Why This Matters
-
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF JUST 2.7%
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate is 2.7% for workers with an associate degree, 4.0% for those with just a high school diploma, and 5.5% for those with less than a high school diploma.
-
POTENTIAL TO EARN OVER $100,000
The median annual wage for health information technologists is $58,250 per year, with the top 10% of workers in this field making more than $103,380.
-
JOBS IN HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARE PROJECTED TO GROW 16%
The widespread use of electronic health records will continue to create demand for health information technology professionals, with a projected 6,200 new job openings over the next 10 years.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online associate in health information technology degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education. Many of the programs on our list have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM), which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of health information technology-related programs.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online associate in health information technology degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 80 hours to write this article
- 200 universities and colleges we assessed
- 390 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Associate in Health Information Technology Programs
intelligent score 99.37
Award
Rankings
#1 Best Colleges
#1 Online Schools Center
#3 College Values Online
School Information
Fergus Falls, MN
Graduation Rate: 40%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$198
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
877-450-3322
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64
intelligent score 99.25
Award
Rankings
#1 The Best Schools
#2 Best Colleges
School Information
Cleveland, WI
Graduation Rate: 58%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $146
Non-Resident: $219
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
920-693-1162
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61
intelligent score 99.22
Award
Rankings
#3 Best Colleges
School Information
Shell Lake, WI
Graduation Rate: 61%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
62
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $160
Non-Resident: $233
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
715-234-7082
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
62
intelligent score 98.41
Award
Rankings
#4 Best Colleges
School Information
Juneau, AK
Graduation Rate: 38%
Admission Rate: 56%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
62
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$234
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
907-796-6100
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
62
intelligent score 97.83
Award
Rankings
#2 The Best Schools
#6 Best Colleges
School Information
Omaha, NE
Graduation Rate: 69%
Admission Rate: 96%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$632
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
402-552-3100
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64
intelligent score 97.29
Award
Rankings
#4 The Best Schools
#7 Best Colleges
School Information
Columbus, OH
Graduation Rate: 21%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Large
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64-66
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $152
Non-Resident: $322
accreditation
Higher Learning Commission
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
614-287-5353
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
64-66
intelligent score 96.77
Award
Rankings
#5 The Best Schools
#8 Best Colleges
School Information
Coolidge, AZ
Graduation Rate: 11%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
63
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $75
Non-Resident: $150
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
520-494-5111
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
63
intelligent score 96.34
Award
Rankings
#9 Best Colleges
School Information
Thomasville, NC
Graduation Rate: 34%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus, Hybrid
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
67
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $76
Non-Resident: $268
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
336-249-8186
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus, Hybrid
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
67
intelligent score 94.27
Award
Rankings
#1 College Values Online
School Information
Fond du Lac, WI
Graduation Rate: 51%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
63-64
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $143
Non-Resident: $215
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
800-472-4554
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
63-64
intelligent score 93.65
Award
Rankings
#2 College Values Online
School Information
Sheldon, IA
Graduation Rate: 60%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
69
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$208
accreditation
Higher Learning Commission
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
800-352-4907
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
69
intelligent score 92.72
Award
Rankings
School Information
Hutchinson, KS
Graduation Rate: 31%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
66
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $120
Non-Resident: $151
accreditation
Higher Learning Commission
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
620-665-3500
Delivery Format
Online, On-Campus
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
66
intelligent score 90.51
Award
Rankings
School Information
Hanceville, AL
Graduation Rate: 38%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
70
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$125
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
256-352-8000
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
70
intelligent score 90.07
Award
Rankings
School Information
Philadelphia, PA
Graduation Rate: 25%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$600
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
215-670-9214
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61
intelligent score 89.79
Award
Rankings
School Information
Fennimore, WI
Graduation Rate: 67%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Rural
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61-62
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$166 - $169
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
608-822-3262
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
61-62
intelligent score 88.17
Award
Rankings
School Information
St. Petersburg, FL
Graduation Rate: 35%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Large
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
70
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $111
Non-Resident: $386
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
727-341-3623
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
70
intelligent score 87.62
Award
Rankings
School Information
Summit, MS
Graduation Rate: 40%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
71
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$130
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
601-276-2001
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
71
intelligent score 83.49
Award
Rankings
School Information
Grand Rapids, MI
Graduation Rate: 38%
Admission Rate: 98%
Urbanicity: Suburban
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
69
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $928
Non-Resident: $627
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
800-686-1600
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
69
intelligent score 81.68
Award
Rankings
School Information
Grand Island, NE
Graduation Rate: 52%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: City
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
67
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $94
Non-Resident: $141
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
877-222-0780
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
67
intelligent score 80.7
Award
Rankings
School Information
Madison, SD
Graduation Rate: 42%
Admission Rate: 86%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Small
Award
Delivery Format
Online, Hybrid
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
65
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
Resident: $354
Non-Resident: $464
accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
888-378-9988
Delivery Format
Online, Hybrid
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
65
intelligent score 80.64
Award
Rankings
School Information
Willmar, MN
Graduation Rate: 43%
Admission Rate: 100%
Urbanicity: Town
School Size: Medium
Award
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
60
Department
Estimated Cost per Credit
$201
accreditation
Higher Learning Commission
more program informationEmail:
[email protected]
Phone:
800-722-1151
Delivery Format
Online
Programs
Required Credits to Graduate
60
Discover More Options
What You Should Know About This Degree
A degree in health information technology provides the foundation to enter various roles in the evolving health information industry. The most common careers for those who earn this degree include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and medical biller/coder.
Although health information professionals are not directly involved in patient care, they are a critical part of the healthcare system. If you’re interested in working more directly with patients, you may want to consider related career paths, such as clinical laboratory technologist, which typically require a bachelor’s degree in medical technology or life sciences.
In addition to RHIT certification, earning professional credentials such as Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) and Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) may also help you advance your career.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online associate in health information technology programs:
- Am I eligible for this program? A high school diploma or equivalency is typically enough to qualify a student for an associate program in health information technology. Some colleges and universities may also require prospective students to demonstrate college-level placement in reading, writing, and math.
- How long does it take to complete this degree? For full-time students, it typically takes two years to earn an associate degree in health information technology. Some programs can be completed in as few as 18 months.
Keep track of application deadlines and the materials you must submit for each program. You can usually find information about the application process by reviewing the school’s website or contacting the admissions department.
Financing your education is another important consideration. Be sure to submit financial aid applications in a timely manner and explore options such as grants, scholarships, and tuition reimbursement from your employer.