Top 25 Best Healthcare Jobs of 2018
We here at HospitalCareers wanted to make a list of the best healthcare jobs for people that need new horizons — or the ones wondering what kind of healthcare jobs might fit them.
With the start of a new year, many people are thinking of new ways to better themselves and make the most of their time.
The best thing about this list is you don't need medical degrees or Ph.D.s for all of these jobs.
Some jobs on this list only require Associate degrees.
If you’re looking for a chance within the healthcare industry and you don’t mind putting in the hard work and potentially getting some advanced education, these are some of the best healthcare jobs for people of all backgrounds.
We based our list on salary, job outlook, and degree required. In addition, we’ve detailed what you can expect to do as a healthcare professional in each job.
This allows you to understand how some of the jobs differ from others on the list — so that you can make the best decision on which jobs you should consider when you begin your healthcare job search.
Top 25 Best Healthcare Jobs:
25. Medical Assistant
Medical Assistants are one of the most important pieces in any healthcare environment.
It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that Medical Assistants ensure that the healthcare ship keeps running.
Medical Assistants are responsible for helping perform a variety of roles that include various routine administrative tasks, or common clinical tasks.
The unique thing about Medical Assistants is that they need to be proficient in both clinical and administrative responsibilities.
Some of the core responsibilities for Medical Assistants includes preparing patients for exams, handling bookkeeping tasks, measuring the vital signs of patients, and maintaining accurate patient records.
It’s easy to see how important a Medical Assistant is in the chaotic environment of a hospital, healthcare facility, or healthcare clinic.
One of the great things that makes becoming a Medical Assistant an attractive option for many healthcare professionals or career-seeking professionals is that it is easy to become a Medical Assistant.
The recommended education for Medical Assistants is an Associate Degree.
We have also created the most comprehensive guide to help guide you on how to become a Medical Assistant.
Medical Assistants typically earn between $14.49/hr to $16.97/hr. This roughly translates to $27,820.80/yr to $32,582.40.
Medical Assistant job career growth outlook is roughly 29% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average healthcare career.
Search Medical Assistant Jobs
24. Home Health Aide
Home Health Aides provide the critical home care needed to those patients who can’t go to their normal hospital or clinical visits.
Home Health Aides are largely responsible for helping those patients who cannot perform typical day to day tasks or normal routine tasks that the general public takes for granted like bathing, dressing, or housekeeping.
The unique thing about Home Health Aides is that they often get the option of caring for one patient, or several in different locations.
The beauty of caring for patients as a Home Health Aide is that you can spend more time with individual patients and truly get to know them.
In other typical healthcare roles, you only interact with the patient for as long as they need until they leave the hospital or clinic, and then go about their normal routine as a healthy patient.
The patients you interact with as a Home Health Aide require extended periods of care, and the aid you provide them is immeasurable.
As a Home Health Aide, you may care for those individuals who are either physically or mentally ill, or have some form of disability and are confined to their household or a care facility.
Some of the core responsibilities that Home Health Aides are responsible for include keeping records of services, housekeeping, errands, changing wound dressings, preparing patient meals, and maintaining a safe environment for the patient.
We have put together a guide on how to become a Home Health Aide to help guide you on your path to becoming a Home Health Aide.
Home Health Aides typically earn between $8.95/hr to $11.69/hr. This roughly translates to $17,184/yr to $22,444.80/yr.
Home Health Aides career job growth outlook is 41% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average healthcare career.
The unique thing about Home Health Aides is that no education other than a certification class/course is required. If you want to begin your healthcare career, then you should consider looking into becoming a Home Health Aide, as it is one of the best healthcare jobs.
Search Home Health Aide Jobs
23. Nursing Assistant
Certified Nursing Assistants help provide important support to nurses when they need it most.
Certified Nursing Assistants are responsible for helping Registered Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses with some of the complex tasks that they’re given throughout the day.
Oftentimes, Certified Nursing Assistants will help provide care to patients and be under the direct supervision of Registered Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses.
A Certified Nursing Assistant’s core responsibilities throughout the day include helping patients get dressed, eat, make their beds, assist patients with walking, and other routine tasks.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, we have put together a guide for you to review.
Certified Nursing Assistants typically earn between $13.16/hr to $16.14/hr. This roughly translates to $25,267.20/yr to $30,988.80/yr.
The education required to become a Certified Nursing Assistant is typically an Associate Degree in Nursing or a CNA Training Program. Once you complete those programs, you are then required to earn additional certification.
The Certified Nursing Assistant career job growth outlook over the next decade is 11%.
Search Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
22. Physician
Another one of the best healthcare jobs for you to consider is to go back to school and become a Physician.
Physicians are responsible for diagnosing and then treating patients for various medical illnesses, diseases or ailments.
Diagnosing and effectively treating patients is a difficult task, and requires extensive education — which is why it is so high up on our best healthcare jobs list — as many individuals will be hesitant about going back to school for such a lengthy period of time.
The level of education required to become a Doctor or Physician is four years of undergraduate, followed by four years of medical school, and an additional residency program. In addition, some programs require a fellowship which might add an additional one to three years.
All of this education is designed to build up your knowledge in a specialty area that allows you to work in a variety of locations from a private practice, to hospitals, to independent clinics.
A Physician's core responsibilities include diagnosing diseases, diagnosing illnesses, assessing the need for treatment or therapy, and providing information to patients and their families.
We have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Physician to help you determine if becoming a physician is one of the best healthcare jobs for you to consider.
Medical Doctors and Physicians typically earn between $78.34/hr to $101.23/hr. This roughly translates to $150,412.80/yr to $194,361.60/yr.
Fortunately, for those individuals who decide to go back to school to become a Physician and pursue one of the best healthcare jobs in the healthcare industry — you can rest assured knowing that you’ll be one of the top earners in the industry.
The career job growth outlook for Physicians is 13% over the next decade.
Search Physician Jobs
21. Licensed Practical Nurse
Licensed Practical Nurses are responsible for helping patients in a variety of ways. In some states, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are referred to as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs).
Licensed Practical Nurses have a little bit more responsibility thrust upon them than Certified Nursing Assistants, but also work directly under the supervision of Registered Nurses.
A Licensed Practical Nurse’s core responsibilities include taking patient vital signs, preparing and administering medication, applying and fixing wound dressing, monitoring and collecting lab samples, feeding patients, and more.
As you can see, Licensed Practical Nurses have a lot more responsibilities than Certified Nursing Assistants, and it is a result of the additional education that Licensed Practical Nurses are asked to obtain.
Licensed Practical Nurses are asked to obtain their Associate Degree in Nursing, and then take additional NCLEX-PN exam to earn their licensure.
One thing that separates the NCLEX-PN exam from other examinations is that it is one of the most difficult exams to take to become licensed.
Licensed Practical Nurses typically earn between $19.45/hr to $23.94/hr. This roughly translates to $37,344/yr to $45,964.80/yr.
Licensed Practical Nurse career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 12%.
We have put together a comprehensive guide for you to review on how to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Search Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs
20. Therapist
One job that you might not have considered to be on the best healthcare jobs is a Therapist. Therapists help patients and individuals overcome some of the mental disorders or mental problems affecting their daily lives.
Therapists are taught throughout their extensive education on how to analyze various causes of mental instability, and come up with treatment plans that help guide the patient to a healthier lifestyle and mental state.
In addition, Therapists are largely responsible for providing a helping hand to offer guidance on some of the things we should do about the things that are bothering us.
Therapists are a great outlet for listening to patients vent about some of the things they wouldn’t normally talk about with their friends or family.
Therapists help provide another form of counseling and offer insight as to why they might be thinking these thoughts, and how improve your mental state.
The typical education needed to become a Therapist is a master’s Degree in Psychology, or even a Doctorate of Psychology.
There are plenty of roles as a Therapist within the healthcare company — and the level of education required to achieve those roles differs for each individual.
If you’re a good listener, and want to pursue a healthcare career where you can help individuals get over some of the darker concerns of mental illness — then becoming a Therapist is one of the best healthcare jobs for you to consider.
Therapist’s career job growth outlook is roughly 23% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average healthcare career.
Therapists typically earn between $38,320/yr to $63,810/yr.
Search Therapist Jobs
19. Pharmacy Technician
The next job on our list of best healthcare jobs for you to consider is Pharmacy Technician. Pharmacy Technicians are responsible for performing a variety of pharmacy-related tasks.
Those pharmacy-related tasks include working under the direction of a licensed Pharmacist. If you have any questions as a Pharmacy Technician, you will then refer those questions to the Pharmacist.
Some of those questions might be related to drug information, different prescriptions, or potential health concerns for the patient you might have.
One unique thing about being a Pharmacy Technician that is unique to the job is that you can potentially work in a variety of roles or environments.
Some of the places you could work as a Pharmacy Technician include hospitals, home healthcare agencies, community pharmacies, privately-owned pharmacies, the military, healthcare companies, educational programs, or assisted living centers.
Some of the core responsibilities of a Pharmacy Technician include stocking inventory, completing insurance claim forms, maintaining patient profiles, consulting with patients about medication questions, filling prescription requests, and more.
The important thing about being a Pharmacy Technician is knowing how to determine the correct dosage for various prescriptions, giving the right amount to patients, and educating them on the possible side effects.
The level of education required depends on which path you decide to go down. There are individual courses or classes you can take, or individual technical college degree programs that you can participate in to become a Pharmacy Technician.
Pharmacy Technicians typically earn between $11.76/hr to $17.60/hr. This roughly translates to $22,579.20/yr to $33,792/yr.
Pharmacy Technician’s career job growth outlook over the next decade is roughly 12%.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to become a Pharmacy Technician, then you should review our comprehensive guide on how to become a Pharmacy Technician — where we cover everything you could potentially want to know.
Search Pharmacy Technician Jobs
18. Registered Nurse
Number 18 on our list of best healthcare jobs for you to consider is becoming a Registered Nurse. Registered Nurses are consistently rated as one of the best healthcare jobs to consider within the healthcare industry for plenty of reasons.
One reason for that is because the roles of nurses have changed over time.
Originally, nurses would have a set of tasks that they were to complete, and now their role is more patient-encompassing and includes a variety of tasks that revolves around caring for the patient in any way they can.
The role of Registered Nurses has also changed over time as the level of education for nurses rises and they are expected to know more, so they can do more.
A Registered Nurse’s core responsibilities include observing a patient’s signs and symptoms, assessment of those symptoms, accurate recording of signs, educating patients about continued care, conducting clinical research, teaching nursing programs, developing and maintaining quality assurance policies.
As one can see, Registered Nurses have a lot on their plate — which also makes each day unique and exciting.
For those individuals who want to find a healthcare job or healthcare career that has a unique day with new tasks each day, then becoming a Registered Nurse is one of the best healthcare jobs for you to consider.
The level of education to become a Registered Nurse is typically a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing.
Another great thing about becoming a Registered Nurse is that there are a multitude of ways for you to become one, and we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Registered Nurse for you to review.
This comprehensive guide covers every potential way you could start on your path to becoming a Registered Nurse, how many years of education remain from that point, and which steps you need to take next.
Registered Nurses typically earn between $26.26/hr to $38.98/hr. This roughly translates to $50,419.20/yr to $74,841.60/yr.
Registered Nurse career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 15%.
Search Registered Nurse Jobs
17. Clinical Laboratory Technician
Coming in at number 17 on our list of best healthcare jobs is Clinical Laboratory Technician. Clinical Laboratory Technicians are talented laboratory scientists that are highly trained to discover the presence or absence of disease.
These talented healthcare professionals help provide key data to physicians to help them determine the best course of treatment for patients.
A Clinical Laboratory Technician’s core responsibilities include analyzing and examining laboratory samples that include tissues and cells, microorganisms, bodily fluids, chemical and blood abnormalities, and more.
Essentially, Clinical Laboratory Technicians are tasked with focusing on the collection and analysis of biological specimens, performance of lab procedures, maintenance of laboratory instruments, and molecular diagnostics.
The education required to become a Clinical Laboratory Technician revolves around both Biology and Chemistry.
There are also pre-med tracks for becoming a Clinical Lab Technician, but you would have to look into it to make sure that they have Clinical Laboratory Technician specializations or majors.
The education you should pursue to become a Clinical Laboratory Technician is an Associate of Science in Chemistry, an Associate of Science in Biology, or an Associate of Science in Pre-Med.
Clinical Laboratory Technicians typically earn between $24.02/hr to $34.26/hr. This roughly translates to $46,118.40/yr to $65,779.20/yr.
Clinical Laboratory Technician career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 13%, which is faster than the average healthcare career.
For more information on what it takes to become a Clinical Laboratory Technician, we have put a comprehensive guide on how to become a clinical laboratory scientist or technician for you to review.
Search Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs
16. Dental Assistant
Dental Assistants are the unsung heroes in a dentist’s office.
Dental Assistants help with some of the administrative duties in a Dentist office or dental clinic, and may also be asked to help or assist with patient care.
Dental Assistants might be tasked with a brief interaction with a patient by helping them get ready for a dental cleaning or surgery — or they might be asked to deal with some customers at the front office and handle some of the administrative tasks.
A Dental Assistant’s core responsibilities include performing many tasks that range from patient care, recordkeeping, or scheduling appointments. Dental Assistants help patients feel comfortable through the use of good communication skills.
Becoming a Dental Assistant is also a great way for you to enter into the healthcare industry if you’ve never had any prior experience interacting with or caring for patients.
Dental Assistants are also asked to learn some key patient technical skills to use in a dental office to help assist with various dental procedures like fillings, crowns, or extractions.
Dental Assistants might also be asked to perform and take impressions of the mouth for molds.
If you’re looking for a job where you can get started in the healthcare industry, interact with patients, and put your administrative skills to use — then becoming a Dental Assistant is one of the best healthcare jobs for you to consider.
The recommended level of education to become a Dental Assistant is to obtain an Associate of Science Degree in Dental Assisting, or a Bachelor’s of Science In Dentistry.
Dental Assistants typically earn between $11.14/hr to $21.14/hr. This roughly translates to $23,039/yr to $44,661/yr with bonuses and incentives included.
Dental Assistant’s career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 19%, which is faster than the average healthcare career.
Search Dental Assistant Jobs
15. Emergency Medical Technician
Over the last several years, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) / Paramedics have been consistently rated as having one of the best healthcare jobs in the country.
Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians help provide the critical care to individuals in emergency situations or emergency scenarios.
They are the first ones to respond to the scene and are responsible for evaluating and treating a patient and getting them ready to be transported to a hospital.
Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians are also responsible for providing emergency medical care to the sick or injured when they arrive to a scene.
Oftentimes, EMTs and Paramedics will be commonly stationed in an ambulance and be responsible for responding at a moment’s notice to an emergency call.
An Emergency Medical Technician’s core responsibilities include administering CPR, administering oxygen, providing interventions in allergic reactions, treating diabetic patients, and preparing patients for safe transport to the hospital.
Emergency Medical Technicians are also trained and certified to provide emergency car revolving around administering medications, starting intravenous lines for future care, resuscitating patients, and more.
For more information what it takes to become an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic, then you should review our comprehensive guide on how to become an EMT or Paramedic.
Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedics typically earn between $16.77/hr to $21.34/hr. This roughly translates to $32,198.40/yr to $40,972.80/yr.
Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 15%, which is much faster than the average healthcare career.
If you’re one of those individuals who wants to provide some order and structure while providing care in those emergency situations — then becoming an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic is the perfect career for you.
EMTs and Paramedics help provide structure in an extremely worrisome environment for the patients or the patient’s families.
