Washington’s healthcare and social assistance sector is a powerhouse of innovation and economic impact, ranking among the state’s top employers and contributing billions to its GDP each year.
Yet the state faces a looming shortfall of more than 13,000 registered nurses by 2024—rising to over 22,000 by 2036—while many rural counties struggle to attract and retain primary care physicians.
Digital health solutions are pivotal to meeting these workforce challenges:
- Many hospitals and systems, including Snoqualmie Valley Health, are deploying Epic’s EHR platform to unify patient records and streamline care.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out its new Federal EHR across Washington facilities.
- OneHealthPort serves as the state’s HIE, enabling secure, low-cost health information exchange.
To cultivate the next generation of informatics leaders, specialized academic programs prepare students through both undergraduate and graduate pathways in Health Informatics & Health Information Management.
2026 Best Health Informatics Degree Programs in Washington
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA - Public 4-Year - washington.edu
Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics and Health Information Management
Campus Based - Visit Website
The Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics and Health Information Management at the University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a campus-based program accredited by CAHIIM, preparing students for RHIA certification. It focuses on managing electronic health records, data privacy, security, and legal requirements in health care. The curriculum includes systems analysis, quality assurance, and leadership training, requiring 180 credits over four years with a competitive admission process starting in summer quarter. No mention of ACT or SAT requirements is made, suggesting they may not be mandatory or are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Nationally accredited by CAHIIM.
- Prepares for RHIA certification.
- Focus on electronic health records.
- Covers data privacy and security.
- Competitive admission process.
- Starts in summer quarter.
- 180 credits required.
- Four-year program duration.
- Campus-based learning.
- Skills in systems analysis.
Master's - Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management
Online & Campus Based - Visit Website
The University of Washington's Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management (MHIHIM) program is a hybrid format designed for health care professionals seeking leadership roles in health IT. It combines advanced IT training with leadership development, offering flexibility for working students. A baccalaureate degree is required for admission, with applications opening in September. No entrance exam is specified as required. Graduates are prepared for impactful careers in health information systems within the evolving health care technology sector.
- Hybrid online format
- Leadership and IT training
- For health care professionals
- Baccalaureate degree required
- Flexible schedule
Bellevue College
Bellevue, WA - Public 4-Year - bellevuecollege.edu
Bachelor's - Healthcare Informatics
Online Learning - Visit Website
Bellevue College's online Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Informatics prepares students for careers in this dynamic field without requiring prerequisite courses. The program explores healthcare laws, systems, and IT infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on patient privacy, data security, and healthcare IT project management. Courses are taught by experienced informatics professionals and are available entirely online for both part-time and full-time students. As a bachelor's program, entrance exams like ACT or SAT are not explicitly mentioned as required. This career-focused curriculum is ideal for first-time degree seekers or career changers seeking flexible learning options in healthcare informatics.
- 100% online coursework
- Career-oriented program
- Part-time and full-time options
- No prerequisite courses required
- Experienced instructors
- Focus on healthcare IT
- Covers patient privacy
- Data security emphasis
- Healthcare project management
- Updated for 2024-2025
List of Washington Colleges With Health Informatics Degree Programs
Bellevue, WA
Bellevue College
- Bachelor's - Healthcare Informatics
Online Learning - Website
- 100% online coursework
- Career-oriented program
- Part-time and full-time options
- No prerequisite courses required
- Experienced instructors
- Focus on healthcare IT
- Covers patient privacy
- Data security emphasis
Seattle, WA
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics and Health Information Management
Campus Based - Website
- Nationally accredited by CAHIIM.
- Prepares for RHIA certification.
- Focus on electronic health records.
- Covers data privacy and security.
- Competitive admission process.
- Starts in summer quarter.
- 180 credits required.
- Four-year program duration.
- Master's - Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management
Online & Campus Based - Website
- Hybrid online format
- Leadership and IT training
- For health care professionals
- Baccalaureate degree required
- Flexible schedule
The Value of Your Health Informatics Degree in Washington
We took a look at some current job opportunities within healthcare technology in the state. Here is what employers are looking for, and what jobs you degree will open up for you.
