$15000 Doctorate NA

[michaeladsmith2]

Problem is with no healthcare experience it will be quiet difficult to break into the healthcare field even if it’s just administration attempting to hit that six figure salary may pose as a challenge to some.

Indeed, everyone's situation is different. But still, $18,000 is not something difficult or a herculean obstacle to overcome, compared to other doctoral programs. And while you may not start at 6-figures, most people who take the "business route" (BABA, MBA, DHA) have some experience in business management, leadership, supervisory and "other" business acumen (HR, Accounting, Management, PR, etc.). I don't see a healthcare employer looking at a DHA graduate and saying, "great degree, we'll pay you $36,000/yr." Certainly, a DHA will command high 5-figures, as a starter, and a quick path to 6-figures within a few years. 

The Bureau of Labor has this statistic: Is a doctorate in healthcare administration worth it?


With career advancement comes increased salaries. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that medical and health services managers make an average of $104,280 annually. However, health administrators with DHA degrees who work in big hospitals earn as much as $195,630 per year.

I kinda still say no to this argument for someone looking to break into the healthcare field without much experience as many may think you are a bit overqualified with a doctorate and no experience for entry-level. Also, I would argue that without any experience that the program you graduate from may carry more weight than just having the letters behind your name. VUL has very little name recognition and you might be better off at a place like Eastern Virginia Medical School, Central Michigan, Medical University of South Carolina, or even Morehouse. I did VUL for self-fulfillment as I'm fairly established in my career with almost 15 years in healthcare. Yes, the price is right at VUL but there are better programs especially if you didn't have a lot of health management graduate coursework already. But then again it all depends on the roles you are looking at within healthcare. If you plan to work strictly in HR then it may not matter (and a DHA probably doesn't really help either...just looks good on the resume). However, if you are looking for more of an operational leadership role that requires knowledge of healthcare revenue or clinical workflow then the DHA may not help as much as you may think out of the gate. For example, there were quite a few nurses at VUL who choose the DHA route over a DNP as it makes sense since many I guess were desiring operational leadership roles. Just something to consider and just trying to keep it realistic as to what the program can offer.

Your feedback is certainly valid. Most of your points indeed have merit. I just think that each person has their own reasons for doing this program. A large majority of us already have the prerequisite healthcare experience or we would most likely have not been accepted into the program. 

My acceptance was based on several factors: 

1. I've served as a Hospital Chaplain for over 25 years. 
2. I have an MBA+Master in Business & Corporate Communications. 
3. I'm a Mental Health Professional with over 12 years experience and currently serving as a Mental Health Wellness Coach for Graduate Students (Masters & PhD) at Notre Dame. 
4. My LORs and Interview were extremely well. They felt that with the hundreds of applicants, I fit their vision and ability to succeed in the program. And I had a great vision and purpose for using this degree to make an impact in my community. 
5. My 25 years of Nonprofit Management and Leadership experience was also key in utilizing my transferable skills I've acquired, that can certainly be a benefit to the Healthcare field. 

Others may want it as a supporting role to healthcare as in consulting, teaching, training, or executive leadership coaching to the healthcare systems. There are also a large number of policy-making roles at the Federal, State and local government levels where a DHA is used to lead healthcare organizations and create lasting policies that better our impact. Certainly a DHA can manage medicare/medicaid HMOs, Departments of Health, CDC locations, and a list of other environments where executive leadership is needed to ensure top quality care for patients and their families. 

And a DHA can be specialized. Mental Health, Nursing, Dentistry, Veterans Care, Veterinary Care, Substance Abuse Centers, Domestic Violence Advocacy, Child Advocacy, and the list goes on. Anywhere where there is a need to manage and lead places or environments for physical or emotional care, including research, diseases, pathology, viruses, pandemics, international outbreaks or even the international medical areas around the world, I believe just as an MD, PhD or other medical and mental health doctor is needed and qualified, a DHA is just as needed and qualified to lead these teams. 

