The Best Bachelor's in Healthcare Administration Programs in California for 2027

The Bachelor of Science in Health Administration (BSHA) at California State University-Northridge sits in the Department of Health Sciences and introduces the business and management side of healthcare. Students study how healthcare organizations are organized and managed, how to improve quality, safety and patient experiences, how healthcare is financed and delivered in the US, and how leaders solve real-world problems. A required internship in a healthcare setting lets students apply what they learn and explore career paths. The department describes the program as AUPHA-certified, meeting national standards in health administration education. Students may enter in either the fall or spring semester and must meet university admission and general education requirements. The department says the degree prepares graduates to start a career in healthcare or continue to graduate study, and its transferable skills include management, communication and problem-solving.

Federal data show a 57% graduation rate and a 93% admit rate at Cal State Northridge. In-state tuition is $6,084 and out-of-state tuition is $18,684. The program earns a Program Score of 78.3 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students from Greater Los Angeles who want hands-on internship experience and a low in-state price.

Fresno Pacific University offers this as a Business Administration: Healthcare Administration, B.A., so students build a general business foundation in management, organizational behavior, marketing and accounting before moving into the healthcare emphasis. The page lists 27 units of required business courses, 9 emphasis units (healthcare politics and ethics, quality management, and health care systems and information technology) and a 3 unit healthcare research design capstone. Classes meet one night per week, students can choose face to face or fully online delivery, and the program runs as an 18 month cohort of 12 to 22 adult students. Co-requisite economics and statistics courses are also required.

The federal numbers put the school's graduation rate at 50% and its admit rate at 64%. Tuition is $35,990 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program's Program Score of 78.1 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. The format fits working adults in or near healthcare who want a bachelor's degree with a business core and a cohort to move through it with, rather than a clinical credential. Applicants should weigh the evening schedule against the pace of an 18 month track.

National University's BS in Healthcare Administration prepares students for entry level administrative and supervisory roles in healthcare organizations. The degree requires at least 120 semester credit hours, with 30 completed in residence, 51 at the upper division level and a minimum of 46 in general education. Coursework spans medical terminology, accounting, statistics, epidemiology, health behavior, economics and the social determinants of health. Students complete a planned internship or capstone, and the page notes that background checks or drug screening may be required for internship placement. It is offered online and hybrid with year-round enrollment, and the school reports associate membership in AUPHA.

The school is open admission, with a 43% graduation rate, and the application has a $0 fee with no essays or exams. Tuition is $13,284 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program's Program Score of 76.5 out of 100 is the basis of its ranking. It fits adult learners and transfer students who want flexible, year-round starts and a non-clinical route into healthcare management. A 43% graduation rate means students should plan their schedule and support early.

Ashford University presents this program on its page under the name University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), as an online Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Administration. Courses are accelerated at five weeks, taken one at a time, and approved college credits can be transferred in. The curriculum takes an interdisciplinary view of health administration, regulation and financing, healthcare planning and health policy, along with the social, political, ethical, legal and economic factors shaping the U.S. healthcare system. Stated outcomes include assessing legal and ethical standards, understanding regulatory requirements, evaluating financing systems and applying leadership principles. The page shows a four-year course map beginning with a first-year success course. It lists a $0 application fee. It does not state a total credit requirement or an internship.

The program has a Program Score of 70.2 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. Federal data show an open admission policy and an 11% graduation rate at the school, a private for-profit with about 28,004 students. Tuition is $11,040 a year, the same for in-state and out-of-state students. The format suits working adults and transfer students who want to study one course at a time, though the low graduation rate means prospective students should ask about completion support.