Identify healthcare administration programs. The Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration (aupha.org) is a good place to start. This organization has a list of member programs with contact information and website links for each university.
Identify the most highly regarded healthcare administration programs. While there is no perfect formula to determine the best healthcare administration program, "U.S. News & World Report" is a reputable source that ranks these programs on a periodic basis.
Pursue a masters of healthcare administration (MHA) or an MHA/MBA. Many programs offer dual degrees, one of the most common being the MHA/MBA. While it would normally take four years to get both degrees separately, many dual-degree programs only take three years. Completing a dual-degree program should provide you with a wider variety of career options.
Determine your location preference. If you are undecided or don't mind moving for the best career opportunities, focus on the healthcare administration programs with national reputations and alumni bases. If you are determined to live in a certain region or state, it probably makes the most sense to select a program in that region.
Forecast your ROI (return on investment). Once you've narrowed your choices, determine what cost associated with each healthcare administration program will be. Tuition and living expenses can vary greatly. Try and obtain salary information from each program's previous classes so that you can weigh program cost against potential future earnings.
Select three to five health administration programs, and complete applications for each. Make sure that you understand the strength of your credentials compared to the program's acceptance standards. You don't want to apply to only "dream" or "reach" schools and risk not getting accepting to any programs. At the same time, you don't want to sell yourself short by not applying to your first-choice school. Apply to various programs to improve your chances of getting accepted as well. If you have the time, visit as many of your target universities as possible. A trip to the campus can reveal if the school is a good all-around fit for you.