Healthcare Careers

Job Outlook

Healthcare will generate 3.2 million new wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018, more than any other industry, largely in response to rapid growth in the elderly population. Ten of the twenty fastest growing occupations are related to healthcare. Many job openings should arise in all healthcare employment settings as a result of employment growth and the need to replace workers who retire or leave their jobs for other reasons.

Average earnings of nonsupervisory workers in most healthcare segments are higher than the average for all private industry, with hospital workers earning considerably more than the average and those employed in nursing and residential care facilities and home healthcare services earning less. Average earnings often are higher in hospitals because the percentage of jobs requiring higher levels of education and training is greater than in other segments. Those segments of the industry with lower earnings employ large numbers of part-time service workers.

Median annual wages of the largest occupations in healthcare, 2010^†

• Registered nurses: $64,690
• Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses $40,380
• Dental assistants: $33,470
• Medical transcriptionists: $32,900
• Speech-language pathologists: $66,920
• Psychiatric technicians and aides: $26,880
• occupational therapy assistants and aides: $49,490

^† SOURCE: BLS Occupational Employment Statistics and Division of Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition