Accredited Online Health Information Management Degree Programs
Search For Schools
When you click on a sponsoring school or program advertised on our site, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
The health information technology and management field is witnessing rapid growth, and it’s only expected to increase over the coming years. By illustration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) reported that positions for health information technicians were expected to grow 8 percent between 2022 and 2032, and those for medical and health services managers are expected to grow 28 percent in that timeframe (BLS 2024). Notably, the projected growth percentages for medical and health services managers were more than nine times the average anticipated growth among all U.S. occupations in that same decade (3 percent).
While some aspiring health information management professionals pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree on campus, others turn to distance-based programs. Online health information management degrees can be convenient for working professionals; military personnel, who cannot break free from their rigorous schedule; and those in more remote locations, who cannot commute to a campus that offers this type of education. Online programs generally combine web-based coursework with in-person intensives completed either through limited campus visitation or training facilities close to a student’s home.
This comprehensive guide covers online health information management (HIM) programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels, including the expected coursework.
Admissions Requirements for Online Health Information Management Degree Programs
While admissions requirements differ by program, there are some commonalities. Online HIM programs typically require candidates to submit the following:
- Completed application and fee
- Proof of a high school diploma (or a bachelor’s degree for master’s level candidates)
- Personal statement or essay
- Proof of health insurance or immunizations
- Test scores (e.g., SAT, TOEFL for non-native speakers of English)
HIM Curriculum
Although the curriculum for an online health information management degree varies, a majority of HIM programs cover the following topics at length:
- Medical terminology
- Healthcare delivery systems
- Healthcare data management
- Healthcare quality management
- Coding and classification systems
- Compliance and risk management
- Communication and healthcare technology
- Pathophysiology and pharmacology
- Anatomy and physiology
Accredited Online HIM Associate Degrees
The following programs are all CAHIIM-accredited. Reference the last section of this guide for information about accreditation. Please note that at the associate degree level, many programs are in “health information technology.”
Sullivan University has campuses across Kentucky in Louisville, Lexington, and Louisa and offers a 92-credit online associate program in health information management, which takes approximately 24 months to complete.
Students in this program study health information management, diagnosis and procedure coding, legal aspects of health information, health information technology, and healthcare reimbursement.
Courses include advanced medical coding; anatomy and physiology; computer applications; medical terminology; pathophysiology and pharmacology; ICD-10-CM coding; healthcare statistics; and more.
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 24 months
The SBCC has three campuses in and around Santa Barbara, CA, and provides a 52.5-credit online associate of science (AS) in health information technology.
Courses include CPT procedural coding, an introduction to management, medical insurance and reimbursement methodologies, basic pathophysiology, pharmacology for allied health, an introduction to health information management, and legal aspects of healthcare.
Graduates from this program are eligible to earn the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
- Location: Santa Barbara, CA
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus offers an online associate’s degree in HIM. Courses include healthcare delivery systems, data management and analysis, healthcare financing and compliance, health information management, health information-directed practice, ICD procedure coding, CPT coding, quality improvement in healthcare, and medications. While all courses are online, the program requires a 40-hour practicum.
In addition, the courses are not self-paced, meaning students must attend live virtual lectures and submit assignments by specific deadlines each week. Finally, admission to this 94-credit program is competitive; only 35 students are accepted each year.
- Location: Portland, OR
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Hutchinson Community College of Hutchinson, KS, offers an online AAS in health information management. The program comprises 66 credits and includes coursework in medical terminology, legal and ethical issues in healthcare, quality improvement in healthcare, CPT coding, health statistics, pathophysiology, and reimbursement methodologies.
In addition, Hutchinson Community College also offers an associate degree in HIM with an emphasis on cancer registry management. This concentration provides students with clinical experience and instruction to assist in developing the technical skills necessary to become certified tumor registrars. Courses in this 63-credit program include legal and ethical issues in healthcare; cancer registry structure and management; cancer registry operations; cancer disease, coding, and staging; and oncology treatment and coding, among others.
- Location: Hutchinson, KS
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Other CAHIIM-accredited online associate degrees in health information management and technology are available from:
- Alfred State College (AAS in HIT)
- Arapahoe Community College (AAS in HIT)
- Blinn College (AAS in HIT)
- Central Community College (AAS in HIT)
- Dakota State University (AS in Health Informatics and Information Management)
- Jefferson College (hybrid program) (AAS in HIT)
- San Juan College (AAS in HIT)
- Shoreline Community College (AAAS in HIT)
- Rochester Community and Technical College (AAS in HIT)
- Tyler Junior College (AAS in HIT)
- Fisher College (AS in HIT)
Accredited Online HIM Bachelor’s Degrees
The following programs are all accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
The UW provides a 61-credit, online bachelor of science (BS) degree in health information management and technology. The program has two track options: health information management and health information technology. Courses include digital literacy in healthcare; healthcare systems and organizations; survey of information technology in healthcare; quality assessment and improvement; principles of management of HIMT professionals; healthcare economics; human resource management in healthcare; database structures and management systems; and data warehousing and mining.
This is a bachelor’s completion degree meaning students enter with transfer credit. The UW Health Information Management and Technology program has been named an Approved Education Partner and Academic Organizational Affiliate of HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management System Society).
- Location: Multiple campuses across Wisconsin
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Southern New Hampshire University
Students at Southern New Hampshire University based in Manchester, NH, can pursue an online bachelor of science (BS) degree in health information management. Students in this 120-credit program study medical terminology; the management of health information service; healthcare quality management; healthcare data management; coding and classification systems; and a HIM capstone course, among other topics.
In addition to helping students develop practical experiences and skills, this program also meets eligibility requirements to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential exam which can help them open up even more opportunities for advancement.
Graduates will be ready to take up roles such as clinical information specialists, database administrators, implementation support specialists, public health information analysts, health information analysts, and clinical research coordinators.
- Location: Manchester, NH
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; England Commission of Higher Education, Inc. (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four to five years
The University of Cincinnati offers a 100 percent online bachelor of science degree in health information management. Aspiring students may submit applications three times throughout the year, and the program comprises six semesters of full-time study.
Courses in the 52 to 65-credit program include health data management; health information systems; issues in legal aspects and healthcare delivery; revenue cycle management; healthcare statistics and research methods; organizational management and leadership in healthcare; and financial management in healthcare. Notably, students are also required to participate in a health information technology practicum.
Applicants to the program must have an associate degree from any CAHIIM accredited program, or any regionally or nationally accredited associate degree.
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four to five years
Herzing University in Milwaukee, WI, offers an online bachelor’s degree in health information management. The program comprises 124 credits and includes courses such as introduction to healthcare information systems; principles of health information management; fundamentals of healthcare law and ethics for health information management professionals; health information management and leadership; diagnostic coding; procedural coding; coding management and compliance; and healthcare data.
The program includes 100 percent online classes and two 90-hour in-person internships at an approved facility.
- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 20 to 36 months
University of Illinois–Chicago
Through the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, students can pursue an online degree completion BS degree in health information management. Courses include medical sciences and human pathophysiology; management and business practices; alternative health records; health data structures and management; healthcare financial management; and coding and reimbursement systems, among many others.
In addition, all students are required to participate in a clinical practicum in their final year. The length of the program is four years for full-time students (or five years for those studying part-time) and requires 63 credits.
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four to five years
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
St. Joseph’s College of Standish, ME, offers an online BS in health information management. Students in this program will learn about administering computer information systems; analyzing patient data; and maintaining compliance with administrative, legal, and ethical standards. Students can take classes part- or full-time and, upon graduating, are eligible to earn RHIA and AHIMA credentials.
The 120-credit program includes courses such as human resource management, healthcare administration: management foundations, quality in healthcare administration, introduction to health information management, pathophysiology, ICD coding, CPT coding, health data management, reimbursement methodologies, and compliance, ethics, and information protection.
- Location: Standish, ME
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four to five years
Other CAHIIM-accredited online bachelor’s degrees in health information management are available from:
- Augusta University (bachelor’s HIA degree)
- Charter Oak State College (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Clarkson College (bachelor’s HIA degree)
- CUNY School of Professional Studies (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Davenport University (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Parker University (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Rasmussen College (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Stephens College (bachelor’s HIA degree)
- Weber State University (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Western Kentucky University (bachelor’s HIM degrees)
Accredited Online HIM Master’s Degrees
The following programs are all CAHIIM-accredited. Please note that at the master’s degree level, some programs are in “health informatics.”
University of Maryland Global Campus
The UMGC in the Washington, D.C. area provides an online master’s degree in health information management & technology. This program helps students develop the expertise to oversee the complex coordination of their organization’s health information management needs.
This 36-credit program features instruction in health data management, financial management for healthcare organizations, the legal aspects of healthcare administration, information technology project management, health informatics and data analytics, healthcare databases and medical technology integration, information technology for healthcare administration, and statistics for managerial decision-making.
- Location: Adelphi, MD
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
The UTHSC of Memphis offers a 61-credit online master’s degree in health informatics and information management. Classes include organization and administration, management affiliation, clinical foundations of health information management, reimbursement methodologies in healthcare, information technologies and systems, and quality management in healthcare services.
Graduates from this program have a 100 percent pass rate on the RHIA exam and go on to work in healthcare organizations, including the numerous healthcare facilities in Memphis and other areas.
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
East Carolina University of Greenville, SC, offers an online master of science (MS) degree in health informatics and information management. Students with this degree will learn about the development, management, and design of enterprise-level health information systems, which can be flexible to meet their needs.
Classes include training in electronic health records; health information privacy and security; health data structures; evaluation methods in health informatics; health data management; consumer health informatics; health data analytics; social and organizational issues in health informatics; and quality management in healthcare. The program comprises 39 credits.
The GRE and GMAT are not required for admission, and students in this program have a 100 percent job placement rate.
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Boston University offers an online MS in computer information systems with a concentration in health informatics. This program features 40 credits of classes such as business data communication and networks, database design and implementation for business, information systems analysis and design, IT strategy and management, and training in programming languages such as Java and Python.
The concentration’s courses include health informatics, health information systems, cybersecurity, advanced health informatics, biomedical sciences, and health IT.
Graduates from this program are eligible to sit for the Certified Professional in Health Informatics (CPHI) offered by AHIMA.
- Location: Boston, MA
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 24 months
The College of St. Scholastica of Duluth, MN, offers an online MS in health information management. The 40-credit program features coursework in IT project management; database methods; medical vocabulary and classification systems; healthcare data analytics; healthcare quality and safety; methods for monitoring, evaluation, and research; and strategic management in health, among other topics.
Graduates from this program are eligible to sit for the RHIA exam.
- Location: Duluth, MN
- Accreditation: CAHIIM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Other CAHIIM-accredited online master’s degrees in health information management or informatics are available from:
- Franklin University (MS in Health Informatics)
- Louisiana Tech University (Master of Health Informatics)
- Oregon Health and Science University (MS in Health and Clinical Informatics)
- University of Illinois–Chicago (MS in HIM)
- University of Mississippi Medical Center (Master of Health Informatics and Information Management)
Program Accreditation
Finally, aspiring health information management professionals are strongly encouraged to seek out accredited educational programs. Accreditation is a quality assurance process where an established, independent body evaluates programs and institutions. The predominant accreditation organization for HIM programs is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), which is nationally recognized. As of September 2024, there were 310 accredited online health information programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels.
Enrolling in an accredited program can impact a student’s ability to receive financial aid; transfer credits; enroll in graduate school; or achieve credentialing in one’s field. In fact, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) requires that candidates for its certifications (e.g., Registered Health Information Technician or RHIT) have graduated from a CAHIIM-accredited program or the equivalent.
