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Accenture, you good mate? Too much turkey?
Chief
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I have really bad shopping habits. 😭
This is how outsiders think when they think of NYC.
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I really don't think that it has. I wills ay you do have to have a master's degree to do my role, so in that regard I guess it has helped. But it hasn't helped me advance in any way.
Definitely. About 3 years after my undergrad I got an MS in Computer Science from a top school. I immediately got a new job that paid 40% more. The payback period on that degree was about 18 months.
About 10 years later I got an MBA from MIT. I immediately got a new job that paid 25% more. But 6 months later they promoted me and it totaled a 66% raise in 6 months.
I did all the math before both degrees. I knew roughly what jobs I wanted after I graduated each degree, how common they were, where I would have to live to get that job, and what the market would pay. I also calculated the payback period for both. I was wrong on the second … I figured it would take 18 months to pay back. It took less than 10 months.
If you really do your homework you need to look at …
1) the degree costs (tuition, fees, housing, and OPPORTUNITY cost if you have to quit your job to go into a full time program)
2) availability now and at the end of the degree the jobs you want
3) what those jobs pay
4) what the next 2-4 jobs in that career path, where they are located, are you willing to move if necessary, what they pay, what they max out at, what other skills/degrees may be required to advance
5) does all of this align or conflict with other life plans … partner, kids, parents, lifestyle, climate, etc.
I’m sure there are many other things. My advice is to really assess all of this and more … and then only you can determine if it’s worth it to you.
P.s. I’m in healthcare too. But I think the above applies to anyone weighing this. And hey if it wasn’t worth it … it’s sunk cost. 😊 So no sense really ruminating on this because it’s water under the bridge if I am reading your post correctly and you already did the degree.
Pro
Hey, I totally get why you’re ruminating on this. It’s a big investment of time, money, and energy, and it’s normal to step back and ask “was it actually worth it?”I don’t have an MHA, but I’ve worked alongside a ton of folks who do—directors, managers, clinical coordinators, VPs and I’ve seen the whole spectrum of outcomes.
From what I’ve observed (and heard directly over coffees and vent sessions):
For some, the MHA was a clear accelerator. The ones who moved fastest into administrative roles (like jumping from staff pharmacist to pharmacy ops manager, or from manager to director-level) almost always had the MHA or MBA. It checked the box for HR screens, gave them the language to talk budgets/revenue cycle/strategic planning with C-suite folks, and opened doors to fellowships or leadership rotations that pure clinical experience alone wouldn’t. Those people definitely see the ROI; usually within 5-7 years through bigger titles and 20-50% salary jumps.
For others… it’s been more meh. If you stay purely clinical or in middle-management roles that don’t require the admin lens, the degree gathers dust on the CV. They’ll say things like “it helped me understand why leadership makes the decisions they do, but it didn’t directly get me promoted or paid more.” Sometimes the ROI is softer, better networking, more confidence in meetings, or the ability to lateral into non-traditional roles later (consulting, industry, informatics leadership).