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“Any time that you access healthcare, HIM is working on your behalf, behind the scenes, protecting, managing, and analyzing your information.”
– Erica Matteson, Assistant Professor and Director of the HIT Programs, Alfred State College
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 2025) reported that positions for health information technicians (“medical records specialists”) were expected to grow 7 percent between 2024 and 2034, and those for medical and health services managers are expected to grow 23 percent in that timeframe (BLS 2025). 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.
Meet the Expert: Erica Matteson
Erica Matteson is an assistant professor and the director of the health information technology (HIT) program at Alfred State College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health information management (HIM) from SUNY College at Utica/Rome and later completed her master’s degree in biomedical health information from SUNY Oswego. She obtained her Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential in 2008.
During her undergraduate studies, Matteson began working in patient registration at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, where she gained firsthand knowledge of all points of origin for patient information. She stayed at this hospital for seven years, learning the most as a data analyst in the quality management department–an experience that provided a deeper understanding of how a patient’s story comes together through their medical records.
Matteson later transitioned to managing the front-end operations at an outpatient behavioral health facility, overseeing registration, records, and billing. While in this role, a former Alfred State professor encouraged her to apply for a part-time instructional support position within the HIT program. She worked this role for three years, then moved into a lecturer position, and then assumed the director of the HIT program in 2017.
Matteson is a member of the American Information Management Association (AHIMA), the NewYork Health Information Management Association (NYHIMA), and the Rochester Regional Health Information Management Association (RRHIMA). She also serves on the Educational Foundation of Alfred Board, contributing to the audit and finance and public relations committees. In 2025, she received the student-nominated Excellence in Online Teaching Award from Alfred State College.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What are the advantages of an online degree program?
Matteson: I think there are a few. One of the things we talk most with our prospective or current students about is flexibility. Our average age of students is in their late 30s, and that’s because we are either getting people who are working in the field already and are pursuing a certification, maybe someone who stayed at home with kids for a long time and is entering the workforce, or even people who are changing industries.
We are a fully online asynchronous program, and I think that does allow flexibility for people who are trying to fit their education in the corners of their life where they have the time for it. We are not a self-paced program; we follow the traditional college semester calendar, so sometimes that’s a little off-putting to students who want to [dive] right in and make their way through two or three courses in seven or ten weeks. We don’t have that flexibility, but the program’s asynchronous nature does allow people to fit it into their current lifestyle.
Access is another. We are a CAHIIM-accredited program, which is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education, which allows our students to be eligible for certain certifications after graduation. Access to an online program that is accredited can be difficult.
Also, the cost-savings aspect of an online program: you are not paying for room and board, a meal plan, and the tuition is prorated, whether you are taking a full-time or prorated load. I think the cost is a little bit easier, especially from a state university.
Technology can be an advantage and a barrier for students. Because we are a technology-driven field, the online nature of the program allows students to get a whole lot more hands-on experience with the technology than if they were going to a traditional classroom and listening to a lecturer. Our students have access to industry-related technology, like electronic health records and coding and billing software, through their laboratory coursework. However, if someone does not feel as competent using technology, it can be a challenge. We work to support our students through that learning curve, so they can have success in the program.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What advice would you give to students who are interested in pursuing a HIM degree?
Matteson: This one is two-part. Since a lot of time, people don’t know what HIM is, the first thing I talk to prospective students about is being open to any position related to HIM. Health information is really anything related to the patient’s data. Whether you want to work in computer information systems, there are electronic health records that have to be developed and maintained; there are privacy and security settings that need to be monitored, or somebody to be in charge of compliance. If you’re more investigative and want to be coding or auditing a chart, just be open to all possibilities in the field. You can’t go wrong learning more about all aspects of HIM.
Also, networking early. All of our students are required to be members of the American Health Information Management Association, and are encouraged to get involved with their local or state associations. Our local association, which is Rochester, New York, offers our students panel discussions a couple of times a year, just to kind of lift the curtain, so they could see what’s behind all of these duties that people do every day in the field.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What do you wish the public better understood about the HIM field?
Matteson: I think the biggest thing is, HIM is critical to your patient care. Any time that you access healthcare, HIM is working on your behalf, behind the scenes, protecting, managing, and analyzing your information. There are so many things that are affected by HIM. Financial management, whether it be the bottom line of the organization or your health insurance—all of that is related to HIM. The way that the government uses public health data—that’s all HIM. It is such a critical part of your care.
We’ve seen so many different evolutions of what HIM looks like, even just in my time. Technology changes so quickly, but it hasn’t changed the need for HIM; it’s only changed our role or the process of how we do our work. We still have a high need. It’s a growing field, especially with how quickly technology changes. It’s just critical to how healthcare runs every day.
