Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration

Like all businesses, health care organizations need strong leadership to run smoothly. With a health care administration degree, your career could span the operation of a single department to executive leadership and management positions in which you’re responsible for millions of dollars of facilities and equipment as well as hundreds of employees.

In the BS Health Care Administration program, you will master the basic business principles and tools that you’ll need for effective decision-making when you enter this field: finance, information systems, strategic planning, human resource management and marketing. You’ll also develop strong leadership abilities — such as problem-solving, communication, relationship management, diplomacy, collaboration, teamwork, adaptability, change management and mentoring — that will be essential to your success. We are the only health care administration degree program in Wisconsin that is certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), and are among only 45 AUPHA-certified undergraduate programs in the nation.
Our undergraduate program integrates a minor in business administration to reinforce the strong management skills for which our graduates are known.
All of our students complete a semester-long internship, which provides an integrative educational and fieldwork experience. Thanks to our urban location and strong community partnerships, you’ll have access to internships at leading local and national health care organizations.
As participants in the American College of Healthcare Executives Higher Education Network, our program and the Future Healthcare Executives student organization connect you with leaders and professionals in the field through educational and networking opportunities.

Salaries of New Graduates

Local health care employers and new graduates of the BS Health Care Administration program report starting salaries between $40,000 and $65,000 per year, depending on the position and type of employer, as well as years of experience and location. Most new graduates are employed within three to six months of graduation, many within one month, with an increasing number pursuing graduate studies.

Expected Growth

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow 28 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the large baby boomer population ages and people remain active later in life, there should be increased demand for health care services. This means greater needs for physicians and other health care workers, medical procedures and health care facilities, and therefore greater needs for managers who organize and manage medical information and health care staff. There should also be increased demand for nursing care facility administrators as the population grows older.

Employment is projected to grow in offices of health practitioners. Many services previously provided in hospitals will shift to these settings, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management is expected to grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex.

Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that median salary for all medical and health services managers in 2021 was greater than $101,340 per year, earnings vary by type and size of the facility and level of responsibility. Salaries differ for non-managerial entry level positions, with higher pay typically associated with positions requiring a master’s degree.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers

For more information visit: https://uwm.edu/biomedical-sciences-healthcare-administration/academics/bs-health-care-administration/#tab-5mpj-curriculum