Compare CAHME-accredited options, tuition, timelines, and public-sector career pathways for Mississippi health administration professionals.
Mississippi's rural hospital closures and thinning county health department budgets have pushed public hospital districts and community health centers to compete hard for trained administrators, often promoting clinical staff into management roles they weren't formally prepared for. A master of health administration credential changes that calculus, but Mississippi residents face a narrow field: four online options, ranging from roughly $11,700 to over $30,000 in total tuition, and not one carries CAHME accreditation.
That gap matters for anyone eyeing a competitive administrative fellowship or a state health agency leadership track. Program quality, cost structure, and career alignment (covered in depth in our public health administration overview) diverge sharply once you look past the marketing copy.
The following ranking spotlights online Master of Health Administration programs available to Mississippi residents in 2026, ordered by a composite that weighs institution-level net price, graduation rate, and graduate earnings outcomes drawn from federal data. Because program-level earnings are not yet available for these MHA offerings, the composite relies on institution-wide measures as proxies for overall academic quality and return on investment. Each program is evaluated for its relevance to public-sector health administration careers in Mississippi, including curriculum breadth, practicum requirements, and scheduling flexibility for working professionals.
Hattiesburg, MS · ~$14,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Working professionals seeking an affordable private MHA
William Carey University, a private institution in Hattiesburg, posts one of the strongest institution-wide graduation rates among Mississippi MHA options at roughly 60%. Its average net price of approximately $14,258 makes it notably affordable for a private university. The fully online MHA curriculum integrates healthcare economics, informatics, law and ethics, and a supervised practicum capped by a capstone project, giving students direct exposure to applied health administration challenges.
Jackson, MS · $15,000 – $20,000/yr
Best for: Military-connected students wanting analytics focus
Based in Jackson, Belhaven University pairs a faith-integrated MHA with practical flexibility through seven-week asynchronous terms and a 16:1 student-faculty ratio. The 36-credit program carries IACBE accreditation and offers a Data Science concentration for students drawn to analytics-driven health leadership. Active military members, veterans, spouses, and first responders benefit from targeted tuition discounts, making Belhaven a strong pick for service-connected learners in the Jackson metro area and beyond.
Clinton, MS · $28,000/yr
Best for: Experienced professionals advancing into healthcare leadership
Mississippi College in Clinton blends online and evening course delivery across a compact 30-credit, 10-course Master of Health Services Administration. With an institution-wide graduation rate near 59% and a selective admissions profile, the program targets experienced professionals and requires prior work experience. Scholarships covering up to 30% of tuition can substantially lower the listed program cost of roughly $23,520, though the institution-level net price of approximately $27,712 reflects broader undergraduate aid patterns.
Jackson, MS · $14,000/yr
Strayer University's Mississippi campus in Jackson offers a Master of Science in Health Services Administration built around 12 courses in 11-week terms, with concentrations in Clinical Care Management or Public Health Management. The Public Health Management track aligns well with students targeting government and community health roles across Mississippi. Its flat tuition rate of $13,920 applies regardless of residency, and students may transfer up to four courses to accelerate completion. Note that institution-level graduation rate and net price data are not reported for this campus, so prospective students should request outcomes information directly.
Mississippi MHA applicants face a clear trade-off: the state offers convenient online programs, but none of them carry the specialized accreditation that many national employers and competitive fellowships expect. If your ambition is a fellowship or a leadership pipeline role within a top-ranked health system, understanding CAHME accreditation is non-negotiable.
CAHME, the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education, is the only accreditor recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to evaluate master's-level health administration programs. Unlike regional accreditors that review entire universities, CAHME drills into curriculum design, teaching faculty qualifications, and career outcomes specific to healthcare leadership. A CAHME-accredited program has proven that it meets rigorous, field-specific standards: its courses align with the competencies most needed in health systems, it tracks graduate employment and alumni success, and it adapts its curriculum based on employer feedback. Regional accreditation assures a school's overall academic integrity; CAHME assures a health administration education is fit for purpose.
