Master's in health information management programs.

A master's in health information management is a graduate program built around the governance, quality, privacy, compliance, revenue-cycle, and operational use of health information. It sits above the bachelor's-level HIM foundation and typically adds advanced leadership, analytics, research, and organizational decision-making.

The degree can be a sensible route for two broad groups: people who already hold a bachelor's and need a graduate-level HIM curriculum for a career change, and working HIM professionals who want deeper preparation for governance, analytics, compliance, or leadership work. It is not the only route into the field. A CAHIIM-accredited bachelor's in HIM is also an established RHIA pathway, while an associate program feeds the RHIT route.

Do not choose solely by degree title. Schools use titles such as MS in Health Information Management, MS in Health Information Management and Technology, or combined informatics-and-information-management names. The decisive checks are the program's current CAHIIM subject-area listing, the curriculum you will complete, and the credential eligibility the school confirms.

AHIMA's published eligibility routes include successful completion of the academic requirements of a master's-level HIM program accredited by CAHIIM. The 14 programs on this page meet the directory filter for active, master's-level Health Information Management programs. That is materially different from finding a graduate program that merely contains “health information” in its name.

CAHIIM also accredits master's programs under Health Informatics. The current snapshot contains 34 of those programs, and they are not included here. A Health Informatics classification should not be assumed to satisfy the RHIA education route because the RHIA is anchored to HIM academic requirements.

Accreditation and exam rules can change during a multi-year degree. Before paying a deposit, confirm three things in writing: the exact program is active in the CAHIIM directory, the school says your curriculum is the RHIA-eligible HIM track, and your expected graduation date falls within that pathway. Recheck the RHIA eligibility guide and AHIMA's current rules before applying for the exam.

CAHIIM lists 12 of these programs as Online, one as Campus Based, Online, and one as Campus Based. That makes online study widely available, but the directory's delivery field is a high-level classification, not a promise about every course or field requirement.

Ask each school whether courses are synchronous or asynchronous, whether orientation or capstone presentations require travel, how professional practice experience is arranged, whether you must locate a site yourself, and whether the program admits students in your state. Also confirm the technology, identity-verification, and proctoring requirements.

Online delivery does not change the CAHIIM award shown in the directory, but delivery convenience is only one part of fit. Compare faculty access, cohort structure, practicum support, and the total price after fees. See the broader online HIM programs guide for modality questions at every degree level.

BLS does not publish earnings for “master's in HIM graduates,” and it does not isolate RHIA holders. The closest useful benchmarks cover occupations, not degrees: Medical and Health Services Managers reported a national median annual wage of $123,860 in May 2025, while Medical Records Specialists reported $51,140.

Those figures describe different occupational groups and experience levels. They do not show that completing a master's causes a $72,720 wage increase, nor that a new graduate will enter management. Experience, role, employer, market, credential, and prior clinical or technical background all matter.

A master's can support movement toward HIM leadership, information governance, privacy, quality, compliance, and analytics, but it should be evaluated against the role you want. Explore the HIM director career guide and HIM career map before paying for graduate school.