Master’s in Health Informatics Salary: What to Expect and Career Opportunities

Experts in health informatics are making a difference in the health care field, managing data systems, training colleagues, creating new models, identifying trends, and more. This in-demand career, like many jobs in health care or technology, commands competitive salaries, especially if you hold a master's degree.
What salary can you expect to earn with a master’s in health informatics? Discover average salaries for experts in health informatics, common job titles, and the industry outlook for this field.
Why Health Informatics is in High Demand
Electronic health records are now the standard in health care settings. Today, increasingly complex systems are required to collect, store, and manage patient data securely. Additionally, new technologies offer innovative opportunities to analyze data and improve care.
Health informatics professionals bridge the gap between technology and real-world applications in the health care field, both managing and creating software and systems.
As technology evolves, professionals with knowledge in health care and advanced informatics training are essential. Demand for health care professionals in general is growing at a breakneck 9%, outpacing average job growth by six points. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that the field of health information technologists is growing at an astonishing rate of 15%.
If you’re interested in stepping into an in-demand field with job stability and salary growth, the combination of technology and health care is an excellent choice. Impressive growth in both fields has a positive impact on salary potential for experts in the many overlapping applications between the fields.
Average Master’s in Health Informatics Salary
In short, getting a master's in health informatics pays. Forbes included a master’s in health informatics in a list of the highest-paying master’s degrees in 2025. Salaries for clinical informatics managers, a common position for graduates, may reach $130,000 per year.
That said, there are many diverse jobs available for experts in health informatics with a wide range of salaries.
If you take a general look, roles in the health informatics field pay between $59,000 and $211,000 per year. According to the University of Cincinnati, holding a Master of Science in Health Informatics gives you a significant edge. Earning a master’s degree results in a salary boost of 30% compared to those without the degree.
Your experience, location, and industry can also have a significant impact on your salary. As a rule of thumb, large metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago pay higher salaries. According to the BLS, management positions for private companies tend to be the highest paid, while those working in physicians’ offices earn the lowest salaries.
Master’s in Health Informatics Jobs and Career Paths
Holding a master’s in health informatics unlocks a wide range of career opportunities within health care settings like hospitals and clinics, but also in pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, government agencies, and software development.
Some common job titles include:
- Nursing Informatics Specialists' salaries range between $68,000 and $112,000.
- Health Care IT Project Managers earn an average of $100,984.
- Health Informatics Specialists earn between $69,000 and $98,000.
- Data Analyst/Health Data Scientists usually earn about $95,879 per year.
- Database Administration Managers have an average salary of $129,240.
- Clinical Informatics Managers often earn a salary between $122,000 and $211,000.
- Health Informatics Directors typically earn upwards of $150,000.
- Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIOs) can earn $160,134 or more.
Higher-level management and director roles, such as Clinical Informatics Managers, Health Informatics Directors, and CMIO, command the highest salaries. However, they also require more experience and expertise. Holding a master’s degree can give you the edge you need to step into these senior positions.
Entry-Level and Mid-Career Salary Expectations
As with any field, if you’re just getting started, your earning potential will likely be lower. Michigan Technological University says that entry-level positions typically pay between $57,207 and $65,570 per year. However, as your career advances, you can step into leadership and director positions that offer competitive salaries of as much as $239,200 per year.
Depending on your experience, a master's can help qualify you for mid-career positions in management. For example, you might start as a management analyst, which earn an average of $97,440, according to the BLS’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Query System.
You can maximize your salary growth by making smart career moves and moving into more senior roles. For instance, clinical informatics managers command an average salary of $130,000. Director-level roles, such as Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIOs), can earn upwards of $160,134.
The Value of a Health Informatics Degree for Career Growth
Demand for qualified professionals is high in both the fields of health care and technology. This translates not only to high earning potential but also to excellent career stability.
Completing a health informatics degree will set you up for multiple career paths and opportunities in both health care and IT. Additionally, you'll be prepared to work in a variety of settings, including traditional health care environments, research and development institutions, medical device companies, IT firms, and more.
If you’re a professional with a background in IT, computer science, or health care, a Master of Science in Health Informatics can prepare you for a new role and advance your career.
Many degree programs offer specializations in areas like artificial intelligence, security, and data analysis that you can leverage in the job market. As you consider degree programs, consider asking the admissions officers to speak with recent graduates to get their advice about the best specializations.
In my experience, admissions counselors can connect you to former students who offer invaluable insights or provide data that will help you make the best choice.
Take Your Health Care Career to the Next Level
Are you ready to explore a career in health informatics? The field of health informatics is at the cusp of innovation, offering the chance to make a real difference, while also providing job stability and competitive compensation. Take the quiz to plan your next steps in this exciting health care field.