Most Affordable Online Master's in Health Informatics

Updated November 17, 2022

Find the most affordable master programs in health informatics from these online colleges and universities.

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Online Master's in Health Informatics

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As the healthcare industry continues to grow, more and more professionals are going back to school for advanced degrees, such as an online health informatics master's degree. Graduate programs in this area combine healthcare, medicine, computer science, IT, and data analysis, offering a unique combination of skill sets to interested students.

Top 10 Online Master's in Health Informatics

#1 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Harrisburg, PA
#2 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
#3 University of North Texas Denton, TX
#4 The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX
#5 SUNY College at Oswego Oswego, NY
#6 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
#7 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
#8 University of Scranton Scranton, PA
#9 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
#10 Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

Many working adults apply to online programs in health informatics as a way to kick their careers in healthcare into high gear. Current nurses, technicians, office administrators, and even doctors might earn a graduate degree in this field. After graduation they can take this new education, added to their professional experience in medicine, to find even better jobs in the healthcare sector. Alumni can land competitive jobs as data analysts, hospital administrators, IT contractors, or even Chief Information Officers.

The 30 Best Online Health Informatics Graduate Programs Ranking Methodology

Selection Criteria

For this ranking, we focused on public and private (non-profit) colleges and universities that offer online health informatics graduate programs. Because the focus of this list is on affordability, we only considered programs with average* tuition rates of $25,000/year or less.

*For public schools, we calculated the average value of their in-state and out-of-state rates.

Ranking Factors

After compiling a list of all the colleges that offer health informatics master's degrees online and meet the above criteria, we collected data in four categories:

  • Technological Focus: What percentage of the coursework focuses on informatics and tech-related subjects, rather than general healthcare/management topics? This helped us distinguish the programs that provide the most comprehensive training specifically in healthcare informatics.
  • Flexibility: Does the curriculum include electives? How many classes (including those within a concentration) do students get to tailor to their own interests?
  • Hands-on Learning: Does the program include an experiential learning component? Even better, can students choose from multiple options? Examples include internships, practica, thesis projects, research, and other hands-on capstone-type courses.
  • Affordability: What is the average annual cost of attendance?

After collecting and sorting all the information, we ranked the candidates according to their performance in each area. Finally, we summed up the results and gave each school a final score using a curve so that the top-scoring program earned an even 100 points.

Read more about the best cheap online master's degrees in health informatics below!


Best Cheap Online Health Informatics Graduate Programs Ranking

  1. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
    Location

    Harrisburg, PA

    Tuition

    $7200

    Here it is, the number one cheap online master's in health informatics. What did Harrisburg University do to earn this coveted spot? At just over $7,000 per year, it is one of the most affordable schools in our ranking, but Harrisburg has much more to offer than low tuition. In fact, this program has one of the most comprehensive, information-rich curricula of any college we evaluated. Core classes address everything from healthcare data and analytics to essential informatics skills, while a required experiential component will help you apply your knowledge through a research methodology class and applied project or thesis.

  2. Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
    Location

    Indianapolis, IN

    Tuition

    $16722

    At IUPUI, the focus is on practical technologies that reveal healthcare solutions. In other words, enroll in this top cheap online health informatics graduate program if you want to learn how to turn knowledge into real results. The curriculum is rich in cutting-edge coursework, addressing pertinent issues in security and privacy, clinical decision support systems, and informatics standards and terminology. Another benefit is that you'll be able to pick four of your classes as electives, which is more than the average program on this list. Lastly, you'll be able to choose to round out your studies by either writing a thesis paper or completing a project (typically in the form of research or a computer application).

  3. University of North Texas
    Location

    Denton, TX

    Tuition

    $10855

    We're not the only ones who think the University of North Texas has one of the best accredited health informatics master's degrees online; U.S. News also puts UNT on its top 10 list of programs! Housed within the Department of Library and Information Sciences within UNT's College of Information, this program has deep roots in IS. This is readily apparent in the curriculum, which includes required courses like Information Organization, Information Access and Knowledge Inquiry, and Disaster Management for Information Professionals. The program is also big on experiential learning, and you'll be required to complete an internship at a local organization - such as a hospital, biomedical company, or consumer health library - before graduating.

