Compare CAHME-accredited programs, tuition, admissions, and public-sector career pathways for PA residents
Pennsylvania’s healthcare sector employs one of the largest state-government workforces in the country, spanning a network of county health departments, UPMC’s sprawling hospital system, and six VA medical centers, all of which place MHA graduates in executive and operations leadership roles. Each of those employers reads credentials through a different lens: CAHME accreditation, civil service classification, or nursing home administrator licensure. The online MHA programs available to Pennsylvania residents now let you earn that degree without relocating, but the real choice isn’t delivery format; it’s whether the credential aligns with the specific hiring gateways that govern hiring in Harrisburg, Allegheny County, and the state’s public hospital districts.
Pennsylvania offers a deeper bench of online and hybrid health administration master's programs than most states, spanning Philadelphia research universities, Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania colleges, and small private schools serving working adults. The programs below are ordered to reflect overall value for someone building a health administration career in Pennsylvania, and each entry covers cost, delivery format, and the tracks that set it apart.
Philadelphia, PA · $23,000 – $30,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Philadelphia health professionals balancing full-time careers
Temple University is a public research university in Philadelphia and one of the largest producers of health administration talent in the region, with teaching sites woven through the city's hospital and academic medical corridor. Its Fox School of Business offers a Master of Health Administration in hybrid and fully online part-time formats, built for people already working in health care who need to keep earning while they study. Courses run online, on Main Campus, and at Temple Center City, and roughly 75% of the university's students complete their degrees, with first-year retention near 83%.
Immaculata, PA · ~$13,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Working adults wanting one course at a time
Immaculata University is a small private Catholic institution in Chester County, west of Philadelphia, and its graduate health offerings are shaped around adults who work full time. The M.S. in Health Care Management is delivered entirely online in 7-week sessions that let students concentrate on a single course at a time, and tuition is set at a flat per-credit rate whether a student lives in Pennsylvania or elsewhere. School-wide, about 71% of students graduate and first-year retention runs near 82%.
Philadelphia, PA · ~$39,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Clinicians transitioning into health system leadership
Drexel University is a private research university in Philadelphia with a long tradition of cooperative education and part-time graduate study for working professionals. Its online MHA keeps one foot on campus through a required residency in University City, which places students inside the city's academic medical corridor and its surrounding health systems. The university reports a school-wide graduation rate of about 78%, and roughly 90% of first-year students return for a second year.
York, PA · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
York College of Pennsylvania is a private college in the south-central part of the state, drawing heavily from working adults in the York, Lancaster, and Harrisburg corridors. Its online Master of Healthcare Administration pairs a supervised internship with a capstone manuscript written for peer-reviewed publication, a structure aimed at students who want a portfolio piece as much as a credential. Institution-wide, about 64% of students graduate and first-year retention sits near 78%.
Scranton, PA · ~$12,000/yr (est.)
The University of Scranton is a private Jesuit university in northeastern Pennsylvania, and its MHA is the CAHME-accredited anchor of its graduate health portfolio. The curriculum leans into the realities of the region: nonprofit and Catholic health systems, an aging population, and a mix of rural and mid-sized facilities, which shows up in tracks like population health management and post-acute care. About 80% of students at the university graduate school-wide, and the program can be completed fully online or on campus.
Dallas, PA · ~$39,000/yr (est.)
Misericordia University is a private Catholic university in Dallas, in northeastern Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley, with established strengths in nursing and the health sciences. Its business school offers an MBA with a health care administration concentration that runs online and on campus, aimed at students who want management training with a clinical-sector focus rather than a purely clinical credential. Small class sizes, part-time pacing, and a schedule of three starts per year make it workable for people already employed in regional health organizations, and roughly 72% of the university's students graduate.
Huntingdon, PA · ~$15,000/yr (est.)
Juniata College is a small private liberal arts college in Huntingdon, central Pennsylvania, known for preparing students in the sciences and health professions. Its online MBA adds a healthcare administration concentration for people who want business and operations training while staying in the region's hospitals, agencies, and insurers. About 74% of students graduate school-wide, and the concentration requires a defined block of health administration coursework rather than a single survey course.
Bethlehem, PA · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.)
Moravian University is a private university in Bethlehem, in the Lehigh Valley, and sits within reach of a dense cluster of regional health networks spanning Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. Its online MHA leans on applied management coursework with a capstone in leading change, plus electives that stretch into human resources, supply chain, and international business. The university reports a school-wide graduation rate of about 72% and a first-year retention rate near 80%.
