Healthcare data analysts, also known as medical and health service managers, direct, plan and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage data and administrative services in an entire facility, a certain clinical area or department, or a medical practice with a large group of doctors.
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They also are responsible for compiling and organizing healthcare data, analyzing healthcare data to deliver optimal healthcare management and services. Healthcare data analysts must be able to adapt to changes in healthcare laws that affect data, technology, and regulations. (BLS.gov)
Common duties include:
- Maintain the security of patient data and records.
- Ensure that the facility in which you work is up to date with laws and regulations that relate to technology and healthcare records.
- Manage the finances of the facility, particularly as it relates to the data and technology needs of the organization
- Prepare and monitor budgets and spending to ensure that technology departments and others are operating within funding limits
As a healthcare data analyst, you also will be responsible for the maintenance and security of all patient records and data. You will need to stay as up to date as possible with evolving healthcare information technology, current or pending laws about healthcare information systems, and trends in managing large amounts of healthcare data.
Health data analysts and health information managers also need to ensure databases are accurate, complete, and accessible only to people who are authorized. They may also oversee the work of medical records and health information technicians.
If you are interested in becoming a healthcare data analyst, you will need to complete a degree program in healthcare informatics or healthcare administration. A master’s degree may be required to earn a higher salary. Below is detailed salary information about this popular and growing healthcare field.
Healthcare Data Analyst Degree Salary
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median salary for medical and health services managers, which are related to healthcare data analysts, was $99,700 in 2018. The range was between $58,680 and $182,600 for professionals with the most education and experience. Those who work more in the data analyst end and less in the management and administration end will earn towards the lower end of the range. Top industries for salary were: (BLS.gov)
- Government: $110,600
- Hospitals: $108,700
- Outpatient care centers: $92,300
- Doctors’ offices: $90,900
- Nursing and residential care facilities: $84,200
Payscale.com
Payscale.com reports the average salary for healthcare data analysts is $62,500 with a range between $46,000 and $81,000. (Payscale.com). The site reports that Kaiser Permanente pays $70,000 for this job, and Leidos pays $73,000.
Popular skills for healthcare data analysts and their corresponding salaries are:
- Data analysis: $63,800
- Microsoft Excel: $61,800
- SAS: $64,220
- SQL: $65,400
- SAS: $68,500
Healthcare data analysts will see rising salaries as their level of experience increases, but with more than 20 years of experience, your salary will level off.
- Less than one year of experience: $59,000
- One to four years of experience: $61,800
- Five to nine years of experience: $71,300
- 10 to 19 years of experience: $69,900
- 20 years or more of experience: $63,000
Pay for this field also will change based on your city:
- San Francisco: +26%
- Phoenix: +18%
- Denver: +12%
- Portland: +2%
- Tulsa: 0%
- Boston: -2%
- Indianapolis: -23%
Ziprecruiter.com
The average salary for healthcare data analysts in the US is $77,500 with a range between $23,000 and $133,000. (Ziprecruiter.com). Most in this field earn between $52,500 and $99,000.
Salary.com
Salary.com reports the average salary for healthcare data analysts is $51,600 and $73,341. (Salary.com)
Indeed.com
Indeed.com reports the average salary for data analysts in the US is $70,400. (Indeed.com)
Job Outlook for Healthcare Data Analysts
Employment for healthcare data analysts, as well as medical and health services managers will grow by 18% by 2028, which is much faster than average. As the baby-boom generation gets older and people stay more active as they age, there will be more demand for healthcare services, and professionals who need to manage healthcare data and services. (BLS.gov)
There also will be more need for doctors and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare centers. So there will be more need for healthcare data analysts and managers who organize and manage healthcare staff and medical information. There should also be more need for nursing care facility directors as the US population gets older.
SEE ALSO: Data Analyst Degree Options
Employment should grow markedly in the offices of various types of healthcare practitioners. Many healthcare services that once were provided in hospitals are now going to shift to the office setting, especially as medical technology gets better. Demand for healthcare data analysts in medical group practice management settings should increase as these practices get larger.
Also, the widespread use of electronic health records or EHRs is going to create more demand for data analysts with knowledge of healthcare IT and informatics systems. Healthcare data analysts will be necessary to organize, manage, and integrate these vital records in all areas of the healthcare field.
It is reported there currently are 406,100 medical and health services managers working in the US in 2018. They work in the following areas:
- Hospitals: 33%
- Doctors’ offices: 11%
- Nursing and residential care facilities: 10%
- Government: 8%
- Outpatient care centers: 7%
Healthcare Analyst Career Options
There is a range of career tracks available for those interested in pursuing the analytical side of the healthcare field, most of which involve specializing in a particular departmental function. From entry-level positions to senior roles, there are many jobs available in the growing world of healthcare analytics.
Oftentimes those who work as healthcare data analysts begin their careers with entry-level positions in the subcategory of the health field where they would like to specialize. Human Resource Data Analysts, for example, frequently start their careers with lower-ranking jobs in HR, acclimating them to the overall responsibilities of their department so that they can provide the analytic information that is most pertinent to their role. Pairing this level of experience with a data analysis degree makes one an attractive prospective employee at a medical facility, as you will have two areas of specialized knowledge that are vital to the day to day workings of a healthcare organization.
