Healthcare Case Managers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of healthcare case managers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for healthcare case managers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of healthcare case managers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for healthcare case managers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Healthcare Case Managers?
Do healthcare case managers need a degree? What kind of experience do healthcare case managers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for healthcare case managers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Healthcare Case Managers
Jobs Postings for Healthcare Case Managers By Education
- Master's degree: 22,590 (50%)
- No Education Listed: 12,403 (28%)
- Bachelor's degree: 4,939 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 3,844 (9%)
- High School or GED: 1,022 (2%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of healthcare case managers. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 50% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Healthcare Case Managers
Jobs Postings for Healthcare Case Managers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,728 (41%)
- 2-3 Years: 9,176 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,876 (10%)
- 7-9 Years: 137 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 61 (0%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for healthcare case managers. In 48% of job postings for Healthcare Case Managers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 41% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 10% of job postings for healthcare case managers.
What Kind of Degree Do Healthcare Case Managers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for healthcare case managers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 18 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective healthcare case managers, and in 2023 a total of 265,358 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective healthcare case managers.
Top Degree Programs for Healthcare Case Managers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Healthcare Case Managers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion. | 4,086 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,874 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 2,374 |
| Social Work, Other. | 581 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Dental Public Health and Education. | 88 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
| Forensic Social Work. | 6 |
| Medical Family Therapy/Therapist. | 5 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care. | 2 |
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Degree Options for Healthcare Case Managers
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Improve quality of life by removing barriers to healthcare, promoting wellness and reducing health disparities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Healthcare Case Managers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by healthcare case managers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for healthcare case managers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Healthcare Case Managers
Based on 39,600 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Healthcare Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Healthcare Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
Based on 39,600 job postings related to healthcare case managers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, mental health, medical social work, psychology and crisis intervention were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for healthcare case managers, followed by planning, coordinating, advocacy, management and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
| Crisis Intervention | 7,457 | 19% |
| Case Management | 7,326 | 19% |
| Discharge Planning | 6,471 | 16% |
| Behavioral Health | 6,286 | 16% |
| Psychosocial Assessments | 5,397 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 4,755 | 12% |
| Psychotherapy | 4,754 | 12% |
| Care Coordination | 4,201 | 11% |
| Family Therapy | 3,938 | 10% |
| Hospice | 3,489 | 9% |
| Clinical Social Work | 3,466 | 9% |
| Nursing | 3,349 | 8% |
| Patient Assistance | 3,341 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 3,284 | 8% |
| Home Health Care | 3,189 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
| Problem Solving | 4,257 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,984 | 10% |
| Writing | 3,849 | 10% |
| Leadership | 3,500 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,912 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,704 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 2,545 | 6% |
| Research | 2,126 | 5% |
| Scheduling | 2,034 | 5% |
| Customer Service | 2,010 | 5% |
| Decision Making | 1,976 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,866 | 5% |
| Time Management | 1,855 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 1,827 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,814 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about healthcare case managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for healthcare case managers.
What do healthcare case managers do?
How much do healthcare case managers make?
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