In this Article
Professional insights: Tanya Peterson
When you think about healthcare jobs, you probably envision doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other clinical positions. Don’t let that limit you. “There are so many opportunities beyond patient care,” explained Tanya Peterson, a healthcare career consultant with Polish2Prosper. “Jobs in the administrative, business and financial side of healthcare help provide what clinicians need to succeed.”
Key takeaways
- Business degrees can lead to many non-clinical healthcare jobs including healthcare administrator, financial manager, human resources manager and medical office manager.
- Hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, outpatient care centers, long-term care facilities and more all hire business professionals without a clinical background.
- Advanced roles often require a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or graduate-level healthcare administration degree.
Can you work in healthcare with a business degree?
Yes—many healthcare jobs don’t require clinical training. People with business degrees work in roles such as healthcare administration, finance, human resources, healthcare consulting, medical device sales and operations management. Healthcare organizations rely on business professionals to manage budgets, staffing, compliance and strategy.
If you have a business degree or are considering pursuing one, a whole slew of non-clinical jobs could fit your passions, skills, and background. Nearly every healthcare organization—from hospitals and insurance companies to assisted living facilities and pharmaceutical companies—needs business-savvy employees.
Best business degrees for healthcare careers
Business degrees, especially those in business management, complement the medical expertise of employees on the clinical side of healthcare organizations. “You learn operations, business structure, revenue, metrics, and so many other things in business school—the fundamentals of business that clinicians don’t get in medical school,” Peterson said, who used to be an occupational therapist.
Healthcare jobs are open to people with both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business.
Bachelor of Business Administration
“Healthcare, especially in the U.S., is a business,” Peterson said. “Healthcare organizations need experts to make that business run.” Education in business can help prepare you to do just that.
With a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), you will learn general business skills, from economics and accounting to management and finance. This major prepares you for a wide variety of fields and positions. This degree typically takes four years to complete.
You can also focus on healthcare management and healthcare administration. These emphases allow you to dive deeper in the specifics of the healthcare industry. In particular, they help you hone skills in managing people. They also teach healthcare-related background, such as public health policy.
What classes will I take?
Universities vary in the required courses of a Bachelor of Business Administration. Generally, these classes include:
Beyond required courses, business degree programs offer room for elective classes and specialization. This flexibility allows you to focus on a particular field, such as healthcare, or a skill, such as finance.
Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) teaches not only academics but also the how-to and decision-making processes graduates will need to thrive as business executives. These programs teach a breadth of topics to cover nearly everything you’ll need to know to run a business (or a part of one).
A typical full-time MBA program takes two years to complete. That said, there are several variations. Some schools offer an accelerated Master of Business Administration. Others offer tracks (often called executive MBA programs) tailored to working professionals, with evening classes, online coursework and flexible options. This is a particularly good option for people with other commitments, such as work and family, that make a full-time program difficult.
Nearly all MBA programs require applicants to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Earning a competitive GMAT score makes your application stronger.
“A master’s is necessary for some, but not all, non-clinical healthcare jobs,” Peterson said. “When deciding whether to pursue an MBA, look at your goal and reverse engineer the path to get there. If you need more letters behind your name, then go get that degree.”
What classes will I take?
Again, courses vary from business school to business school. All will teach the fundamentals of business, though. You’ll most likely study:
BBA vs MBA: Which one should I pursue?
Clearly, both a bachelor-level and master-level education will cover many of the same topics. Still, important differences separate the two.
First of all, bachelor’s degrees are more often earned in lecture format courses filled with many other undergraduates. In contrast, master’s programs are often designed around smaller, more intimate discussion-style classes.
In addition, bachelor’s programs rely mostly on individual work. Students primarily study, write papers, complete projects and take exams on their own. Group projects are mixed in, but the emphasis is on demonstrating your own knowledge.
Master’s programs emphasize collaboration and group work. This is partly to reflect the business reality: In your future positions, you’ll need to work closely with others to get the job done.
Finally, master’s programs feature much more project-based work than a BBA program. The focus on projects—for example, writing a business plan, launching a service or executing a marketing campaign—demonstrate the skills students are honing and can serve as examples of your expertise when applying to jobs.
How does a business degree differ from a healthcare management degree?
A general business degree and healthcare management degree both cover the basics of business. Healthcare management programs specialize in topics uniquely relevant to jobs in hospitals, insurance companies, physician offices and other health-related settings. In general, you can add “of healthcare” to many general business courses to get an understanding of healthcare management classwork (such as, economics “of healthcare”).
Some job settings—especially prestigious or competitive companies—prefer candidates who have specialized in healthcare management.
When you are deciding which degree to pursue, research the roles and settings where you want to work after graduation. Do most employees have an advanced degree and, if so, what type? What are the minimum education requirements outlined in job postings? This sleuthing will help you choose the most relevant degree to your goals.
Best healthcare jobs for business majors
The responsibilities of clinicians vary widely, from drawing blood to brain surgery. Similarly, people working on the business side of healthcare do different things, depending on their role and seniority.
Business-focused positions are not client-facing. Rather, these employees work behind the scenes. “Clinicians treat patients, but people in business roles make sure bills get paid, patients have a good experience from intake to discharge and many other things that keep the business running,” Peterson said.
These roles are often administrative, managerial, financial or technical. They also offer the opportunity to climb higher in the organization structure and to take on leadership responsibilities.
Job titles vary among settings, but after earning a business degree, you can pursue jobs in these areas:
These are some of the most popular roles you can pursue with a business degree:
Healthcare services management
Healthcare service managers oversee groups of clinicians. They ensure that the patient-facing work of healthcare providers matches with business needs by planning, directing, and coordinating their work.
Median annual salary: $117,960
Job growth: Demand for these positions is expected to increase 23.2% through 2034—much faster than the average across all occupations.
Most applicable degrees: A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education requirement, and master’s degrees in business are becoming more common.
Finance
Financial managers help companies plan and execute strategies to work toward their financial goals. This entails outlining actionable plans, directing investments, creating financial reports, managing risk and providing company leadership with the information to make data-based decisions.
Median annual alary: $161,700
Job growth: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates these positions will grow by 14.8% through 2034, faster than average growth for all career fields.
Most applicable degrees: A bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement, and most positions require relevant experience as an accountant or financial analyst.
Human resources
Human resources professionals in healthcare settings recruit, hire, coordinate and support staff within an organization. They may also work on training, retention, performance monitoring and professional development for employees.
Median annual salary: $140,030
Job growth: These roles are projected to grow 5% through 2034, slightly faster than average.
Most applicable degrees: Depending on the seniority of the position, you may need a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Healthcare administration degrees are particularly helpful.
Healthcare executive
Healthcare executives plan the overarching strategies for an organization’s success, from meeting financial goals to ensuring quality of care for patients.
Median annual salary: $206,420
Job growth: The growth for these positions is about the same as the national average across all occupations: 4.3% through 2034.
Most applicable degrees: Master’s degree in business and/or healthcare administration.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Where business professionals work in healthcare
Hospitals aren’t the only place you can find rewarding healthcare careers. A business degree opens the door to work in many settings.
Just about every setting that provides healthcare also has business needs. While you’re exploring careers, look for jobs in medical clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, assisted living facilities, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies and public health departments.
- Hospitals:
- Human resources manager, budget analyst, patient advocate, medical writer, administrative roles such as admissions or records clerk
- Clinics:
- Healthcare administrator, administrative roles
- Long-term care facilities:
- Healthcare administrator, risk management manager, patient-family liaison
You might also consider …
Hospitals, clinics, and care facilities are the most common healthcare-related settings where people with business degrees can find rewarding careers. There are even more places to expand your job hunt—including some you might not have thought of.
- Healthcare services and facilities:
- Labs, private ambulance services
- Medical devices, equipment and supplies/manufacturers:
- Surgical instruments, medical devices in a range of specialties (oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory, etc.)
- Medical insurance and managed care:
- Health and dental insurance companies, healthcare technology companies, centers for Medicaid and Medicare services
- Pharmaceutical drugs:
- Bio pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs
“Master”ing a move up: Pursuing a graduate degree
If you already have a bachelor’s degree in business, you might wonder if you should step up your education. “If you realize there’s a gap between the degree you have and the position you want, you may want to go back to school,” Peterson said.
Some jobs and settings will be more attainable for people with a master’s degree, she added. These positions include:
- Upper management
- Executives (CEO, CFO, COO, etc.)
- Budget analyst
What’s more, “if you’re looking to work in a multilevel organization like a large hospital, positions might require more in terms of degrees and experience,” Peterson explained. Your location is also a factor. Jobs in competitive locations (such as metropolitan areas) may require advanced degrees, whereas low-competition locations (such as rural areas) may not.
Resources to learn more
If the administrative or management side of healthcare appeals to you, familiarize yourself with some organizations and associations in the field:
- Medical Group Management Association (MGMA):
- Works toward improving healthcare in the U.S. through data insights, advocacy, and events.
- National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM):
- Provides training toolkits and certification in areas of patient access.
- Association for Healthcare Administration Professionals (AHCAP):
- Analyzes healthcare trends, offers webinars and conferences, and keeps a job board.
- Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA):
- Shares tools, conferences, seminars, and certification to healthcare professionals who specialize in finance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How can you transition from a business degree into healthcare?
People with business degrees can enter the healthcare field by pursuing entry-level administrative roles, internships or management training programs in healthcare organizations. Some professionals also choose to earn a graduate degree in healthcare administration or healthcare management to gain specialized knowledge of healthcare systems, regulations and policy.
Is healthcare administration a good career for business majors?
Healthcare administration can be a good career choice for business majors who want to work in the healthcare industry without providing direct patient care. Healthcare administrators oversee budgets, staffing, operations and policies within healthcare organizations. The role often offers strong job growth potential and opportunities to advance into leadership positions.
Do you need an MBA to work in healthcare management?
No, an MBA is not always required to work in healthcare management. Many entry-level administrative roles require only a bachelor’s degree in business, healthcare administration or a related field. However, an MBA or a master’s degree in healthcare administration (MHA) may help professionals qualify for leadership positions such as hospital administrator, healthcare executive, or department director.
What skills do business majors use in healthcare careers?
Business professionals in healthcare use many of the same skills they would in other industries, including: financial management and budgeting, leadership and team management, data analysis, strategic planning and decision-making, operations and project management, communication and organizational skills. These skills help healthcare organizations manage resources, improve efficiency and deliver quality services.
