Top Accredited Health Information Management Online Degree
Healthcare today is equally dependent on data as it does on the doctors and nurses. Behind every patient record, compliance report or insurance claim, there’s a skilled professional in healthcare information management ensuring the entire process goes smoothly ensuring accuracy and privacy at the same time. With healthcare becoming majorly digital, the demand for HIM professionals is at an all-time high.
For working professionals aiming to advance their roles in HIM or students pursuing a career in this field, accredited health information management online degree can certainly be the perfect entry-point. Online programs combine affordability and flexibility, making quality education accessible for everyone. It can help you gain the credibility required to qualify for the industry-recognized certifications like RHIT and RHIA. Accreditation is a crucial aspect when it comes to HIM roles and career paths, an accredited degree holder is much likely to land better jobs than those without accredited degrees and certifications.
If you’re not sure of which school might offer the best, this guide explores in detail about the best healthcare information management online degree options, accredited schools, and career options so you can make an adequate choice.
Key Takeaways
- Always choose CAHIIM-accredited programs to meet health information management degree requirements and qualify for industry certifications.
- Most schools offer online classes for health information management, allowing part-time or full-time study without relocation.
- Compare affordable healthcare information management schools with more prestigious options to balance cost and career outcomes.
- A BS Health Information Management prepares graduates for roles in compliance, data analytics, clinical records, and management.
- HIM professionals are in demand across hospitals, insurance, and health tech, with competitive salaries and advancement potential.
What is Health Information Management?
Health information management (HIM) can be defined as the process of collecting, maintaining and protecting patient health records. It helps ensure medical data remains accurate, secure and compliant with the standard healthcare regulations.
HIM is different from health informatics, which revolves around system design and data analytics. Health information management focuses more towards record accuracy, compliance, and data governance.
Students pursuing HIM programs are likely to learn about medical coding, billing, healthcare laws, data security and electronic health record (HER) management. These skills prepare HIM graduates for promising roles in linking clinical care, technology and compliance standards.
What is a Health Information Management (HIM) Degree?
A healthcare information management degree is basically an academic program meant to prepare students for managing healthcare data systems, ensuring their compliance with standard regulations and supporting clinical decision-making.
The HIM degree options include:
- Associate Degree – entry-level program which comprises 2 years. It can prepare students to qualify for RHIT certification.
- Bachelor’s Degree (BS in HIM) – a 4-year bachelor’s program that prepares students for RHIA exam and mid-level management roles.
- Master’s Degree – advanced-level degree for around 1-2 years. It is usually focused around leadership, data strategy, and policy, preparing students for senior roles.
The typical coursework of an HIM degree revolves around medical terminology, coding systems, healthcare law, database management, data analytics, and information governance.
An accredited degree opens your HIM career paths to many professional certifications like RHIA and RHIT. It also prepares for high-income roles across healthcare, insurance and health IT industries.
Who is this Degree For?
Choosing a career early on is a challenge for many medical students, even more so if they are not keen into patient care or medicine. However, this degree is not limited to college students, it is also for professionals in the field. A Health Information Management degree is thus ideal for:
- High school graduates interested in healthcare and data-driven careers.
- Working professionals in healthcare (nurses, coders, and admin staff) seeking advancement.
- Career changers from IT, business, or data analytics moving into healthcare.
- Future leaders aiming for roles in compliance, health IT, or data management.
It’s designed for students who want a healthcare career without direct patient care, combining technology, data, and management.
Why Choose an Online HIM Degree?
Apart from the fact that HIM professionals are high in demand, there’re several reasons you should opt for an online healthcare information management degree. They include:
Flexibility – choosing online programs allows you to enjoy maximum flexibility. These programs are usually designed keeping in view the schedules of working professionals, allowing part-time and accelerated study options.
Cost Savings – both travelling and relocations cost a fortune, choosing an online HIM degree can save you from that additional expense while ensuring you gain quality education.
Accessibility – enrolling in an online HIM degree program maximizes accessibility. You can choose programs from outside your location and access the top schools without any hassle.
Growing Demand – the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported a 16% growth in the job roles for health and medical service managers (2022-2032), a lot faster than the average growth rate.
For those balancing work, family, and education, online HIM programs deliver accredited, career-ready training with the same recognition as on-campus degrees.
Related: What Can You Do with a Health Information Management Degree
The Importance of Accreditation
When choosing a healthcare information management degree online, it is critical to consider the accreditation factor. While there are multiple options available, certification boards and employers only accept and recognize CAHIIM-accredited (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education) programs and graduating from a non-accredited program can only be a waste of money and time.
Here’s why accreditation actually matters:
Certification Eligibility: only graduating with a CAHIIM-accredited degree qualifies you to sit in the exams like RHIA and RHIT which are usually a standard required to secure HIM roles.
Employer Recognition: most HIM employers including hospitals, insurance companies, and government agencies expect candidates to have credentials from accredited health information management schools.
Financial Aid Access: The federal scholarships and financial aids are only available for students enrolled in accredited HIM schools.
Quality Assurance – Accreditation is basically a guarantee that the program you’re enrolled in meets all national standards in compliance, coding, data governance and health law.
In short, selecting an accredited health information management online degree guarantees both credibility and long-term career value.
HIM Schools to Explore for Your Bachelors Degree
University of Cincinnati Online – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
UC online offers a CAHIIM-accredited BS in Health Information Management degree, specifically designed for students with a health IT background or associate-level education. The program comprises 52 credit-hours and prepares each student to qualify the RHIA exam.
Tuition Cost: online bachelor’s degree in HIM from UC costs around $441/credit-hour for the residents and $456/credit-hour for out-of-the-state students. The total tuition sums up to $22,932 for residents and $23,712 for the non-residents.
Core Courses:
- Issues in Legal Aspects and Healthcare Delivery
- Healthcare Data Management
- Health Information Systems
- Health Information Management
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Healthcare Statistics and Research Methods
- Organizational Management and Leadership in Healthcare
- Financial Management in Healthcare
- Financial Management
- Health Information Management
Western Governors University (WGU) – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
WGU also offers a well-recognized, CAHIIM-accredited BS in healthcare information management degree. The program is designed on competency-basis, allowing students to accelerate through knowledge they already have. Most students happen to complete the required 36 courses/73 competency units within 2.5 years. The program also enables students to enter and qualify RHIA exams.
Tuition Cost: WGU charges students on term-bases instead of credit-hours because of their competency-based learning methodology. Students who complete their bachelor’s in an ideal 2.5 year duration have to pay around $22,050 in total.
Core Courses:
- Healthcare Management
- Health Sciences
- Healthcare Data
- Healthcare Information Technology
- Public Health
Purdue University Global – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
Purdue University Global also offers a reputed, online BS in health information management degree, which is CAHIIM-accredited. The program is fully online allowing students to learn about coding, reimbursement methodologies and legal aspects of health information alongside quality assurance. The degree also requires students to complete a capstone project based on experiential learning and RHIA exam preparation.
Tuition Cost: It costs $371/credit-hour. The total cost can vary, depending on the number of courses you enroll for every semester and the years you take to complete the degree.
Core Courses:
- Information Systems for Health Care
- Management of Health Information
- Health Informatics
- Strategic Planning and Change Management for Health Care
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
SNHU offers a CAHIIM-accredited online bachelors’ degree in healthcare information management. It consists of 120 credit-hours with each course and schedule specifically designed to facilitate remote learners. The curriculum is proactively designed in alignment with the industry standards, aimed at preparing students to enter and qualify RHIA exam hassle-free.
Tuition Cost: an online Him degree from Southern New Hampshire University costs $342/credit-hour. Meaning, the total tuition sums up to $41,040 in total.
Unique Course Offerings:
- ICD-10 and CPT/HCPCS Coding Systems
- Healthcare Data Management and Analytics
- Organizational Leadership in Healthcare
- Health Care Reimbursement and Finance
- Compliance and Risk Management in HIM
- Healthcare Law and Ethics
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
UMGC also offers a CAHIIM-accredited, online bachelors’ degree in healthcare information management. The program comprises generic education alongside HIM-specific courses, spanned across 120 credit-hours in total. It mainly emphasizes areas such as healthcare law, compliance and informatics, preparing students to enter and qualify RHIA certification exams.
Tuition Cost: an online HIM degree from Maryland Global Campus costs $330/credit-hour for in-state residents and $499/credit-hour for the non-residents. With 12 credit-hour requirements, the cost usually sums up to $39,600 for residents and $59,880 for non-residents respectively.
Major Courses Required:
- Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare Sector
- Managerial Epidemiology and Decision Making in Healthcare
- Healthcare Policies
- Management in Health Care Organizations
- Healthcare Financial Management
- Healthcare Marketing
- Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care
- Research and Data Analysis in Healthcare
- Healthcare Facilities Management
- Healthcare Economics
- Health Services Management Capstone
Davenport University – Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
Davenport offers a well-recognized, online bachelor’s as well as associate degree in health information management, which is also CAHIIM-accredited. The BS program comprises 120-122 credit-hours along with a professional practice internship. The HIM graduates from Davenport are eligible for the RHIA exam while the associate-degree holders can qualify RHIT certification.
Tuition Cost: the online bachelor’s degree in HIM costs $1018/credit-hour for residents and $688/credit-hour for non-residents.
Special Courses Offered:
Related: Health Information Management Schools in Florida
Career Opportunities with a Health Information Management Degree
A degree in Health Information Management (HIM) opens diverse career paths in healthcare, government, insurance, and health technology. With healthcare data becoming increasingly critical for patient safety, compliance, and cost efficiency, HIM professionals remain in high demand.
Job Outlook
The employment rate of both medical and health services professionals (including HIM) is expected to grow around 20+% by the end of 2033, which in fact, is a lot faster than the average of all occupations. This is going to create 820,500+ new jobs across the United States.
Common Career Roles in Health Information Management
| Role | Key Responsibilities | Average Salary (2025 Estimates) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Information Specialist |
|
$48,000–$65,000/year |
| Compliance Officer |
|
$70,000–$110,000/year |
| Clinical Data Analyst |
|
$65,000–$95,000/year (up to $100K+ with advanced analytics skills) |
| HIM Director / Manager |
|
$90,000–$125,000/year (senior roles $140K+) |
| Healthcare Data Quality Manager |
|
$75,000–$105,000/year |
Industries Hiring HIM Graduates
There are several industries hiring HIM graduates, the top amongst them include:
- Hospitals & Clinics (public and private)
- Insurance & Healthcare Payers
- Government & Regulatory Agencies
- Health Technology Companies
- Consulting & Research Organizations
How to Choose the Right Program
While choosing the right accredited health information management degree online is critical, it is not a simple task. Degrees cannot be ranked on the basis of cost, quality or flexibility alone. Instead, it’s a balance between flexibility, accessibility, quality and cost that makes an HIM degree adequate and most importantly, it’s alignment with your career goals.
The foremost criteria is to confirm CAHIIM-accreditation: this helps make sure the degree meets standard HIM requirements and will help you qualify for the RHIA and RHIT exams.
Next, weigh the tuition cost against ROI. Some schools cost less and are flat-rate affordable such as WGU while the ones like University of Cincinnati costs a little extra. But low cost shouldn’t be the only criteria, because the latter brings a long, strong alumni network and better work opportunities for their graduates, meaning higher ROI.
Another key factor is flexibility. Look for programs that offer hybrid or fully online classes, part-time tracks or even competency-based pacing.
Finally, thoroughly check the internship pathways and career services of each school. Programs that can connect you with government organizations or major healthcare providers add long-term value. Make sure you choose a program that aligns well with your career goals, whether you’re aiming for compliance, coding, or management – and make sure the curriculum fits both of your long-term and short-term goals.
Conclusion
Enrolling in an accredited health information management online degree is a smart investment for professionals aiming to land a powerful career in HIM. With multiple CAHIIM-accredited HIM programs available, you’ve the option to choose what suits you best.
While most of the programs are easily accessible and affordable, it is critical that you consider all the important factors before making a choice. The above-featured programs are all accredited, offer quality and recognition, and cost an affordable tuition. So, you can pick the best from amongst them and begin your journey.
FAQs
What jobs can I get with a HIM degree?
HIM graduates from reputable universities can qualify for multiple great career roles such as compliance officers, HIM specialist, HIM managers, and clinical data analysts, etc. With some years of experience, you can also grow up to the advanced roles such as director-level positions in government agencies, hospitals and health tech firms. A bachelors in HIM can also help you qualify for RHIA credentials.
How much can you make with a HIM degree?
HIM professionals make an average salary of $58,000-$100,000 per month, suggests the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The directors and managers often make up to six figures while the entry-level code specialists can be on the lower-end. However, there’s a steady growth in salary as you grow in experience and gain certifications.
How long does it take to earn one online?
Most health information management online degrees take 2-4 years in competition, depending on the level. For example, an associate degree can be completed within 18-24 months while a bachelor’s degree takes 4 years in completion. A masters’ program in HIM usually takes around 1.5-2 years.
Is HIM the same as Health Informatics?
No, it’s different. HIM mainly focuses on compliance, health records, and data quality unlike data informatics which is more focused at the application of data analytics and technology.
Is a HIM degree worth it?
Yes, the demand for HIM professionals is continuously growing given the rapid digitization of healthcare organizations. HIM graduates from reputable schools enjoy great career stability, leadership pathways and competitive salaries.
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