Below is a list of the top online MHA programs for 2012 from the website Top Masters in Healthcare if you are considering the online route. Each of these colleges offers a solid, marketable Masters in Healthcare Administration degree that will give you the best opportunity for an administrative career within health.

The 5 Best Online MHA Programs for 2012

#1 University of North Carolina
#2 George Washington University
#3 St. Joseph’s University
#4 Ohio University
#5 Grand Canyon University

For the rest of the top 10, visit the source by clicking here. The original ranking provides additional information about each school and some justification for why it was selected. Any of the schools on this list come highly recommended.

As it is ranking season, we will continue to post college rankings that are relevant to the nursing and healthcare fields as these have been the most popular and widely read resources from our publication.

If you’re looking to get your Master’s degree in nursing and want to do so online, a website called Best Nursing Masters recently published their 2012 rankings for online masters programs in nursing. Leading the pack is Ball State University’s Online Master’s in Nursing.

Getting an advanced graduate degree is an important and costly decision and while college rankings aren’t a precise science, we do believe that they serve as a tool to help students make wise choices. As always, we recommend consulting multiple ranking sources in order to derive a consensus in your mind as to which program is the best fit for you.

Here are the 10 best online programs for a masters in nursing according to the site Best Nursing Masters.

#1 – Ball State University Online Master’s in Nursing
#2 – Benedictine University Masters in Nursing
#3 – Drexel University Online Masters in Nursing
#4 – Georgetown University Online Master of Science in Nursing
#5 – Gonzaga University Online Master of Science in Nursing
#6 – Jacksonville University Online Master of Science in Nursing
#7 – Johns Hopkins Online Master of Science in Nursing
#8 – Loyola University Master’s in Nursing
#9 – Saint Xavier Online Master’s in Nursing
#10 – University of Cincinnati Online MS in Nursing

Many people want to go into health care but do not want to be a doctor. While the highest paying jobs in health care typically are doctor related careers, you can still get a high paying job in health care without becoming a doctor.

Below is a list of the top 10 paying non-doctor health care jobs according to the site SuperScholar:

1. Pharmacists – Salary: $106,630
2. Physician Assistants – Salary: $84,830
3. Radiation Therapists – Salary: $77,340
4. Physical Therapists – Salary: $76,220
5. Occupational Therapists – Salary: $70,680
6. Nuclear Medicine Technologists – Salary: $68,450
7. Speech-Language Pathologists – Salary: $68,350
8. Dental Hygienists – Salary: $67,860
9. Audiologists – Salary: $66,850
10. Orthotists and Prosthetists – Salary: $66,600

For more details and a description of each of these careers along with a longer list (they include 20) please visit the source article: 20 Best Paying Health-Care Careers Where You Don’t Need to Be a Doctor. In addition to salaries and career descriptions, the original article also includes educational requirements for each job.

Getting your RN to BSN degree has never been easier thanks to the large number of online programs that are available. Online nursing degree programs are flexible and allow you to earn your degree while working full time.

However, when going the online route, you need to make sure to select high quality RN to BSN program. Below are the 7 best online nursing degree programs according to The Best Degrees.

• Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
• Chamberlain College of Nursing
• Sacred Heart University
• Drexel University
• Western Governors University
• Graceland University
• Indiana State University

Today Zen College Life made us aware of their 2010 rankings of the 10 best nursing schools. If you are thinking about attending nursing school and want to go to the best school possible, consider applying to several off this list.

Overall, we like the rankings that Zen College Life put together and congratulate them on having built a solid resource for prospective nursing students. Let us know your thoughts. It’s hard NOT to leave a good school out when you are only listing ten.

1. Surgeon* – $181,850 salary per year

2. Anesthesiologist* – $174,610 salary per year

3. Obstetrician/Gynocologist* – $174,600 salary per year

4. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon* – $169,600 salary per year

5. Internist* $156,790 salary per year

6. Prosthodontist* – $153,710 salary per year

7. Orthodontist* – $153,240 salary per year

8. Psychiatrist* – $151,380 salary per year

9. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – $140,880 salary per year

10. Engineering Manager – $140,210 salary per year

*Indicates a health career or job

The good news is that all over the country there are programs in place to encourage high school students to consider a career in health.   Once such program to encourage students is at the North Louisiana Area Health Education Center where students are able to get hands on experience with a health occupation in exchange for high school credit.