At the end of the day, a DHA is a Business degree for the healthcare field. But we must not forget that ALL the aforementioned places I offered above, has a business side to its operations. And all the "business sides" require a competent qualified DHA (or in some cases an MBA in Healthcare or MHA) to lead and manage. I'm in no way lessening the Master's level, just saying everyone has a choice to do whatever they want in enhancing their educational goals. Right now, the DHA is it.

As far as the school is concerned, its all relative. I don't subscribe to the "rankings" and "personal preferences" of what school is better than the other. There are buttheads at Harvard just like there are incompetent fools at Yale. The education is basically the same everywhere or the school wouldn't be accredited and recognized by the DOE. Yes, teaching styles may differ and yes you may have a bad professor. But that rings true all over the place. 

The true test of quality and competence comes from how the graduate uses what he/she has learned to impact their community/employer and make lasting change along the way. The DHA at VUL is still new and it will take time to get that measured. But I would not discount them or place them in a "lower tier" simply because they are new at the online DHA program they offer.

[ss20ts]

Also, Graduate Loans cover the cost of tuition. Each semester is $6,300 and you get $10,250 per semester, with a refund of $3,880.00. 

Why on earth would anyone max out their student loans? This is a horrible idea. That refund of $3880 will need to be repaid with interest that is compounding from the moment the semester begins. It's not an actual refund. It's the difference between the tuition bill and the loan amount. 

Everything else in the original post has already been covered and discussed on here previously. But this maxing out a student loan is a bad idea.

Not sure what you mean by "maxing out student loans." The total career federal loans you get is just over $138,000 for all Undergrad/Graduate studies, not including another $50,000 in (undergrad) Pell Grants. I'm NOWHERE near maxed-out.

A Doctoral degree for $18,000 (it was $15,000 prior to this upcoming 2023 cohort) is a steal at that price. Any program where you have no upfront out of pocket costs and minimal books/supplies cost is WAY better than $50,000, $80,000 or even above $100,000. And as we know, the ROI is much better when this DHA cost only $18,000 and the starting salary of a Healthcare Administrator is above $100,000 annum. So the paying back of this small loan is much more manageable than say Medical School or Law School loans, and in some cases, very expensive Business School loans.

Who said anything about the lifetime limit? There's an annual limit to student loans. $10,250 x 2 = the loan limit for the year for grad students

---

How much you receive in student loans depends on your EFC. It's not the same for everyone.

Not true with grad programs. Grad loans aren't the same as undergrad. Anyone can get the max. They're all unsub as well.

[sanantone]

Also, Graduate Loans cover the cost of tuition. Each semester is $6,300 and you get $10,250 per semester, with a refund of $3,880.00. 

Why on earth would anyone max out their student loans? This is a horrible idea. That refund of $3880 will need to be repaid with interest that is compounding from the moment the semester begins. It's not an actual refund. It's the difference between the tuition bill and the loan amount. 

Everything else in the original post has already been covered and discussed on here previously. But this maxing out a student loan is a bad idea.

Not sure what you mean by "maxing out student loans." The total career federal loans you get is just over $138,000 for all Undergrad/Graduate studies, not including another $50,000 in (undergrad) Pell Grants. I'm NOWHERE near maxed-out.

A Doctoral degree for $18,000 (it was $15,000 prior to this upcoming 2023 cohort) is a steal at that price. Any program where you have no upfront out of pocket costs and minimal books/supplies cost is WAY better than $50,000, $80,000 or even above $100,000. And as we know, the ROI is much better when this DHA cost only $18,000 and the starting salary of a Healthcare Administrator is above $100,000 annum. So the paying back of this small loan is much more manageable than say Medical School or Law School loans, and in some cases, very expensive Business School loans.

Who said anything about the lifetime limit? There's an annual limit to student loans. $10,250 x 2 = the loan limit for the year for grad students

---

How much you receive in student loans depends on your EFC. It's not the same for everyone.

Not true with grad programs. Grad loans aren't the same as undergrad. Anyone can get the max. They're all unsub as well.