When planning a career in healthcare data analysis, it is critical to think through which part of a medical facility’s functions are most hospitable to your skills. By committing to one particular arena of a hospital’s functions, you will be developing an impressively focused track record that will make you eligible for high-ranking analyst roles with elevated responsibilities and a salary to match.
Clinical Analyst
For those who wish to be involved most directly in patient care, a clinical analyst is the career path for you. Clinical analysts work in hospitals and other medical facilities, monitoring the workings of their organization to ensure that it is running with maximum efficiency and making recommendations to improve the patient experience. In this way, clinical analysis is vital to the medical field, and improvements in research technology have made this role only more crucial. Clinical analysts are also sometimes known as clinical systems analysts and clinical data managers.
Budget Analyst
While clinical analysts are focused on improving hospital functions and patient experience, budget analysts are data analysts whose focus is exclusively on managing and allocating funds within a medical organization, providing research that is useful for both short-term and long-term projects. This is, of course, another way of supporting patient experiences and the overall successes of hospitals, as it is imperative that medical organizations set their budgets discerningly to provide maximum support. Those who have experience or skills in accounting are especially suited to this type of role, as it involves many of the same skills.
Human Resource Analyst
Those with a background in HR who would like to apply their expertise within the medical field, a human resource analyst uses their data-processing skills to improve the efficiency of HR processes including hiring, claims disputes, and personnel filing reviews. They are also responsible for maintaining departmental records and ensuring that the management of all hospital employees is running smoothly. Beyond their day-to-day responsibilities, HR managers monitor data over the long term to identify organizational inefficiencies and improve the employee-focused internal functions of their organization.
Healthcare Analyst Salary by State
| State | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York - Healthcare Analyst | $35.49 | $73,814 |
| Massachusetts - Healthcare Analyst | $35.19 | $73,205 |
| New Hampshire - Healthcare Analyst | $34.54 | $71,838 |
| Maryland - Healthcare Analyst | $32.87 | $68,371 |
| Alaska - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| Nevada - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| Montana - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| North Dakota - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| Wyoming - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| Idaho - Healthcare Analyst | $32.43 | $67,450 |
| Hawaii - Healthcare Analyst | $32.39 | $67,369 |
| Connecticut - Healthcare Analyst | $32.33 | $67,251 |
| Vermont - Healthcare Analyst | $32.31 | $67,215 |
| Washington - Healthcare Analyst | $32.26 | $67,104 |
| Nebraska - Healthcare Analyst | $32.19 | $66,965 |
| California - Healthcare Analyst | $31.89 | $66,322 |
| Virginia - Healthcare Analyst | $31.77 | $66,079 |
| Rhode Island - Healthcare Analyst | $31.52 | $65,571 |
| Arizona - Healthcare Analyst | $30.99 | $64,461 |
| New Jersey - Healthcare Analyst | $30.97 | $64,408 |
| West Virginia - Healthcare Analyst | $30.86 | $64,181 |
| Colorado - Healthcare Analyst | $30.82 | $64,111 |
| Pennsylvania - Healthcare Analyst | $30.68 | $63,823 |
| Minnesota - Healthcare Analyst | $30.67 | $63,800 |
| South Dakota - Healthcare Analyst | $30.65 | $63,743 |
| South Carolina - Healthcare Analyst | $30.60 | $63,642 |
| Oregon - Healthcare Analyst | $30.55 | $63,542 |
| Tennessee - Healthcare Analyst | $30.54 | $63,529 |
| Delaware - Healthcare Analyst | $30.47 | $63,378 |
| Utah - Healthcare Analyst | $30.33 | $63,083 |
| Kentucky - Healthcare Analyst | $30.20 | $62,820 |
| Ohio - Healthcare Analyst | $30.12 | $62,649 |
| Indiana - Healthcare Analyst | $29.97 | $62,331 |
| Oklahoma - Healthcare Analyst | $29.89 | $62,165 |
| Kansas - Healthcare Analyst | $29.80 | $61,979 |
| Wisconsin - Healthcare Analyst | $29.79 | $61,968 |
| Iowa - Healthcare Analyst | $29.70 | $61,783 |
| Louisiana - Healthcare Analyst | $29.68 | $61,742 |
| Maine - Healthcare Analyst | $29.59 | $61,539 |
| Texas - Healthcare Analyst | $29.23 | $60,808 |
| Georgia - Healthcare Analyst | $28.95 | $60,223 |
| Alabama - Healthcare Analyst | $28.94 | $60,200 |
| Arkansas - Healthcare Analyst | $28.86 | $60,020 |
| New Mexico - Healthcare Analyst | $28.74 | $59,771 |
| Illinois - Healthcare Analyst | $28.43 | $59,142 |
| Michigan - Healthcare Analyst | $28.42 | $59,119 |
| Mississippi - Healthcare Analyst | $28.27 | $58,796 |
| Missouri - Healthcare Analyst | $27.82 | $57,874 |
| Florida - Healthcare Analyst | $27.37 | $56,930 |
| North Carolina - Healthcare Analyst | $24.97 | $51,938 |
Source: Ziprecruiter.com, January 2020.
Summary
Given the increased demand for healthcare services and improvement in technology, there is little doubt there will be a growing demand for healthcare data analysts for many years to come.
As demand rises, professionals with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in healthcare informatics, data science, business analytics or healthcare administration can expect to earn salaries above $75,000 with enough experience. If your work is largely in working with data, a salary of $50,000 or $60,000 to start is likely, while those who work in management can eventually earn over $90,000.