Overview of an Associate's in Health Science
The healthcare industry is booming. Our aging population and the current uptick in insured patients have resulted in a tremendous surge in revenue for health system corporations. Such growth extends throughout the industry and has resulted in high demand for workers at all levels. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows incredible growth rates for nearly every occupation related to healthcare.
If you are attracted to the idea of helping patients recover from illness, an online or traditional associate in health science could be exactly what you need to get started. The degree will introduce students to medical terminology, clinical approaches, and more with general education courses and core classes in allied health and wellness services, community health and public health, healthcare informatics, and more. While it might require hands-on science courses, there are online degree programs available from several colleges and universities.
An online or on-campus associate in health science is a two-year degree from a college or university that will provide students a solid foundation for their first, entry-level job in the field. These may be positions as healthcare professionals or in healthcare support jobs such as administrative assistants in physician offices, health information technicians, and more. Depending on your program, you are likely to learn about health insurance, medical terminology, the fundamentals of medical science, legal issues related to healthcare, information systems, etc. However, some health professions, such as medical assistants, require further education such as a bachelor's degree or even a master's degree.
Online associate degrees will prepare students to enter a hospital or doctor's office in either an administrative or clinical function. This type of program tends to feature a healthy curriculum focused on administrative healthcare issues, but some also prepare students for further education so that they may work as a medical assistant on the clinical side. Try to decide whether you prefer one aspect of healthcare or the other. Do you see your long-term career focus including hands-on patient work or managing operations and records in an office environment? No matter whether you focus on clinical or administrative work, an online associate degree can launch a fulfilling career.
Top 20 Best Online Associate in Health Science Programs
Rush University
Score: 77.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $30,957
- Out-of-State:$30,957
- Net Price: N/A
- Acceptance Rate: 14%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 77%
- Total Enrollment: 2,870
- Undergrad Students: 115
- Graduate Students: 2,755
- Grads Salary: $100,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
American Public University System
Score: 65.75
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,400
- Out-of-State:$8,400
- Net Price: $11,172
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 48,668
- Undergrad Students: 39,206
- Graduate Students: 9,462
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
St. Petersburg College
Score: 58.14
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,682
- Out-of-State:$9,286
- Net Price: $2,132
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 38%
- Total Enrollment: 23,501
- Undergrad Students: 23,501
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $63,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Parker University
Score: 57.62
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $17,457
- Out-of-State:$17,457
- Net Price: $24,116
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
- Total Enrollment: 2,063
- Undergrad Students: 415
- Graduate Students: 1,648
- Grads Salary: $45,600
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
University of Alaska Southeast
Score: 57.55
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,960
- Out-of-State:$21,096
- Net Price: $9,823
- Acceptance Rate: 63%
- Retention Rate: 65%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 1,923
- Undergrad Students: 1,724
- Graduate Students: 199
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
American College of Healthcare Sciences
Score: 57.24
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,656
- Out-of-State:$12,656
- Net Price: $24,605
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 33%
- Graduation Rate: 100%
- Total Enrollment: 987
- Undergrad Students: 751
- Graduate Students: 236
- Grads Salary: $57,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Berkeley College-Woodland Park
Score: 55.43
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $28,600
- Out-of-State:$28,600
- Net Price: $17,068
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 2,078
- Undergrad Students: 1,944
- Graduate Students: 134
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
South College
Score: 55.26
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $17,935
- Out-of-State:$17,935
- Net Price: $14,831
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 6,182
- Undergrad Students: 4,906
- Graduate Students: 1,276
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Purdue Global
Score: 53.11
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,110
- Out-of-State:$14,421
- Net Price: $6,785
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 17%
- Graduation Rate: 20%
- Total Enrollment: 45,125
- Undergrad Students: 33,510
- Graduate Students: 11,615
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 26:1
Wilmington University
Score: 51.96
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,330
- Out-of-State:$12,330
- Net Price: $14,089
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 56%
- Graduation Rate: 20%
- Total Enrollment: 14,020
- Undergrad Students: 9,091
- Graduate Students: 4,929
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
National University
Score: 49.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,064
- Out-of-State:$11,064
- Net Price: $30,527
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 22%
- Total Enrollment: 11,578
- Undergrad Students: 106
- Graduate Students: 11,472
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 1:1
Berkeley College-New York
Score: 48.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $28,600
- Out-of-State:$28,600
- Net Price: $23,301
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 57%
- Graduation Rate: 35%
- Total Enrollment: 1,882
- Undergrad Students: 1,818
- Graduate Students: 64
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Los Angeles Pacific University
Score: 46.19
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,976
- Out-of-State:$11,976
- Net Price: $22,605
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 25%
- Graduation Rate: 31%
- Total Enrollment: 1,895
- Undergrad Students: 1,671
- Graduate Students: 224
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Casper College
Score: 45.88
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,410
- Out-of-State:$10,710
- Net Price: $8,451
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 3,354
- Undergrad Students: 3,354
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Northland Community and Technical College
Score: 45.46
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,262
- Out-of-State:$6,262
- Net Price: $13,100
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Total Enrollment: 2,495
- Undergrad Students: 2,495
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $42,300
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Score: 45.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,900
- Out-of-State:$5,900
- Net Price: $10,596
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 63%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 5,282
- Undergrad Students: 5,282
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $40,100
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Brightpoint Community College
Score: 44.31
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,938
- Out-of-State:$10,941
- Net Price: $6,048
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 32%
- Total Enrollment: 8,792
- Undergrad Students: 8,792
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,400
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Antioch University
Score: 44.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $16,164
- Out-of-State:$16,164
- Net Price: N/A
- Acceptance Rate: N/A
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: N/A
- Total Enrollment: 443
- Undergrad Students: 105
- Graduate Students: 338
- Grads Salary: $99,000
- Student-to-faculty: 5:1
Laramie County Community College
Score: 43.8
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,613
- Out-of-State:$10,913
- Net Price: $7,227
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 54%
- Graduation Rate: 28%
- Total Enrollment: 3,770
- Undergrad Students: 3,770
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $41,600
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Excelsior University
Score: 43.56
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: N/A
- Out-of-State:N/A
- Net Price: N/A
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: N/A
- Total Enrollment: 15,833
- Undergrad Students: 13,983
- Graduate Students: 1,850
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1