I've been in multiple graduate programs. My EFC was subtracted from the total cost of attendance to calculate my award. As my salary increased, my financial aid awards decreased.

[ss20ts]

I've been in multiple graduate programs. My EFC was subtracted from the total cost of attendance to calculate my award. As my salary increased, my financial aid awards decreased.

The only fin aid for grad degrees are unsub loans. Today anyone can take the full amount of the loan which is limited to $20,500 per academic year.

[carrythenothing]

I've been in multiple graduate programs. My EFC was subtracted from the total cost of attendance to calculate my award. As my salary increased, my financial aid awards decreased.

The only fin aid for grad degrees are unsub loans. Today anyone can take the full amount of the loan which is limited to $20,500 per academic year.

You can borrow up to the cost of attendance (minus any other aid) with Graduate PLUS loans, which also require that you first take out the maximum in Direct unsubsidized loans.

[ashkir]

Problem is with no healthcare experience it will be quiet difficult to break into the healthcare field even if it’s just administration attempting to hit that six figure salary may pose as a challenge to some.

Indeed, everyone's situation is different. But still, $18,000 is not something difficult or a herculean obstacle to overcome, compared to other doctoral programs. And while you may not start at 6-figures, most people who take the "business route" (BABA, MBA, DHA) have some experience in business management, leadership, supervisory and "other" business acumen (HR, Accounting, Management, PR, etc.). I don't see a healthcare employer looking at a DHA graduate and saying, "great degree, we'll pay you $36,000/yr." Certainly, a DHA will command high 5-figures, as a starter, and a quick path to 6-figures within a few years. 

The Bureau of Labor has this statistic: Is a doctorate in healthcare administration worth it?


With career advancement comes increased salaries. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that medical and health services managers make an average of $104,280 annually. However, health administrators with DHA degrees who work in big hospitals earn as much as $195,630 per year.

I kinda still say no to this argument for someone looking to break into the healthcare field without much experience as many may think you are a bit overqualified with a doctorate and no experience for entry-level. Also, I would argue that without any experience that the program you graduate from may carry more weight than just having the letters behind your name. VUL has very little name recognition and you might be better off at a place like Eastern Virginia Medical School, Central Michigan, Medical University of South Carolina, or even Morehouse. I did VUL for self-fulfillment as I'm fairly established in my career with almost 15 years in healthcare. Yes, the price is right at VUL but there are better programs especially if you didn't have a lot of health management graduate coursework already. But then again it all depends on the roles you are looking at within healthcare. If you plan to work strictly in HR then it may not matter (and a DHA probably doesn't really help either...just looks good on the resume). However, if you are looking for more of an operational leadership role that requires knowledge of healthcare revenue or clinical workflow then the DHA may not help as much as you may think out of the gate. For example, there were quite a few nurses at VUL who choose the DHA route over a DNP as it makes sense since many I guess were desiring operational leadership roles. Just something to consider and just trying to keep it realistic as to what the program can offer.

Interestingly, I never heard of any of those schools until this post. I only learned about VUL from DegreeForum. I guess that's why I'm a West Coaster.

I decided to do VUL not because I wanted a healthcare administration degree, but, because the topics and studies can well round my MA I got from the University of Maine and fill in the gaps. Where I live diversity in degrees is prided. I thought VUL would be a good way to do it.

[PurpleReign]

Problem is with no healthcare experience it will be quiet difficult to break into the healthcare field even if it’s just administration attempting to hit that six figure salary may pose as a challenge to some.

Indeed, everyone's situation is different. But still, $18,000 is not something difficult or a herculean obstacle to overcome, compared to other doctoral programs. And while you may not start at 6-figures, most people who take the "business route" (BABA, MBA, DHA) have some experience in business management, leadership, supervisory and "other" business acumen (HR, Accounting, Management, PR, etc.). I don't see a healthcare employer looking at a DHA graduate and saying, "great degree, we'll pay you $36,000/yr." Certainly, a DHA will command high 5-figures, as a starter, and a quick path to 6-figures within a few years. 

