But how do you know which degree program is right for you? Here are the key characteristics to look for when you select your program.
Who is the best person to learn from? Someone who has done what you hope to do and done it well. The best schools hire true experts in the field, including names you recognize (or would recognize if you were already in the world of healthcare administration).
However, it’s not enough to just hire good instructors. To get the most out of your tuition, you should have access to those instructors. Building strong relationships with industry leaders is a great way to get good recommendations, build connections and master the skills you need to thrive in your career. That’s hard to do if you’re in a classroom with 500 other students or if most of the learning happens with a teacher’s assistant. At SNU, students learn directly from the most successful people in healthcare administration.
No matter how well-respected a program might be, it’s not a good fit if you don’t have the time or resources necessary to complete the program. Poor academic performance, financial challenges, trouble balancing college work and uncertainty about the future are among the top reasons students drop out of college.
Choose a school that can meet you where you are. For most adult learners, this means flexible course options, built-in support and a wide range of financial aid options. Before you enroll, take a long hard look at your life. Assess where or how school fits in, and only commit to an institution that suits your current needs.
A degree shows that your knowledge has been tested and your intellect has been challenged. Employers want to hire people who know what they're doing, not just people with a few fancy initials after their name. This is why it’s so important to choose a quality institution for higher learning.
Here are some hallmarks of a respected institution:
Your life as a student is just one aspect of who you are. The rest of your existence matters too. Quality institutions recognize this and help you cultivate balance with:
A healthy learning environment doesn’t just ensure learners feel balanced and whole. It also improves outcomes by helping students graduate on time, reducing dropout rates and ensuring graduates are emotionally healthy professionals prepared to enter the workforce.
You can’t succeed if you feel overwhelmed and unsupported. At SNU, support for the learner is every bit as important as academic rigor. Some of the strategies we use include:
If you’re thinking about returning to school, consider whether now is the right time and weigh the benefits of various educational pathways. Try asking yourself the following questions. If you answer in the affirmative to several, a healthcare administration degree online could be an ideal choice:
SNU is committed to the success of every learner. To explore online learning options, check out our free guide, “What to Expect from an Online Degree Program.”