Best Online Master’s in Health Informatics Degrees of 2025

At the center of healthcare delivery, there are digital storage systems that contain patient data. Highly trained healthcare informatics professionals build and maintain these databases, which healthcare providers use to update, research, and share information.

A master’s in health informatics can help you enter this in-demand and rewarding field. Start your journey by exploring the best online master’s in health informatics degrees, and learn what we like about them.

Choosing the best master’s in health informatics program requires comparing costs, program lengths, application requirements, and other factors. Contact schools’ admissions departments to learn more before you apply.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), you can expect to pay around $10,300 in tuition and fees per year for your online master’s in health informatics degree.

You may be able to save money by attending a public university instead of a private college. According to NCES, the average tuition and fees for graduate students at private nonprofit schools fell just short of $30,000 in 2021-2022.

In comparison, graduate students at public universities were charged an average of around $12,600 in tuition and fees that same year — less than half the amount students at private schools paid.

You can further reduce your cost of attendance by submitting the FAFSA and applying for scholarships.

Like most master’s degree programs, an online master’s in health informatics typically consists of 30-36 credits and takes full-time students around two years to complete.

You may graduate sooner if you enroll in an accelerated master’s program. Consider this option if you don’t plan to work full time while in school.

Programs with concentrations or dual-degree tracks may require students to earn more than 36 credits. University class catalogs provide the latest graduation requirements, so be sure to read those carefully.

Programmatic accreditation isn’t a necessity, but looking for it can help you narrow down the best online health information master’s programs for you.

Top health informatics programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Programs (CAHIIM). CAHIIM grants accreditation only to programs with systemic planning, program autonomy, a rigorous curriculum, and ample student resources.

Schools you apply to should also hold institutional accreditation, ideally from a regional accreditor. This ensures your degree is widely recognized and that the school meets basic quality standards.

You can pursue many jobs — or advance in your current role — with a master’s in health informatics. Many senior positions require a solid grasp of computer science fundamentals. With experience, you could even qualify for a managerial role.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects strong growth for some health informatics careers, such as positions for health information technologists, which are projected to grow by 16% between 2023 and 2033.

Below are some additional master’s in health informatics jobs you could pursue and their average salaries.

Many find an online master’s in health informatics degree worthwhile.

According to our research, 97% of online degree-seekers would recommend online learning to prospective students.

Online education can benefit adult students in many ways, such as by offering asynchronous classes, which allow students to complete coursework on their own schedule.

An online health informatics master’s degree can also help you advance your career — even earn more money.

The latest data from NACE shows that the average starting salary for medical illustration and informatics master’s degree-holders exceeds $70,000. In comparison, 2023 graduates with a health-related bachelor’s degree earn a median income of around $62,000.

If you have a master’s in health informatics, you could continue your education by earning a doctor of health informatics (DHI) or a Ph.D. in health informatics or a related field, like healthcare management or data science.

Courses in a DHI program may include scientific writing, biostatistics, and machine learning. This degree qualifies you for many leadership positions at the intersection of healthcare and technology.

Alternatively, you might want to get a Ph.D. in health informatics. This degree is especially useful if you want to work as a professor or researcher. Classes such as application development and research methods prepare you to write a dissertation and become an expert in your field.

DHI and Ph.D. in health informatics programs can take anywhere from 3-7 or more years.