“Students get a feel for each occupation,” North Louisiana AHEC youth program coordinator Ashley Frazier said. “The goal of AHEC of a Summer is to help high school students gain a greater understanding of health careers that will assist them in making informed decisions concerning their professional goals.”

“Rather than going to college and spending their money and time at school, they can do this 15-day program and narrow down their options,” Frazier said. “(During the program), almost half of the students always change their mind about what they want to do.”

Source: The Ruston Daily Leader

Over the last decade, salaries for nurses have gone up much faster than most other jobs at about 48% – this growth is not only better than inflation but also better than the majority of other jobs which have either remained steady with inflation or lost ground.

Below, we include the starting salaries and averages salaries for some of the more common nursing positions:

Registered Nurse

Starting salary:  $50,000
Average salary: $64,000

Nurse Practitioner

Starting salary:  $75,000
Average salary: $87,000

Licensed Practical Nurse

Starting salary:  $35,000
Average salary: $43,000

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Starting salary:  $68000
Average salary: $76,000

Certified Nurse Anesthetist

Starting salary:  $125,000
Average salary: $140,000

School Nurse

Starting salary:  $26,000
Average salary: $48,000

Certified Nursing Assistant

Starting salary:  $22000
Average salary: $28,000

Source:  Nursing Salaries List (College Crunch)

Mental health counselors provide therapy for groups and individuals. Counselors must complete a master’s degree and licensing requirements before they are allowed to practice. Many counselors report to a high-level therapist or psychologist.
Average annual salary range – $23,500-$38,000

Substance abuse counselors provide therapy for families, individuals, and groups for drug and alcohol problems. Counselors must complete a master’s degree and extensive training for special certification and licensing. Counselors are clinically supervised by a high-level counselor or psychologist.
Average annual salary range – $38,500-$49,000

Mental health technicians work in a hospital or mental health facility caring for psychiatric patients. Technicians develop a therapeutic relationship with patients and assist them with daily care tasks. A high school diploma and up to two years of related experience may be required. Technicians regularly report to a supervisor.
Average annual salary range – $24,600-$32,100

Bereavement coordinators provide grief support services for individuals and families. Coordinators need to complete a bachelor’s degree with a mental health focus. A master’s degree is required to become a licensed bereavement counselor. Bereavement coordinators or counselors usually work under the supervision of a director.
Average annual salary range – $42,500-$57,500

Youth detention workers monitor teens with legal problems. Clients either live at home with probation services or are sentenced to a residential treatment facility. Detention workers do a variety of tasks including client observation, arranging activities and outings, helping clients with daily choices, and involving family members with treatment. They may be employed by the state government, local agencies, or private facilities.
Average annual salary range – $34,000-$54,000

Psychologists provide therapy, testing, and consultation to master’s level therapists. Professional psychologists have doctorate from an accredited university or professional school. Psychologists may report to a medical officer, but do not need clinical supervision to practice therapy.
Average annual salary range – $66,800-$87,500

Social workers help people by providing direct services and through social advocacy. With a master’s degree, social workers may also become licensed to provide counseling to their clients. Social workers are found in government departments, community agencies, and private offices.
Average annual salary range – $38,000-$46,000

Psychiatric nurses plan, document, and monitor the care of psychiatric patients. They also assist doctors with mental status exams and evaluations. Depending on training and education level, psychiatric nurses provide short term mental health therapy to their patients. They also educate their patients on good self-care practices.
Average annual salary range – $54,100-$65,200

Mental health careers come in all shapes and sizes; the same is true for their salaries. Whether you aspire to complete your PhD or start an entry-level job, mental health careers provide many people with a good living.