University of South Carolina - Columbia

This is the health informatics master’s at South Carolina’s flagship research university, CAHIIM-accredited since 2016 and delivered on campus in Columbia or online. Director Robert Brookshire holds a PhD, and the program sits in a university with the research infrastructure and employer relationships a standalone online school cannot match.

Columbia’s health market is anchored by Prisma Health, the largest health system in South Carolina, and Lexington Medical Center, and the state’s HIM and health data teams recruit heavily from the flagship. A health informatics master’s points you at analytics, EHR, and data governance roles rather than the traditional RHIA-track HIM department ladder, so it pairs well with an existing clinical or HIM credential.

South Carolina has 4 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 2 of them at the master's degree level. 4 of the 4 offer online delivery, and this one is available online or on campus.

We score every South Carolina program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how University of South Carolina - Columbia compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in South Carolina.