  4. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
    Location

    Houston, TX

    Tuition

    $8954

    As a student at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, you can rest assured that your education will fully prepare you for success in your chosen field. Indeed, UTHSC stands out on our online master's in health informatics ranking for its acutely career-oriented curriculum. Rather than offering specializations related to different academic areas, this program provides tracks based on two primary professional goals: traditional research and applied work. The former option focuses on data analysis and allows you to choose an additional focus area, while the latter emphasizes practical knowledge of the healthcare system (e.g. EHRs, standards and legislation, and security protocols).

  5. SUNY College at Oswego
    Location

    Oswego, NY

    Tuition

    $17603

    Not sure whether to go for a broad curriculum or more specialized study? At SUNY Oswego, you won't have to choose. That's because the school has designed a uniquely customizable curriculum that will appeal equally to applicants with backgrounds (and aspirations) in business, technology, and healthcare. For one thing, this affordable online master's degree in healthcare informatics only counts four core courses. Instead, the bulk of your studies will take place in one of three tracks: Health Information Management/Data Science, Health Informatics Professional, and Intelligent Health Systems. Each track then includes its own unique set of required, elective, and capstone courses.

  6. Rutgers University-New Brunswick
    Location

    New Brunswick, NJ

    Tuition

    $19682

    Compared to other schools on this online health informatics graduate programs ranking, Rutgers University puts much greater emphasis on science and technology topics than managerial topics. For example, the core curriculum covers biomedical modeling, disease processes, SAS applications, and medical terminology, but not project management or finance. And while the program does offer a concentration in Healthcare Management, the other three specialization options (Consumer/Patient Care, Nanomedicine, and Bioinformatics) are decidedly tech-focused. Not only that, but you'll have to complete an in-depth, directed research project before graduating.

  7. East Carolina University
    Location

    Greenville, NC

    Tuition

    $8604

    There is no shortage of reasons why you might consider earning your master's degree from East Carolina University. First of all, ECU has one of the only accredited online master's degrees in healthcare informatics, and the only accredited program in North Carolina. In addition, the university has one of the cheapest tuition rates on this list, making it a great bargain from any angle. As if that weren't enough, ECU's program also offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from health data structures and electronic health records to decision support systems and evaluation methods.

  8. University of Scranton
    Location

    Scranton, PA

    Tuition

    $11427

    While the University of Scranton's health informatics program has wide appeal for its affordable price and high-quality courses, the degree primarily targets professionals who do not have a background in healthcare or computer science. In fact, the course plan specifically incorporates foundational on-boarding classes that help new students gain essential skills in both fields. This is also one of the top online master's degrees in healthcare informatics for professionals who want to acquire knowledge in certain advanced fields. Why? Because Scranton offers electives in niche areas like Rural Health, End-of-Life Care, Global Health Managementand more.

  9. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
    Location

    Minneapolis, MN

    Tuition

    $18483

    The University of Minnesota stands out on this health informatics master's degrees online ranking due to its quick timeline; full-time students can graduate in just one calendar year! Of course, you can also attend part-time if your schedule requires it. Either way, you'll be more than satisfied with the education you receive from this top program, which provides a varied curriculum spanning from public health and nursing to health IT. One of the more interesting classes is a seminar course that requires you to keep up with current literature in the field and discuss topical research problems.

  10. Medical University of South Carolina
    Location

    Charleston, SC

    Tuition

    $21336

    If you want to work in healthcare, it makes sense to get your degree from a school that dedicates itself entirely to medical science. The Medical University of South Carolina is one such institution. Here, you'll benefit from the hard-hitting, interdisciplinary resources that MUSC can offer, including expert faculty and researchers, first-hand knowledge of electronic health records (EHR) systems, and connections to top healthcare facilities throughout the state. And while it's certainly not the most affordable health informatics master's degree online, it still delivers a great bargain at just over $21k a year on average.

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

Thanks for reading our ranking of the 30 top cheap online master's degrees in healthcare informatics in the US!

Sources:
IPEDS Data Center
College Navigator

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