Chester, PA · ~$28,000/yr (est.)
Widener University is a private university in Chester, just south of Philadelphia, serving the wider Delaware Valley across southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, and southern New Jersey. Its MBA in health care management is built around an administrative residency of at least 360 hours, so students spend real time inside health systems rather than only studying them, and the degree runs in hybrid or fully online formats with 7-week terms. About 68% of students graduate school-wide.
Wilkes-Barre, PA · ~$57,000/yr (est.)
King's College is a private college in Wilkes-Barre, in northeastern Pennsylvania, where it supplies a steady stream of graduates to regional health systems, clinics, and government agencies. Its Master of Science in Healthcare Administration is online, project-based, and taught by practicing health care executives, with flexible pacing that lets students move quickly or slow down around work obligations. Roughly 60% of students graduate school-wide, and the college reports a first-year retention rate of about 76%.
CAHME accreditation is the only recognized standard for graduate programs in healthcare management in the United States and Canada. It signals that a program meets rigorous, multi-year benchmarks for curriculum, faculty, and student outcomes, and it is endorsed by the leading industry organizations: the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
For employers, CAHME accreditation serves as a shorthand for quality. Many administrative fellowships, residencies, and early-career leadership tracks require or strongly prefer graduates from CAHME-accredited online MHA programs. In Pennsylvania’s competitive health systems, including UPMC, Penn Medicine, and Geisinger, earning your MHA from a CAHME-accredited school can directly influence your candidacy for post-graduate training roles.
As of the 2025, 2026 accreditation cycle, the following Pennsylvania institutions offer online or hybrid MHA programs with active CAHME accreditation:
In addition, Walden University, which is an online institution not physically located in Pennsylvania but available to state residents, earned initial CAHME accreditation for its online MHA program in March 2025.
Many other online MHA and healthcare administration master’s programs in Pennsylvania are regionally accredited but do not hold programmatic CAHME accreditation. Examples include the online MHA programs at Immaculata University, King’s College, Moravian University, and the online MBA with a healthcare concentration from Eastern University. These programs can still provide a solid foundation in healthcare management, but they may not carry the same automatic recognition for fellowship eligibility or meet the hiring preferences of some health systems. Widener University’s MBA in Healthcare Management previously held CAHME accreditation, but it lapsed effective June 20222.
Every reputable program in this guide holds regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. That baseline ensures that federal financial aid is available and that credits are generally transferable. CAHME is the programmatic overlay that speaks specifically to the competencies needed in health administration. When comparing programs, consider how your career goals align with the expectations of the organizations where you want to work.
The table below compares graduate tuition for health administration master's programs at Pennsylvania schools, sorted from lowest to highest estimated total graduate tuition. Most private institutions in this list charge a flat online tuition rate regardless of where you live, which is a significant advantage for out-of-state students. Note that the net price shown is an institution-wide average drawn from federal data (IPEDS, 2023) and reflects all students across all programs. It is not a guaranteed cost specific to the MHA or MBA in healthcare administration, so treat it as an approximate benchmark rather than a precise program-level figure.
| School | Graduate Tuition (In-State) | Graduate Tuition (Out-of-State) | Flat-Rate Online Tuition? | Approx. Institution-Wide Net Price | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York College of Pennsylvania | $8,340 | $8,340 | Yes | $18,556 | Online |
| Delaware Valley University | $9,003 | $9,003 | Yes | $28,278 | Online |
| Peirce College | $14,296 | $14,296 | Yes | $12,148 | Online |
| University of Scranton | $11,630 | $11,630 | Yes | $32,568 | Online |
| Immaculata University | $12,780 | $12,780 | Yes | $24,258 | Online |
| Rosemont College | $12,780 | $12,780 | Yes | $20,150 | Online |
| Marywood University | $12,951 | $12,951 | Yes | $23,388 | Online |
| Messiah University | $14,040 | $14,040 | Yes | $26,502 | Online |
| Eastern University | $14,534 | $14,534 | Yes | $26,662 | Online |
| Juniata College | $14,700 | $14,700 | Yes | $23,988 | Online |
| Holy Family University | $15,900 | $15,900 | Yes | $13,143 | Online |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | $15,804 | $15,804 | Yes | $27,483 | Online |
| Point Park University | $16,704 | $16,704 | Yes | $25,942 | Online |
| Moravian University | $18,594 | $18,594 | Yes | $30,670 | Online |
| Temple University | $22,818 | $29,924 | No | $28,198 | Hybrid |
| Penn State (World Campus) | $24,650 | $24,650 | Yes | $19,550 | Hybrid |
| Penn State Abington | $25,356 | $33,038 | No | $18,071 | Hybrid |
| Duquesne University | $27,612 | $27,612 | Yes | $37,730 | Online |
| Widener University | $28,004 | $28,004 | Yes | $25,759 | Hybrid |
| Misericordia University | $38,620 | $38,620 | Yes | $37,485 | Online |
| Drexel University | $39,261 | $39,261 | Yes | $38,509 | Online |
| King's College | $57,109 | $57,109 | Yes | $23,093 | Online |
Understanding what MHA graduates earn requires looking at two complementary data sets. Program-level earnings from federal sources reflect what graduates of specific MHA programs actually take home after completing their degree. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, by contrast, captures what all medical and health services managers in Pennsylvania earn regardless of where they studied. Both benchmarks are useful, but they measure different things. Program-level earnings for the online MHA programs featured in this guide are not yet available from federal reporting sources. The BLS figures below show what the occupation pays across Pennsylvania and the nation, giving you a solid baseline for salary expectations.
Test-required admissions and test-optional admissions used to define the graduate application landscape. In Pennsylvania's online MHA market, that divide has effectively collapsed: the vast majority of programs now waive the GRE and GMAT outright, and the remaining holdouts waive them conditionally for applicants who clear a GPA threshold.
For the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, none of the marquee online MHA options in Pennsylvania require a standardized test as a universal condition of admission. The pattern breaks down like this:
If standardized testing is a barrier, the Pennsylvania market is genuinely friendly. The secondary search phrase "MHA programs PA no GRE" maps to real, accredited options, not a workaround.
Waiving the GRE does not mean waiving rigor. Expect programs to evaluate the following:
Admission policies shift year to year. A program that waives the GRE this cycle may reinstate it, and GPA thresholds move quietly. Before you commit to an application fee, confirm current requirements directly on the program's admissions page or with a graduate advisor. What you read in a guide, including this one, should be the starting point of your research, not the last word.
Choosing an online MHA in Pennsylvania often means weighing the near-total flexibility of asynchronous coursework against the professional networks and hands-on practice that short in-person residencies deliver. Very few programs are fully online with zero campus visits, but several bring students to campus only once or twice, preserving remote convenience for the rest of the degree.
Pennsylvania schools classify their MHA formats as either online or hybrid, but even programs labeled "online" may include a brief on-campus component. Penn State's MHA is primarily online and includes two face-to-face management intensives of one week each at the University Park campus.1 Duquesne University delivers coursework asynchronously online but requires a three-day on-campus residency connected to the internship.2 Drexel University's online MHA has one on-site residency in Philadelphia, while the rest of the program is remote.3 Temple University offers the most flexibility: students can choose fully online, hybrid, or in-person classes term by term through Main Campus and Center City locations.4 University of Scranton and Immaculata University are examples of programs that are truly fully online with no residency requirement, though Scranton also offers an on-campus version.5 If a completely remote experience is non-negotiable, confirm the residency policy directly with the program.
A standard full-time MHA in Pennsylvania runs about two years, but accelerated and part-time schedules shift the range dramatically. Duquesne's 42-credit program can be finished in as few as 16 months,2 ranking among the fastest online MHA programs. Drexel's part-time format typically spans 24 to 36 months.3 Penn State spans 28 months for the full 49-credit degree,1 while University of Scranton's 47-credit curriculum typically takes 30 months. At the other end, Temple allows up to five years for completion,4 which suits working professionals who study part-time. Most programs total between 33 and 44 credits,3 though Penn State and Scranton fall above that range. Students who need to balance a full-time job often spread courses over three or four years, taking one or two courses per term.
The bulk of Pennsylvania online MHAs wrap up with a capstone or a supervised practical experience. Penn State requires a four-course independent study capstone completed within the student's own employing organization,1 so no additional site placement is needed. Duquesne uses capstone presentations tied to community partner projects, and the short on-campus residency is linked to that culminating experience.2 Drexel incorporates a Group Applied Management Project that functions as the program's capstone.3 Other programs, like Marywood's M.S. in Healthcare Administration, require a capstone course but leave the setting flexible. A few programs designate an administrative residency or a formal internship; if you plan to use your current workplace, confirm with the program that your role qualifies. When an in-person placement is required, most programs allow you to arrange it near your home, though positions with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, county health districts, or VA facilities can provide particularly strong public-sector alignment, a career path that an online MPA in Pennsylvania can also support.
What career options exist for MHA graduates who want to work in Pennsylvania's public health infrastructure rather than private hospital systems?
Pennsylvania offers a distinctive landscape for public-sector health administration, with opportunities spanning state agencies, county health departments, public hospital authorities, and one of the nation's largest concentrations of VA Medical Centers. An MHA degree positions graduates to move into leadership roles across these settings, though the pathways differ from private-sector tracks in important ways.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health employs health administrators across bureaus including Disease Prevention, Community Health Systems, and Health Planning. Positions like Health Program Administrator typically require a master's degree in health administration, public health, or a related field, making the MHA a direct credential for these roles. County and municipal health departments in Philadelphia, Allegheny County, and other jurisdictions also hire administrators to oversee programs ranging from maternal health to emergency preparedness.
These positions often fall under the Commonwealth's civil service system, which means applicants must navigate merit-based hiring processes. The MHA curriculum, with its emphasis on healthcare finance, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance, aligns well with the competencies these positions require. Readers interested in broader state government opportunities may also want to explore master of public policy degrees in Pennsylvania for adjacent pathways.
Pennsylvania hosts several competitive administrative fellowship programs that accept MHA graduates, though most are based in large health systems rather than purely public agencies. These fellowships provide structured leadership development that can transition into public-sector roles.
Key programs accepting MHA graduates include:
The CHOP Revenue Cycle Operations Administrative Fellowship specifically requires a master's in healthcare administration from a CAHME-accredited program, illustrating why accreditation matters for competitive positions.2
Most Pennsylvania fellowships follow the National Council on Administrative Fellowships uniform timeline, with the 2026 application cycle opening June 5 and most programs closing by September 10, 2026.1
Pennsylvania falls within Veterans Integrated Service Network 4, which operates VA Medical Centers in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Butler, Coatesville, Erie, Lebanon, and Wilkes-Barre. These facilities employ health administrators through the federal civil service system, with MHA graduates qualifying for positions in facility management, patient services administration, and program coordination. VA roles often offer federal benefits and loan repayment programs that appeal to public-service-oriented graduates.
For candidates targeting leadership in government health agencies, public hospital authorities, or VA facilities, the MHA provides a credential that hiring managers recognize and job descriptions frequently require. The degree's focus on healthcare operations, finance, and policy analysis translates directly to the work of managing public health programs and facilities.
That said, public-sector salaries sometimes trail those in private systems, and advancement may depend on civil service classifications rather than purely on credentials. Candidates should weigh these factors against the mission alignment and stability that public-sector positions often provide.
Readers interested in complementary pathways may find value in exploring public health degrees in Pennsylvania, which can lead to epidemiology, health education, and population health roles that intersect with MHA career tracks.
Pennsylvania's classified civil service system offers a structured advancement ladder for MHA graduates who want to lead public health programs at the state level. Under the reformed civil service framework established by 71 Pa.C.S. Chapter 31, positions in healthcare administration and public health are filled through application review and structured interviews rather than traditional written exams, making the pathway more accessible for qualified candidates.
A healthcare administrator's license is a state-issued credential that authorizes you to run a specific type of facility, most commonly a nursing home. In Pennsylvania, general healthcare administration roles (hospital operations, health system management, county health district jobs, and VA administrative work) do not require a state license. You can earn an MHA and step directly into most administrative positions without a licensing exam.
The one big exception is nursing home administration. If you want to run a skilled nursing facility in Pennsylvania, you must hold a Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators, housed within the Pennsylvania Department of State. The board's authority and current standards are set out in 49 Pa. Code Chapter 39.1
For most roles, no. Hospital CEOs, practice managers, public health program directors, and health department administrators are not licensed occupations in Pennsylvania. For nursing home administrators, yes: the license is mandatory, and practicing without it is a legal violation. Assisted living and personal care home administrators have separate, less rigorous state requirements handled through the Department of Human Services rather than the NHA board.
Pennsylvania recognizes a master's degree in hospital administration, public health administration, or health facility administration as an acceptable degree for the NHA pathway.1 Applicants who hold one of these degrees are exempt from the 120-hour NHA preparatory course that bachelor's-only candidates must complete.3 The master's pathway also carries a lighter practicum burden: 800 clinical hours and 6 months of qualifying work experience through the Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program,2 compared with 1,000 hours and 9 months for bachelor's-level applicants.3
The AIT program is a supervised residency under a licensed preceptor. After completing AIT, candidates sit for three examinations: the NAB Core exam, the NAB Nursing Home Administrator Line of Service exam, and the Pennsylvania State NHA exam.4 Applicants must pass a background check. Renewal is required every two years and demands 48 continuing education hours, including 12 hours in emergency preparedness and infection control and 2 hours in child abuse recognition (3 hours at initial licensure).2
Our ranking methodology prioritizes measurable outcomes that signal strong return on investment for Pennsylvania MHA students. Each program qualifies for consideration by offering online-eligible delivery, and is then ordered using a mixed quality composite that weighs graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, affordability, and institutional outcomes data from verified public sources.
We assess programs on the following dimensions, each sourced from reliable government datasets.
All metrics are drawn from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (both institution-level and program-level outcomes) and IPEDS, plus direct accreditation verification. Important caveats apply: graduation rates reflect the entire school, not just MHA cohorts; net price is an approximation based on typical aid packages; and earnings data are medians from Scorecard program-level reporting, not state-specific or occupation-based averages.
This composite does not measure program culture, faculty mentorship, networking strength, or local employer partnerships. Prospective students should use these rankings as a starting point, then investigate fit through conversations with alumni and admissions teams. Where data is thin or not yet published, we note the gap rather than interpolating results.
Choosing the right MHA program involves sorting through accreditation details, tuition structures, admissions policies, and career implications. Below are answers to the questions Pennsylvania residents ask most often, drawn from the program and career details covered throughout this guide.
As of 2026, two Pennsylvania institutions hold CAHME accreditation for their online MHA programs: the University of Scranton, one of the first U.S. programs accredited by CAHME for online delivery1, and Penn State World Campus, which earned the maximum seven-year re-accreditation term2. CAHME accreditation signals that a program meets rigorous standards for curriculum, faculty, and experiential learning in health administration.
Tuition varies by institution. The University of Scranton's 47-credit online MHA totals roughly $45,355 at $965 per credit1. Drexel University's 45-credit program runs approximately $45,100 at $1,002 per credit. Some programs offer flat online tuition regardless of residency, so Pennsylvania residents should confirm whether in-state rates apply before enrolling.
Yes. The University of Scranton does not require the GMAT or GRE for admission4, though applicants generally need a minimum 3.0 GPA and at least three years of relevant work experience1. Several other programs covered in this guide also offer test-optional or no-GRE pathways. Check each school's current admissions page for the latest policy.
An MHA opens doors to leadership roles across hospitals, health systems, insurance organizations, and public agencies. In Pennsylvania, graduates pursue positions such as hospital administrator, health policy analyst, managed-care director, and public health program manager. State and county health departments, VA medical centers, and public hospital authorities all employ MHA-prepared professionals.
For professionals targeting public-sector leadership, the MHA provides specialized training in health finance, policy analysis, and population health management that a general MPA or MBA may not cover as deeply. Pennsylvania's large network of county health departments, state-run facilities, and federally funded health programs creates steady demand for administrators with this focused credential.
Most healthcare administration roles in Pennsylvania do not require a specific license. The key exception is nursing home administration: Pennsylvania requires a Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) license issued by the State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators. The license involves completing an approved training program, passing the national NAB exam, and fulfilling continuing education requirements.
Both the University of Scranton1 and Penn State World Campus2 deliver their CAHME-accredited MHA programs in a fully online format, with completion timelines typically ranging from 24 to 36 months. Some programs may include brief on-site residencies or capstone experiences, so prospective students should verify each program's specific requirements before enrolling.
The programs below round out the Pennsylvania online MHA picture beyond the ranked list above. They are grouped by region and presented as a browsable directory rather than a ranking, so you can weigh format, tuition, and curriculum against your own goals. Each entry comes from the same program information used in the ranking section.