The Bureau of Labor has this statistic: Is a doctorate in healthcare administration worth it?


With career advancement comes increased salaries. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that medical and health services managers make an average of $104,280 annually. However, health administrators with DHA degrees who work in big hospitals earn as much as $195,630 per year.

I kinda still say no to this argument for someone looking to break into the healthcare field without much experience as many may think you are a bit overqualified with a doctorate and no experience for entry-level. Also, I would argue that without any experience that the program you graduate from may carry more weight than just having the letters behind your name. VUL has very little name recognition and you might be better off at a place like Eastern Virginia Medical School, Central Michigan, Medical University of South Carolina, or even Morehouse. I did VUL for self-fulfillment as I'm fairly established in my career with almost 15 years in healthcare. Yes, the price is right at VUL but there are better programs especially if you didn't have a lot of health management graduate coursework already. But then again it all depends on the roles you are looking at within healthcare. If you plan to work strictly in HR then it may not matter (and a DHA probably doesn't really help either...just looks good on the resume). However, if you are looking for more of an operational leadership role that requires knowledge of healthcare revenue or clinical workflow then the DHA may not help as much as you may think out of the gate. For example, there were quite a few nurses at VUL who choose the DHA route over a DNP as it makes sense since many I guess were desiring operational leadership roles. Just something to consider and just trying to keep it realistic as to what the program can offer.

Interestingly, I never heard of any of those schools until this post. I only learned about VUL from DegreeForum. I guess that's why I'm a West Coaster.

I decided to do VUL not because I wanted a healthcare administration degree, but, because the topics and studies can well round my MA I got from the University of Maine and fill in the gaps. Where I live diversity in degrees is prided. I thought VUL would be a good way to do it.

I'm also West Coast which is btw the best coast    .   There's not a lot of options out west for a DHA besides Trident University. The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is without a doubt the best DHA program as it features a cohort visit to Washington DC to meet with Congress, HHS, and other government health officials.  Cost wise it is expensive but would have been my dream program. Glad I did VUL but wish again it had a deeper health policy and a financial management component.

[ss20ts]

You can borrow up to the cost of attendance (minus any other aid) with Graduate PLUS loans, which also require that you first take out the maximum in Direct unsubsidized loans.

You can borrow more than the cost of attendance with Direct Unsub Loans. I'm doing it right now! Not using Grad PLUS Loans. There is no fin aid other than loans for grad students. Scholarships aren't from the FAFSA.

[carrythenothing]

You can borrow up to the cost of attendance (minus any other aid) with Graduate PLUS loans, which also require that you first take out the maximum in Direct unsubsidized loans.

You can borrow more than the cost of attendance with Direct Unsub Loans. I'm doing it right now! Not using Grad PLUS Loans. There is no fin aid other than loans for grad students. Scholarships aren't from the FAFSA.

Cost of attendance is an estimate calculated by each school based on specific categories. At Amberton, that estimate is $24,280 for graduate students: https://www.amberton.edu/help-and-advice...dance.html

Graduate students can still get institutional aid, which counts toward the Graduate PLUS limit.

[ss20ts]

Cost of attendance is an estimate calculated by each school based on specific categories. At Amberton, that estimate is $24,280 for graduate students: https://www.amberton.edu/help-and-advice...dance.html

Graduate students can still get institutional aid, which counts toward the Graduate PLUS limit.

Amberton doesn't cost $24,280 a year for grad students. I'm beyond full time and still spending less. Room & board is a joke as this doesn't even exist. I've also attended another grad school and my loan was higher than the cost of attendance. All still an unsub loan. Institutional aid unfortunately is hard to come by as a grad student at many schools. I said earlier the limit is $20,500 so not why sure why you're sending me a link for that! And your second link is for undergrad. Pell doesn't exist for grad students. All grad students are all considered independent when it comes to financial aid unlike undergrads.