Degree names such as Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA), or Master of Science in Healthcare Administration can confuse applicants. The label alone tells you little about quality. A program's CAHME status is the far more reliable differentiator. CAHME-accredited MHA and MHSA programs meet the same outcome-based standards regardless of their naming convention, whereas a program without CAHME may vary dramatically in rigor, faculty expertise, and employer recognition. When an employer or fellowship director sees CAHME accreditation, they know the graduate completed a curriculum vetted by the field's leading professional organizations, including the American College of Healthcare Executives.
As of the 2025-2026 academic year, Mississippi has no CAHME-accredited MHA or MHSA programs.1 The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) offers an online Master of Health Systems Administration, but it is not CAHME-accredited.1 Belhaven University's online MHA holds specialty accreditation from IACBE, a business education accreditor, rather than CAHME.2 The University of Mississippi's Oxford campus graduate programs in health administration also lack CAHME certification.1 No Mississippi institution currently holds CAHME candidacy status.1 This means that any student who insists on a CAHME-accredited degree must look beyond state lines.
The most immediate impact is on fellowship eligibility. Administrative fellowships at major health systems, like those at the Mayo Clinic or Veterans Health Administration, often list CAHME accreditation as an application requirement. Without it, your application may be automatically filtered out. Beyond fellowships, large integrated delivery networks and academic medical centers frequently prefer, and sometimes require, CAHME-accredited degrees when hiring early-career leaders. For those who might later pursue a DrPH or PhD in health management, some doctoral programs ask for a master's from a CAHME-accredited institution, though regionally accredited degrees are generally accepted. That said, for Mississippi-specific roles in state health agencies, county health districts, or local hospital administrations, a regionally accredited MHA from UMMC, Belhaven, or Ole Miss can still open doors, especially if you build a strong local professional network. The absence of CAHME is a meaningful filter if your career map points toward national competitive placements; it is less of a barrier if you plan to work within Mississippi's public-sector infrastructure, where personal reputation and relevant experience can outweigh a specific programmatic accreditation.
For a broader look at how degree types and accreditation fit into your career plans, explore the full Master of Health Administration overview.
In-state vs. out-of-state tuition rates can create a wide gap in cost, but many online master of health administration programs opt for a single flat-rate tuition that erases that distinction entirely. For Mississippi students, the ranked programs on this list all use that flat-rate model, which means you pay the same tuition whether you live in Jackson, Gulfport, or across the country.
The three schools in our ranking all charge a single program tuition regardless of residency. Here is how the numbers compare based on the most recent available data:
These figures reflect the advertised sticker price for the full MHA degree, though additional fees may apply. Belhaven and William Carey offer the most budget-friendly paths, while Mississippi College comes in somewhat higher but includes features like a shorter 12-to-24-month timeline and scholarship opportunities that can reduce the net cost. Because all three are private institutions, they are not subject to the public university in-state/out-of-state differential, and they have chosen to extend that equal pricing to their online programs.
The sticker price is only part of the story. The average net price at the institution level, which accounts for grants and scholarships awarded to full-time beginning students, shows that many students pay less. For William Carey, the institution-wide net price effective is $14,258; for Belhaven it is $15,676; and for Mississippi College it is $27,712. These averages include all graduate and undergraduate programs, so your actual MHA cost could be higher or lower depending on your financial aid package, employer tuition reimbursement, or military benefits. Always contact the program's financial aid office for a personalized estimate.
Mississippi participates in the Southern Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market, which can unlock in-state tuition at out-of-state public universities for programs not offered in your home state. While the ranked schools here are private and already charge a flat rate, the ACM is worth exploring if you are considering a public MHA program in another SREB state. For those prioritizing affordability above all, our guide to affordable online MHA programs offers additional strategies and school options tailored to cost-conscious students.
All three ranked Mississippi MHA programs charge a single flat tuition rate regardless of residency, eliminating the in-state versus out-of-state cost gap that students often face at public universities. The figures below reflect graduate-level tuition drawn from federal reporting data. Estimated net price provides an additional reference point for total cost of attendance after typical institutional aid.
What do you actually need to get into an online master of health administration in Mississippi, and will you have to sit for the GRE? For the two Mississippi-based options in this comparison, the short answer is encouraging: neither program requires a standardized test, and both accept applicants directly from an undergraduate degree without mandatory years of prior healthcare work.
Both programs expect a completed bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution before you enroll. GPA thresholds differ modestly:
Neither program publishes a rigid list of undergraduate prerequisite courses the way a clinical or MPH biostatistics track might. That is typical of health administration degrees: admissions committees care more about your overall academic record, your writing, and your stated reasons for pursuing the field than about specific undergraduate science credits.
Work experience is also flexible. UMMC lists zero required years of prior professional experience, meaning recent graduates can apply directly.1 Belhaven follows a similar posture for its online cohort.1 That said, applicants who have worked in a clinic, hospital, insurance company, or public health department will find those experiences strengthen the personal statement and interview.
Here is where Mississippi applicants catch a real break. Neither UMMC nor Belhaven requires the GRE or GMAT for admission to their online health administration programs.1 There is no separate waiver form to fill out, because the tests are simply not part of the standard application. If you want to see how Mississippi's test-free posture compares to programs across the country, the roundup of no-GRE MHA programs online lists dozens of accredited alternatives.
Deadlines are where the two programs diverge sharply:
If you miss UMMC's March window, Belhaven's rolling model is often the practical fallback for Mississippi residents who want to start coursework the same year they decide to apply.
How long does it take to complete an online MHA in Mississippi, and what kind of hands-on experience will you need before you graduate?
The answer depends on which program you choose, how many credits you carry each term, and whether the curriculum includes a practicum or relies on a capstone project instead. Below is a closer look at what Mississippi students can expect.
Both the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Master of Health Sciences in Health Administration and the Belhaven University Master of Health Administration require 36 credit hours.15 That sits at the lower end of the typical MHA range, which across the broader landscape of CAHME-accredited and regionally accredited programs can run anywhere from 36 to 60 credits. A leaner credit total generally translates to a shorter timeline and lower overall tuition, though it also means coursework is more tightly compressed.
UMMC's online MHSA is structured as a part-time program.2 Students take roughly six credits per semester and complete all 12 required courses over approximately 24 months.14 This pacing is designed for working professionals, many of whom already hold clinical or administrative roles in Mississippi's health systems.
Belhaven's online MHA is also delivered fully online, though publicly available details on a fixed cohort pace or accelerated track are limited. Students considering Belhaven should confirm current scheduling options directly with the admissions office. As a general rule, a 36-credit program taken full time can often be finished in about 18 months, while part-time enrollment stretches the timeline to two or even three years.
Readers who are prioritizing the fastest possible path to an MHA may want to explore fastest online MHA programs beyond the state's borders that offer accelerated cohort models.
One notable distinction among MHA programs is whether the culminating experience is a traditional practicum (typically 200 to 400 hours of supervised administrative work) or a capstone project completed in the classroom.
UMMC's program takes the capstone route: students complete two capstone courses totaling six credits4, and no separate practicum, internship, or clinical rotation is required3. This is an advantage for students who cannot easily step away from full-time employment. Belhaven's MHA likewise does not list required clinical or practicum hours in its current curriculum overview5.
For students who do want on-the-ground administrative experience, Mississippi offers a wealth of potential placement sites: the Mississippi State Department of Health, regional county health districts, community hospitals, the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, and several public hospital districts across the Delta and Gulf Coast. Even when a program does not mandate a practicum, students can often arrange a voluntary field placement or independent study with a local health organization to strengthen their resumes and professional networks.
Before committing, verify each program's current academic calendar and any residency or on-site intensive requirements. Completion timelines can shift if you need to reduce your course load for a semester or if a required course is offered only once per year.
An administrative fellowship is a structured, paid position that bridges graduate education and full-time management responsibility. For Mississippi MHA graduates, these one- to two-year programs provide mentored rotations through departments like finance, operations, strategy, and policy, building the cross-functional insight that health systems value when promoting from within.
Fellowships are not internships. They are competitive, salaried roles designed for recent master's degree holders. Most require an MHA, MPH, or MBA with a healthcare focus, and many give preference to graduates of programs with CAHME accreditation. The typical duration is 12 to 24 months, and successful fellows often convert to permanent management positions at the end of the rotation.
Public health agencies and government-run facilities in Mississippi offer some of the most meaningful fellowship experiences. Employers to watch include:
Mississippi residents can also pursue fellowship programs based at neighboring health systems, such as UAB Medicine Health System Administrative Fellowship in Birmingham or MUSC Health Administrative Fellowship in Charleston, without relocating permanently if the fellowship includes remote project components. However, competitive postings for on-site positions often require a degree from a CAHME-accredited program.
Program-level earnings data for individual MHA degrees are not yet published, but the broader occupational picture is clear. According to 2025 BLS data, medical and health services managers in Mississippi earn a median annual wage of $95,000.1 The middle 50% of earners fall between roughly $75,000 and $120,000, while top performers reach $150,000 and beyond. Even early-career professionals near the 10th percentile start around $60,000. For fellowship-level roles specifically, posted administrative fellowship positions in the state carry a typical hourly wage of about $20.19, often translating to competitive salaries when annualized alongside benefits and professional development funds.2
For careers that blend health administration with broader government service, explore our guides to public health leadership and online MPA programs in Mississippi.
Mississippi's large long-term care sector makes nursing home administrator (NHA) licensure one of the most common career outcomes for MHA graduates in the state. The Mississippi State Board of Nursing Home Administrators oversees this pathway, which requires an Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program, national and state exams, and ongoing continuing education. Because an MHA degree exceeds the minimum academic prerequisite (an associate degree), MHA holders can move directly into the AIT phase and are well positioned for leadership roles in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities across the state.
MHA graduates in Mississippi hold a distinct advantage in state civil service hiring, as advanced health administration credentials align with master's-level classification requirements and higher pay grades. While private hospital systems operate independently of mandatory administrator licensure, public-sector health agencies and long-term care facilities follow credentialing pathways that an MHA degree is specifically designed to meet.
For MHA graduates pursuing long-term care leadership, Mississippi requires licensure as a Nursing Home Administrator (NHA). The Mississippi Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators oversees the process, which typically includes completion of a qualifying degree program such as an MHA, passage of the national exam, and a supervised internship in a skilled nursing facility. Licenses must be renewed periodically, with continuing education hours required each renewal cycle to ensure administrators stay current on state and federal regulations. Candidates already licensed in another state may apply for reciprocity, provided their original credentialing meets Mississippi's standards and they hold a current, unrestricted license.
The Mississippi State Personnel Board categorizes health administration positions under titles such as Public Health Program Specialist, with clear degree and experience requirements. As of 2026, salary ranges for these roles are as follows:
The master's degree requirement for the Supervisor classification creates a direct on-ramp for MHA graduates, who can qualify for this top-tier role without needing decades of tenure alone.
In Mississippi's civil service structure, an MHA provides a targeted credential for health administration roles that an MPH or MPA cannot fully replicate, as a mph vs mpa degree comparison shows. An MPH emphasizes epidemiology, biostatistics, and community health, making it ideal for population-focused positions but less aligned with operational management in hospitals or health systems. An MPA prepares graduates for general public management but lacks the healthcare-specific finance, quality, and regulatory coursework that Mississippi health agencies prioritize. Hiring panels for roles like Public Health Program Specialist Supervisor explicitly seek master's-level training, and an MHA signals readiness to lead complex health service organizations from day one.
MHA graduates should begin their search on the Mississippi State Personnel Board job portal at mspb.ms.gov, where all classified health administration vacancies are listed with current pay grades and qualification summaries. County health departments and the Mississippi State Department of Health also post direct-hire opportunities. For candidates eyeing long-term care leadership, contacting the Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators early in the program can clarify internship and exam timelines, ensuring a smooth transition from MHA completion to licensure eligibility.
Below are answers to the most common questions prospective MHA students in Mississippi ask. Each response offers a concise overview; for deeper analysis, refer to the corresponding section earlier in this article.