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.”
Alfred State College offers an online associate of applied science in health information technology. Courses include human anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, essentials of pharmacology, an introduction to HIM, pathophysiology, electronic health record management, and statistical concepts, among others.
Students must have completed algebra and biology to qualify for this program.
- Location: Alfred, NY
- Duration: 24 months
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Sullivan University has campuses across Kentucky in Louisville, Lexington, Fort Knox, and Louisa and offers a 92-credit-hour online associate program in health information management, which takes approximately 18 months to complete.
Courses include anatomy and physiology; computer applications; information literacy; medical terminology; pathophysiology and pharmacology; ICD-10-CM coding; healthcare statistics; and more.
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Duration: 18 to 24 months
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
The SBCC has three campuses in and around Santa Barbara, California, and provides a 53-credit online associate of science (AS) in health information technology.
Courses include coding; health information statistics; introduction to management; medical insurance and reimbursement methodologies; and legal aspects of healthcare, among others. 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
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus provides an online associate’s degree in HIM. Courses include healthcare delivery systems, data management, and analysis, among others. 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 92-credit program is competitive; only 35 students are accepted each year.
- Location: Portland, OR
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Hutchinson Community College of Hutchinson, Kansas, provides an online AAS in health information management. It includes coursework in medical terminology; legal and ethical issues in healthcare; quality improvement in healthcare; CPT coding; health statistics; pathophysiology; and reimbursement methodologies, among others.
In addition, students in this program can take advantage of Hutchinson Community College’s agreement with the AHIMA Virtual Lab Academy – an Internet-based, practical, and participative HIM work environment featuring multiple software applications, which is essential for preparing for on-site learning experiences.
- Location: Hutchinson, KS
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Other CAHIIM-accredited online associate degrees in health information management and technology are available from:
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).
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
The UW provides a 61-credit, online bachelor of science (BS) degree in health information management and technology with instruction in human resource management; financial and organizational leadership; and strategic planning, among other subjects. The school also offers a health information track focusing on data analysis; programming and data structures; data security; and information and communication technologies.
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
- Duration: Two to three years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Southern New Hampshire University
Students at Southern New Hampshire University based in Manchester, New Hampshire, 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. Tuition discounts are available for active-duty military members and their spouses.
- Location: Manchester, NH
- Duration: Four to five years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
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-credit program include health data management; health information systems; issues in legal aspects and healthcare delivery; reimbursement systems; and healthcare statistics and research methods. Notably, students are also required to participate in a health information technology practicum.
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Duration: Four to five years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Herzing University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers an online bachelor’s degree in health information management. The curriculum covers health data management and healthcare management; health informatics and information systems; compliance and risk management; procedural & diagnostic coding, compliance, and reimbursement.
Students can choose an associate’s or bachelor’s degree path and have access to state-of-the-art virtual applications to gain practical experience and enhance their didactic learning.
- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Duration: 20 to 36 months
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
University of Illinois–Chicago
Through the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, students can pursue an online BS degree in health information management. Courses include medical sciences and pathophysiology; management and business practices; alternative health records; health data structures and management; 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 credit hours.
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Duration: Four to five years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Other CAHIIM-accredited online bachelor’s degrees in health information management are available from:
- Charter Oak State College (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Clarkson College (bachelor’s HIA degree)
- CUNY School of Professional Studies (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Parker University (bachelor’s HIM degree)
- Rasmussen College (associate HIT and bachelor’s HIM degrees)
- Weber State University (associate and bachelor’s HIM degree and certificate programs)
- Western Kentucky University (online 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 36-credit program features instruction in health data management; the foundations of information security and assurance; research methods for healthcare managers; financial management for healthcare organizations; the legal aspects of healthcare administration; and relational database systems, among others.
- Location: Adelphi, MD
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
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, among other subjects.
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
- Duration: Two to three years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Boston University has 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.
Graduates from this program are eligible to sit for the Certified Professional in Health Informatics (CPHI) offered by AHIMA.
- Location: Boston, MA
- Duration: 18-24 months
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
The College of St. Scholastica of Duluth, Minnesota, offers an online MS in health information management. The 40-credit program features coursework in IT management ethics; IT project management; database methods; medical vocabulary and classification systems; healthcare data analytics; assessing healthcare quality; and strategic management in health, among other topics. Graduates from this program are eligible to sit for the RHIA exam.
- Location: Duluth, MN
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: CAHIIM
Other CAHIIM-accredited online master’s degrees in health information management or informatics are available from:
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 December 2025, there were 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.
