Tulane’s MHA program soars in US News graduate school rankings

The highly selective Master of Health Administration prepares graduates for careers in management and leadership positions at healthcare organizations across the country. Students in the program (above) participate in administrative residences at healthcare facilities as a graduation requirement.  From L to R: Ralph Baker, MHA 2017; Ryan Hildebrand, MBA/MHA 2017; Alison Ho, MHA 2019; and Jonathan Brouk (MHA 2007), Assistant Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Analytics at Children's Hospital New Orleans. Photo by Katherine Socha.

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is among the top 20 best healthcare management programs in the nation, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

The MHA program moved up five spots to No. 17 among 75 programs ranked in the magazine’s Best Graduate Schools 2020 edition. The highly selective program prepares graduates for careers in management and leadership positions at hospitals, large health systems, consulting firms and other healthcare delivery organizations across the country.

The MHA program resides in the school’s Department of Health Policy and Management and is celebrating its 50th anniversary later this year.

“The improvement in the rankings for the MHA reflects a lot of hard work and academic excellence on the part of the chair, faculty, and staff of the Department of Health Policy and Management,” said School of Public Health Dean Thomas LaVeist. “As someone with a background in this particular field, I know how tough the competition is among programs, and I couldn’t be happier to see this program getting the attention it deserves.”

Mark Diana, Health Policy and Management chair, credits the rise in ranking to the program’s stellar faculty and its growing prominence among hiring managers and executives within the healthcare industry.

“We have alumni who get placed in top positions in health systems around the country which raises the reputation of the program,” Diana said. “We’re now in a group that you consider to be the best in the country — the top 20.”

The program tied with Baylor University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine was also ranked by U.S. News and, at 13th, remains among the very top schools and programs of public health. The school was ranked among more than 100 schools and programs offering public health.

The 2020 rankings also include several Tulane University graduate schools and programs. The School of Social Work is ranked No. 36; Tulane’s law school, one of the nation’s oldest, is ranked No. 52, while the university’s MBA program is ranked No. 63.

The full rankings can be found at https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools.