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Is HIM considered a profesional degree in 2026
Executive summary
Health Information Management (HIM) is routinely offered as an accredited bachelor’s and associate’s degree that qualifies graduates for national certifications (for example, RHIT/RHIA eligibility) and professional roles; CAHIIM is the main accreditor referenced across programs (see multiple university program pages) [1] [2] [3]. Available sources show HIM is taught at associate, bachelor and master's levels and is positioned as a professional pathway—however none of the provided documents explicitly define whether “HIM” will be legally or formally classified as a single “professional degree” in 2026 (available sources do not mention a 2026 universal legal classification) [4] [5] [3].
1. HIM is offered as both occupational and professional degree programs
Colleges and universities advertise HIM programs at multiple credential levels: Cincinnati State describes an Associate of Applied Science preparing graduates for the RHIT exam (associate-level, workforce entry) [1]; Western Kentucky, WGU, SNHU, Purdue Global and others describe CAHIIM‑accredited bachelor’s programs aimed at RHIA candidacy and administrative/managerial roles (baccalaureate-level professional preparation) [2] [6] [7] [8]. These program pages frame HIM as preparation for specific professional certifications and employment rather than as a purely academic discipline [1] [2].
2. Accreditation and certification shape whether HIM is treated as a professional credential
The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) appears repeatedly as the accrediting body for HIM programs; CAHIIM-accredited bachelor’s programs are described as meeting eligibility requirements for RHIA certification, a key professional credential [3] [2]. Institutions emphasize CAHIIM status when positioning a degree as “professional” because certification eligibility and employer expectations often hinge on that accreditation [2] [3].
3. Employer and labor-market framing: HIM as a career path
Program pages highlight employment growth and concrete job roles—medical records/health information technicians, data analysts, HIM directors—pointing to HIM as a vocational/professional route into healthcare operations and data governance [1] [9] [8]. For example, Cincinnati State and Midland College cite Bureau of Labor Statistics projections and note that associate graduates are prepared to take national certification exams [1] [9]. This labor-market emphasis supports interpreting many HIM degrees as professional training.
4. Variation across institutions means “professional degree” is not uniform
Not every HIM credential carries the same scope or title: some schools offer associate degrees and certificates intended for technician roles, others offer baccalaureate or master’s programs intended for administration and RHIA eligibility [1] [5] [10]. Southwestern Oklahoma State and University of Washington materials note CAHIIM implementation of 2026 standards and reaffirmation through dates such as 2027, showing evolving standards rather than a single new classification in 2026 [5] [10]. Thus whether HIM is called a “professional degree” depends on program level and accreditation [5] [3].
5. What “professional degree” commonly means — and how HIM fits
In higher-education usage, a “professional degree” typically denotes credentials aimed at direct entry into a licensed profession (law, medicine, architecture) or preparation for a specific professional credential; HIM bachelor’s programs that satisfy CAHIIM standards and RHIA eligibility align with that latter usage because they are designed to prepare students for a recognized professional credential and workplace roles [2] [3]. Associate and certificate HIM programs more often prepare for entry-level certification (RHIT or similar) and are framed as workforce training [1] [11].
6. Limitations in the available reporting and unanswered questions
None of the provided sources explicitly state that “HIM” as a field will be universally designated a single “professional degree” category in 2026 by regulators or a national body; sources instead detail program-level accreditation, program types, and certification pathways (available sources do not mention a 2026 legal or regulatory reclassification) [3] [5]. If you need to know whether a specific credential will be legally recognized as a “professional degree” for licensure, federal student-aid rules, or hiring-classification purposes in 2026, that is not covered by the provided materials (available sources do not mention those specific policy designations) [3].
7. Practical takeaway and next steps
If your goal is career entry or advancement in HIM, choose a CAHIIM‑accredited bachelor’s program to preserve RHIA eligibility and signal professional preparation to employers [2] [3]. For quick entry into technician roles, accredited associate programs prepare you for RHIT and similar certifications [1]. For a definitive statement about formal legal classification of HIM as a “professional degree” across jurisdictions in 2026, consult CAHIIM’s program directory or the specific state licensing/employment rules—those policy-level details are not present in the current reporting (available sources do not mention a universal 2026 classification) [3].