Key Findings:
- Salary ranges from $26.44/hour (entry-level) to $159,286 annually (executive positions)
- Geographic concentration in Seattle metro area with strong state government presence in Olympia
- Education requirements range from Bachelor’s degrees to Master’s degrees with clinical licensure
- Major employers include State of Washington, University of Washington, major health systems, and research institutions
Notable aspects of Washington’s market include strong emphasis on Epic systems expertise, significant state government opportunities with excellent benefits, cutting-edge global health research positions, and increasing remote work flexibility. The state shows particular demand for quality measurement expertise (HEDIS, UDS), advanced data analytics skills, and clinical-technology integration capabilities.
Quality Metrics & Population Health Analytics
HEDIS and Quality Measurement
Primary Employers: Sea Mar Community Health Centers (Seattle), Providence St. Joseph Health (Renton – Remote)
- Sea Mar Community Health Centers: Health Informatics & Metrics Project Coordinator managing HEDIS, UDS, and PCMH measures ($26.44/hour, full-time)
- Providence St. Joseph Health: Principal Clinical Informatics Specialist RN focusing on HEDIS metrics and quality measurement (salary not disclosed, remote work)
- Both positions emphasize clinical quality measures, population health rosters, and managed care organization coordination
State-Level Health Analytics
Primary Employers: State of Washington Health Care Authority (Olympia), State of Washington Department of Corrections (Tumwater)
- State of Washington HCA: Data Science & Informatics Specialist 2 analyzing healthcare claims for Medicaid programs ($93,804-$126,168 annually, telework eligible)
- State of Washington DOC: Management Analyst 5 for health services reporting and 1115 Medicaid Waiver ($87,708-$117,960 annually, project position)
Epic Systems Implementation & Optimization
Epic Clinical Workflows
Primary Employers: Kinwell (Seattle), University of Washington (Seattle), International Community Health Services (Seattle)
- Kinwell: Epic Clinical Informaticist specializing in Cadence scheduling and ambulatory workflows ($81,900-$139,200 annually, hybrid with travel)
- University of Washington: Senior Informatics Specialist for EHR optimization ($97,574-$140,940 annually, full-time)
- International Community Health Services: Clinical Informatics Director leading Epic optimization ($80,000-$120,000 annually, 4 days on-site)
Leadership & Strategic Roles
C-Suite and Executive Positions
Primary Employers: CommonSpirit Health (Tacoma), Clinical Management Consultants (Forks), The Consolidated Borough of Quil Ceda Village (Tulalip)
- CommonSpirit Health: Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Northwest Region (salary not disclosed, Master’s degree required)
- Clinical Management Consultants: Informatics Nurse Manager for strategic EHR management ($97,458-$159,286 annually, full-time)
- Tulalip: Health Informatics Manager overseeing RPMS and EHR systems (salary not disclosed, full-time/contractor options)
Health Information Management
Primary Employers: Presson Place (Yakima)
- Health Information Management Director: Leading HIM teams and compliance programs ($79,000-$118,000 annually, relocation assistance available)
Specialized Clinical Informatics
Nursing Informatics
Primary Employers: Northwest Kidney Centers (SeaTac), Providence St. Joseph Health (Renton)
- Northwest Kidney Centers: Clinical Informatics Nurse Specialist for dialysis care ($51.66-$70.82/hour, hybrid work)
- Providence St. Joseph Health: Principal Clinical Informatics Specialist RN combining nursing with technical expertise (salary not disclosed, remote)
Research & Data Science
Primary Employers: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (Seattle), Humana Inc. (Vancouver)
- IHME: Data Specialist in Clinical Informatics for global health research ($6,800/month, fully remote eligible)
- Humana Inc: Health Informatics – Provider Insights analyzing physician performance (salary not disclosed, remote work)
Education Requirements by Position Level
Entry-Level and Project Coordination
Sea Mar Community Health Centers – Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience for project coordinator roles ($26.44/hour)
Mid-Level Specialist Positions
Kinwell – Bachelor’s in Health Informatics or related field with 3+ years Epic experience ($81,900-$139,200) Northwest Kidney Centers – Associate or Bachelor’s in Nursing with EMR Super User experience ($51.66-$70.82/hour)
Advanced Technical Roles
State of Washington HCA – Master’s in STEM or Bachelor’s plus 2 years programming experience ($93,804-$126,168) University of Washington – Bachelor’s plus 5+ years clinical/informatics experience ($97,574-$140,940)
Executive and Leadership Positions
CommonSpirit Health – Master’s in clinical field plus 10+ years healthcare leadership (salary not disclosed) International Community Health Services – Bachelor’s plus 7+ years healthcare informatics with 3+ years leadership ($80,000-$120,000)
Salary Ranges by Position Type
Project and Entry-Level Roles
- Health Informatics Project Coordinator (Sea Mar): $26.44/hour
- Data Specialist (IHME): $6,800/month
Specialist and Technical Positions
- Clinical Informatics Nurse Specialist (Northwest Kidney Centers): $51.66-$70.82/hour
- Epic Clinical Informaticist (Kinwell): $81,900-$139,200 annually
- Senior Informatics Specialist (University of Washington): $97,574-$140,940 annually
Management and Leadership Roles
- Health Information Management Director (Presson Place): $79,000-$118,000 annually
- Clinical Informatics Director (ICHS): $80,000-$120,000 annually
- Data Science Specialist (State of Washington): $93,804-$126,168 annually
- Informatics Nurse Manager (Clinical Management Consultants): $97,458-$159,286 annually
State Government Positions
- Management Analyst 5 (State DOC): $87,708-$117,960 annually
- Data Science & Informatics Specialist (State HCA): $93,804-$126,168 annually
Cross-Disciplinary Opportunities
Clinical-Data Science Integration
State of Washington HCA combines healthcare policy with advanced analytics using SAS, R, Python, and SQL for Medicaid research. IHME merges global health research with clinical informatics for population health studies.
Quality-Technology Convergence
Sea Mar Community Health Centers integrates quality improvement with EHR optimization for diverse community populations. Providence St. Joseph Health combines nursing expertise with HEDIS quality measurement.
Business-Clinical Analytics
Humana Inc merges physician performance analysis with business intelligence for provider insights. Kinwell combines ambulatory care optimization with operational efficiency.
Public Health-Government Interface
State of Washington positions offer opportunities to influence statewide health policy through data analytics and informatics strategy, particularly for vulnerable populations including corrections and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Required Technical Skills
Programming and Analytics
State of Washington positions require advanced SQL, R, SAS, Python programming with PowerBI/Tableau visualization. IHME emphasizes Python and SQL for global health data analysis.
Epic Expertise
Multiple employers seek Epic certification in various modules (Cadence, Ambulatory, ClinDoc, Referrals). Kinwell specifically requires Epic Ambulatory and Cadence expertise with OnBase integration.
Quality Measurement Systems
Sea Mar and Providence require extensive knowledge of HEDIS, UDS, PCMH, and other quality frameworks. Experience with managed care organization reporting essential.
Geographic Distribution and Work Arrangements
Seattle metropolitan area dominates the market with University of Washington, Kinwell, ICHS, and IHME offering hybrid and remote arrangements. Olympia/Tumwater hosts state government positions with telework eligibility. Remote work increasingly common, with Providence, IHME, and Humana offering fully remote positions. Rural opportunities available in Forks and Yakima with competitive compensation and relocation assistance.
Professional Certifications and Specializations
Clinical Licensure
Multiple employers require RN licenses with compact state recognition. CommonSpirit Health requires active clinical licensure plus informatics certification (ANCC, HIMSS, AMIA).
Technical Certifications
Epic certifications highly valued across multiple modules. State of Washington emphasizes degree-based qualifications over specific certifications but values SQL/SAS expertise.
Specialized Healthcare Knowledge
Sea Mar requires bilingual capabilities (English/Spanish) for diverse community service. Northwest Kidney Centers values dialysis experience for specialized clinical informatics.
Washington State’s health informatics market spans from cutting-edge global health research institutions to state government analytics, major health systems, and community health centers, offering diverse opportunities from technical data science to clinical leadership, with particularly strong emphasis on quality measurement, Epic optimization, and population health analytics.