Key Takeaways:
- Twelve of the 20 careers ranked as the fastest growing by the U.S. BLS fall within healthcare.
- A career in healthcare offers a path for people with a wide range of interests, skills, and educational backgrounds.
- About 32,700 openings for nurse practitioners and other APRN roles will open annually for the next 10 years, the highest among healthcare careers.
The fastest growing healthcare careers offer more than strong job prospects.
They can provide:
- Meaningful purpose
- Good pay
- Growth opportunities
- Diverse options
From advanced practice registered nurses to home health aides, the medical field presents a path for people with a wide range of interests, skills, and educational backgrounds.
Here’s a look at the nine occupations with the highest projected employment growth through 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Nurse Practitioner
Job outlook, 2024-34: 35 percent
Nurse practitioners (NPs) take your vitals and administer medications like a registered nurse (RN), but they also:
- Order diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, and analyze results
- Create patient care plans
- Prescribe medication
- Write referrals for specialists
To become one, you must:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and receive an RN license.
- Enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate program.
- Obtain your advanced practice nursing license.
In total, it takes between six and eight years of education to begin practicing as an NP.
Portage Learning, an accredited online institution, specializes in common prerequisites needed to earn your undergraduate degree or register for an MSN or DNP program. Its self-directed format allows you to complete courses affordably, anytime and anywhere.
Nurse practitioners make around $132,050 per year.
Medical and Health Services Manager
Job outlook, 2024-34: 24 percent
The country’s aging population will increase the need for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and facilities, and therefore drive demand for medical and health services managers, also known as healthcare administrators.
On a daily basis, they oversee a system’s:
- Operations
- Financial management
- Policy development
- Strategic planning
- And more
You need a bachelor’s degree to become one and take home a median annual wage of $117,960.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Job outlook, 2024-34: 22 percent
Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work alongside physical therapists to help patients regain movement and manage pain by:
- Cleaning and setting up treatment areas
- Helping them do specific exercises in their plan
- Performing clerical duties
All states require PTAs to obtain an associate degree from an accredited program, which typically lasts two years and includes coursework in subjects such as:
- Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
- Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
- English Composition
- College Algebra
You earn around $60,050 annually.
Physician Assistant
Job outlook, 2024-34: 20 percent
As a physician assistant (PA), you work in a variety of healthcare settings and perform duties similar to an NP, including:
- Diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses
- Prescribing medications
- Ordering and analyzing lab tests
- Examining patients
PAs must obtain a bachelor’s degree and then graduate with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. You also need to complete 2,000 hours of clinical rotations and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam to become certified and get your license to practice.
Physician assistants make a median wage of $133,260 per year.
Psychiatric Technicians
Job outlook, 2024-34: 20 percent
Psychiatric technicians care for people with mental health conditions or developmental disabilities.
They listen to concerns and observe behavior while providing therapeutic care under the direction of a physician or registered nurse.
Psychiatric technicians undergo a certificate program upon graduating from high school. You’ll also receive on-the-job training for a short period.
The American Association of Psychiatric Technicians provides an opportunity to become nationally certified. States don’t require it to practice, but it may lead to better pay and positions.
You take home about $41,590 annually.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Job outlook, 2024-34: 20 percent
If you like science and math and enjoy helping people, consider a career as an ophthalmic medical technician.
In this role, you assist ophthalmologists in providing patient care by:
- Taking medical histories
- Providing education on medications and procedures
- Performing vision and diagnostic tests
- Assisting with scheduling
You can enter the field by going through on-the-job training and independent study through the practice. Or you may complete an accredited program, which usually ranges in length from three months to two years.
You earn around $52,500 each year.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Job outlook, 2024-34: 19 percent
Occupational therapists help people of all ages learn, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily life and work – and occupational therapy assistants (OTA) support that work.
On a daily basis, they may:
- Instruct patients in the use of special equipment
- Record a person’s progress and report it
- Prepare and clean treatment areas
Similar to a physical therapist assistant, OTAs need to earn an associate degree and obtain a state-issued license. You’ll be required to complete continuing education courses to maintain your certification.
Occupational therapy assistants make a yearly salary of $66,050.
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Job outlook, 2024-34: 17 percent
The next generation of healthcare workers needs qualified professionals to prepare them.
Health specialties teachers instruct the courses taken by students pursuing careers in the medical field.
You could work at a university, a community college, or, in some instances, a hospital. Postsecondary health specialty teachers usually hold a doctoral degree, but some institutions may hire those with a master’s degree.
They earn, on average, $105,650 annually.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Job outlook, 2024-34: 17 percent
Home health and personal care aides work with people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. They help them with their daily living activities such as:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Cleaning
- Shopping
The aides keep records on the patient and then report the information to their case manager.
It doesn’t require a formal education to become one. You just need a high school diploma or equivalent.
Most aides work full time and make about $34,900.
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