Connecticut Health Informatics Degree Programs

Its no secret that the healthcare sector is a critical pillar of the The Constitution State’s economy, generating substantial economic activity and providing numerous well-paying jobs. Hospitals and health systems alone contribute significantly, supporting nearly 260,000 jobs directly and indirectly and generating over $41.1 billion in total economic impact annually.

Beyond hospitals, the physician services sector also drives considerable economic growth, supporting over 120,000 jobs and $24.1 billion in economic output.

However, the state faces significant and persistent workforce challenges for nurses and doctors:

• Despite a 21% increase in licensed nurses between 2020 and 2022, only about half of Connecticut’s licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) are actively practicing in the state.
• The state consistently falls short of training the estimated 3,000 new nurses needed each year, with only 2,181 graduates in 2023, straining healthcare systems.
• 20% of Connecticut residents live in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) with insufficient primary care physicians.

Health informatics has helped Connecticut make strides in adopting digital health solutions to connect its healthcare ecosystem:

• Connie, Connecticut’s official Health Information Exchange (HIE), plays a vital role in enabling the secure and confidential sharing of health information electronically among doctors’ offices, hospitals, labs, and other healthcare organizations.
• Major healthcare providers like Hartford HealthCare have implemented comprehensive Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems,

Recognizing the critical demand for skilled health informatics professionals, Connecticut’s educational institutions are developing programs to train the next generation of healthcare technologists and leaders.

These programs are essential for building a workforce capable of leveraging data and technology to improve healthcare quality, safety, and value for all Connecticut residents.

States Nearby

The tri-state area is full of great schools that provide even more options:

• Rhode Island
• New York
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey

The CT Job Market for Health Informatics Degree Holders

Notable aspects of Connecticut’s market include strong academic research opportunities at Yale, major healthcare payer positions at Cigna, increasing remote work flexibility, and unique crossover opportunities between clinical practice, academic research, and business analytics. The state shows particular strength in data governance, EHR optimization, and cutting-edge research applications like blockchain and machine learning in healthcare.

Clinical Systems Implementation & Optimization

Enterprise EHR Management

Primary Employers: Bristol Hospital Group (Bristol), Griffin Health Services (Derby)

• Bristol Hospital Group: Clinical Informatics Analyst managing planning, design, and implementation of clinical information systems (salary not disclosed, full-time on-site)
• Griffin Health Services: Director of Clinical Informatics providing leadership and coordination of clinical informatics processes ($120,000-$160,000 annually, full-time)
• Both positions emphasize EMR training, workflow analysis, and system integration across clinical departments

Technology Infrastructure Leadership

Primary Employers: Robert Half for healthcare clients (Derby)

• Director of Informatics: Managing hospital’s health informatics strategy with focus on EHR systems and data optimization (salary not disclosed, requires 5+ years experience)
• Emphasizes Cisco Technologies, Cloud Technologies, and ERP solutions for clinical operations

Data Governance & Analytics

Healthcare Payer Data Management

Primary Employers: Cigna (Bloomfield)

• Clinical Data Governance/Informatics Lead: Overseeing integrity and governance of clinical data for ECHO operations ($111,800-$186,400 annually, hybrid work)
• Focuses on healthcare payer data products, clinical terminology, and interoperability standards including HL7 and FHIR

Custom Data Solutions

Primary Employers: Lensa/Insight Global (Hartford)

• Remote Healthcare Informatics Analyst: Creating custom data feeds for stop loss reporting with portfolio of 500+ customers (salary not disclosed, fully remote)
• Specializes in secure FTPS data feeds and customer support liaison functions

Academic & Research Excellence

Faculty Leadership Positions

Primary Employers: Yale University (New Haven), Sacred Heart University (Bridgeport), Quinnipiac University (Hamden)

• Yale University: Assistant or Associate Professor in Health Informatics focusing on computational innovations in healthcare (salary not disclosed, tenure track)
• Sacred Heart University: Adjunct Instructor for Healthcare Informatics graduate program (salary not disclosed, Fall 2025/Spring 2026)
• Quinnipiac University: Part-Time Faculty for MS Informatics program covering up to 9 credits per semester (salary not disclosed, Fall 2025)

Advanced Research Opportunities

Primary Employers: Yale University (New Haven)

• Postdoctoral Associate: Blockchain and Machine Learning research in biomedical informatics (salary per Yale postdoc compensation scales, 100% on-site)
• Combines cutting-edge technology research with clinical predictive models and privacy-preserving learning

Specialized Clinical Consulting

Epic Systems Expertise

Primary Employers: Epic (Stamford)

• Physician – Applied Informatics: Clinical consulting role requiring relocation to Madison, WI (merit-based compensation plus stock grants, 25% travel required)
• Demonstrates Epic workflows to customers and provides clinical input to R&D efforts

Education Requirements by Position Level

Entry-Level Clinical Positions

Bristol Hospital Group – Bachelor’s degree preferred with 3+ years clinical office experience Griffin Health Services – BS in Computer Science, preferably with RN licensure

Mid-Level Data and Analytics Roles

Cigna – Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years experience in data governance and healthcare payer processes ($111,800-$186,400) Lensa/Insight Global – 3+ years healthcare domain experience with custom data feed management (remote)

Senior Leadership Positions

Griffin Health Services – BS in Computer Science plus 5+ years clinical experience with advanced clinical knowledge ($120,000-$160,000) Robert Half clients – Minimum 5 years experience in similar role with technology proficiency

Academic and Research Positions

Yale University Faculty – PhD in relevant field for tenure track positions, strong research record required Yale University Postdoc – PhD in Biomedical Informatics, Data Science, Computer Science, or related field Sacred Heart University – Master’s degree in Informatics or Healthcare Informatics for adjunct roles Quinnipiac University – Master’s in Informatics, Health Informatics, Data Science, or related field

Salary Ranges by Position Type

Leadership and Management Roles

• Director of Clinical Informatics (Griffin Health Services): $120,000-$160,000 annually
• Clinical Data Governance Lead (Cigna): $111,800-$186,400 annually plus bonus eligibility

Clinical and Technical Positions

• Multiple employers: Salary not disclosed but competitive benefits packages offered
• Epic Physician Consultant: Merit-based compensation plus stock grants and relocation assistance

Academic Positions

• Yale University: Competitive academic salaries per university scales
• Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac: Adjunct compensation rates (not disclosed)

Cross-Disciplinary Opportunities

Clinical-Technology Integration

Bristol Hospital Group and Griffin Health Services combine clinical expertise with technology implementation, requiring understanding of both clinical workflows and information systems. Epic specifically bridges physician practice with software development.

Healthcare-Business Analytics

Cigna integrates clinical informatics with payer operations, requiring expertise in utilization management, case management, and performance measurement programs like HEDIS and NCQA.

Academic-Industry Interface

Yale University positions offer opportunities to combine cutting-edge research with practical healthcare applications, particularly in blockchain technology and machine learning for clinical applications.

Data Science-Healthcare Convergence

Lensa/Insight Global combines healthcare domain knowledge with data feed management and customer relationship management for specialized reporting needs.

Required Technical Skills

EHR and Clinical Systems

Multiple employers require experience with various EHR platforms, clinical information systems, and workflow optimization. Epic specifically requires extensive Epic software experience.

Data Management and Governance

Cigna requires expertise in SQL, SAS, Python, Hadoop, Teradata, Databricks, Snowflake, and Tableau. Lensa emphasizes Excel proficiency and FTPS data management.

Emerging Technologies

Yale University research positions require blockchain technology (Ethereum), machine learning, Java programming, and smart contract development in Solidity.

Infrastructure and Networking

Robert Half clients require Cisco Technologies, Cloud Technologies, CRM systems, and ERP solutions expertise.

Professional Certifications and Advanced Credentials

Clinical Licensure

Griffin Health Services prefers RN licensure combined with computer science background. Epic requires medical degree with board certification.

Advanced Degrees and Certifications

Cigna prefers clinical licensure (RN, MD, PA, NP) and advanced certification in clinical informatics. Yale University requires PhD-level qualifications for research positions.

Technical Certifications

Multiple employers value certifications in healthcare data standards, Six Sigma, project management, and Agile methodology.

Geographic Distribution and Work Arrangements

New Haven area dominates with Yale University offering world-class research opportunities. Hartford/Central Connecticut provides insurance industry opportunities with Cigna and remote work options. Fairfield County offers proximity to New York markets with Sacred Heart University and Epic consulting roles. Hybrid and remote work increasingly available, particularly for data governance and consulting positions.

Connecticut’s health informatics market uniquely combines Ivy League academic excellence, major healthcare payer operations, established health systems, and proximity to biotech corridors, offering opportunities from cutting-edge research to practical clinical implementation with competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages.