With a master’s degree in health informatics, you’ll qualify for high-level health service management jobs. Aside from jobs that require a doctorate, these are, on average, some of the highest paying jobs in the medical world. Currently, only a small number of schools offer health informatics master’s degrees, but if you choose to pursue this education, you’ll see your salary drastically increase.

How much can you make? That depends on a number of factors. Of all medical and health service managers, including those who only have bachelor’s degrees, the United States average salary is $88,750. The top 25% make an average of $104,120 annually, while the top 10% make an average of $137,800 annually. With a master’s degree in health informatics, your salary will automatically be much higher than those with just a bachelor’s degree, you you can expect to be in the top 25% or even 10%.

Where you live makes a huge different. According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the top five states, in terms of salary, for those working in medical and health service managers are as follows:

1. Washington ($109,570)
2. Vermont ($107,810)
3. New York ($105,010)
4. Massachusetts ($104,520)
5. Rhode Island ($103,830)

In addition, the top five metropolitan areas for medical and health services managers are as follows:

1. Salinas, California ($131,500)
2. Lawrence/Methuen/Salem, Massachusetts-New Hampshire ($126,860)
3. Panama City/Lynn Haven, Florida ($125,580)
4. Burlington/South Burlington, Vermont ($123,290)
5. Seattle/Bellevue/Everett, Washington ($118,680)

Remember, cost of living will be much higher in cities than in rural areas, so take this into consideration when determining where to work with your master’s degree in health informatics. In 2006, there were 262,000 medical and health service managers in the United States, and this number is expected to rise by 16% by 2016, which is faster than average for industries across the country. With a master’s degree in this field, you’ll be more qualified for positions, so as they open, you can move to areas of the country where it’s possible to make more money. A master’s degree in any field allows you to be slightly more picky about where you apply for a job.

Keep in mind that your average salary also depends on the company where you work. Smaller companies, like you’ll find with a private practice, typically do not pay as well as government departments and large corporations, for example. If you stay with a single employer, however, you’ll be rewarded. Employees who do their job well can expect small pay raises every year, which means that your annual salary will increase much faster over time if you stay with one company than if you jump from job to job.

Along with salary, remember to take into consideration the benefits and perks available with each job. Medical and life insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and more can mean that a job with a lower starting salary is actually better than a job that looks more lucrative on paper. If you currently only have a bachelor’s degree in health informatics, keep in mind that some employers will pay for you to go back to school, which is also something to take into consideration.

Health informatics is the study of how technology, particularly artificial intelligence, computer science, and informational science relates to the medical field. This field of study is typically applied to clinical care, nursing, public health, and biomedical research. Numerous colleges offer online master's degree programs in ths subject.

Top Online Master's in Healthcare Informatics Programs

MS in Medical Informatics	Northwestern University — Northwestern's 13-unit MS in medical informatics program is designed to enhance the skills of clinical health professionals and IT professionals in the healthcare field. Graduates will be ready to advance their careers as leaders in clinical IT and healthcare administration.
MS in Health Administration Informatics	University of Maryland University College — The University of Maryland University College offers a MS in health administration informatics degree that is designed to educate mid-career professionals seeking a graduate-level degree that combines healthcare administration with health information technology. A student can earn his/her degree in this program upon completion of five graduate-level courses.
MS in Health Informatics BSN to MSN - Informatics RN to MSN - Informatics Cert in Nursing Informatics	Walden University — Students studying in Walden's health informatics master's degree program will learn the basic skills required to use advanced technology in the healthcare industry, specifically applying health informatics to improve the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
MS in Health Informatics Dual MHA/MS in Informatics	University of Missouri — The master's degree program in health informatics from the University of Missouri is designed for working healthcare industry professionals who seek more expertise in integrating technical, clinical, and managerial competencies in their careers. Specifically, students of this program will learn the essentials of how advanced information technology applies to healthcare.
MS in Health Informatics Cert in Health Informatics	University of Illinois at Chicago — Within the Master of Science in health informatics online degree program from UIC, students learn how to analyze, select, and implement health care information technologies in a wide variety of different healthcare environments. Graduates of this program are well prepared to undertake mid- to upper-level management positions in the healthcare industry.
MHA in Informatics MSN in Informatics Health Informatics Cert	University of Phoenix — America's largest online university, the University of Phoenix, offers a Master of Health Administration in health informatics degree that provides students with knowledge of the concepts of systems life cycles, data management, and health informatics. Graduates of this program will be well suited for a career as a medical technologist or other upper-level healthcare professional.
MS in Health Info Mgmt BS in Health Informatics	Capella University — Capella's MS in health information management degree program is a masters-level program geared toward teaching students about how databases, information systems, data analysis, strategic management, and essential IT and business topics integrate with the healthcare industry.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	Northeastern University — The MBA in healthcare management degree program offered by Northeastern University is geared toward healthcare professionals wanting to expand their current roles with more business education. Students of this program will gain basic knowledge of business enterprise as well as a deeper knowledge of the healthcare specialization.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	American InterContinental University — The MBA in healthcare management degree program from American InterContinental University prepares students for upper-level management positions in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, health insurance organizations, pharmaceutical companies, health consultation firms, and more. This program can be completed within 10 months.
MBA in Healthcare Admin	Ashford University — The MBA in healthcare administration from Ashford consists of 33 credit hours and the online coursework is one of the most acccelrated available. Students of this program will be prepared with professional confidence, project management skills, and leadership abilities and will be ready to take on most any upper-level management job in the healthcare world.
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