The recommended education level for EMTs or Paramedics is to attend a trade school or community college with classes to get EMT certified.
Search Emergency Medical Technician / Paramedic Jobs
14. Health Information Technician
Health Information Technicians are commonly referred to as Medical Records Technicians.
These healthcare professionals are in charge of all the important medical documents or medical records for hospitals, healthcare facilities, or healthcare clinics.
These healthcare professionals are responsible for reviewing all of the documents and records to ensure that they follow proper reporting procedures, are accurate, and are easy to read for future care providers.
Well maintained records are essential for providing efficient and effective care.
With poor medical records or medical documents, healthcare professionals will struggle with knowing how to move forward with providing care and then how to accurately bill for services rendered.
In other words, the work that health information technicians do is critical to the success of the healthcare industry.
The recommended education for Health Information Technicians is to attend a trade school or receive some technical college education. There are also degree programs from allied health schools that you should consider.
Health Information Technicians typically earn between $26.61/hr to $42.91/hr. This roughly translates to $51,091.20/yr to $82,387.20/yr.
Health Information Technician’s career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 13%.
If you’re interested in learning more about health information, or learning more about some of the best health information technology jobs, take the time to review our extensive blog post on the Top 10 Healthcare IT Jobs.
Search Health Information Technician Jobs
13. Occupational Therapy Aide
Occupational Therapy Aides are those unsung heroes whenever we get injured and that injury keeps us out of work for a lengthy period of time.
Occupational Therapy Aides work under the direct supervision of Occupational Therapy Assistants or Occupational Therapists to perform delegated and routine tasks for various situations.
Some of those tasks include preparing patient and treatment rooms for use for Occupational Therapists and their patients.
Occupational Therapy Aide’s core responsibilities include preparing patients, preparing treatment areas, answering the telephone, ordering supplies, restocking supplies, completing insurance forms, and appointment scheduling.
Essentially, Occupational Therapy Aides provide the critical assistance in the OT office to help get patients on the pathway to recovery so they can work and resume their daily activities in the future.
Occupational Therapy Aides typically earn between $9.98/hr to $15.88/hr. This roughly translates to $19,161.60/yr to $30,489.60/yr.
There are several different ways you can earn an education to become an Occupational Therapy Aide.
The recommended education level is obtaining an Associate of Science degree in Physical Therapy, or attending a trade school or technical college that offers Occupational Therapy Aide training and certification programs.
One of the reasons that Occupational Therapy Aides is one of the best healthcare jobs in the healthcare industry today is because of the job growth over the next decade.
Occupational Therapy Aides career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 28%, which is much faster than a lot of the other jobs on our list of best healthcare jobs.
Search Occupational Therapy Aide Jobs
12. Speech Language Pathologist
Speech Language Pathologists help patients improve or recover their speech by evaluating, diagnosing, and treating those patients who are currently experiencing or have experienced speech and language disorders.
In addition, Speech Language Pathologists help treat people who have swallowing disorders that might impact their communication and lead to additional complications down the road.
Speech Language Pathologists are also trained to evaluate the best treatment pathway for patients who are suffering from different causes of speech issues.
One unique thing about becoming a Speech Language Pathologist that other healthcare careers don’t offer is the potential to teach or educate others on the role that a Speech Language Pathologist provides.
A Speech Language Pathologist’s core responsibilities include teaching their patients the correct sounds to make and instructing them on how to improve their voices, helping patients with little to no speech capabilities, teaching techniques on how to strengthen swallowing muscles, and counseling patients and the patient’s families on how to cope with problems.
In addition, Speech Language Pathologists are responsible for documenting evaluations and prognosis, tracking treatment progress through extensive records, and completing final evaluations.
The recommended education level to become a Speech Language Pathologist is to earn a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology, and then go on and earn additional certifications and licensure.
For more information on what it takes to become a Speech Language Pathologist, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Speech Language Pathologist for you to review.
Speech Language Pathologists typically earn between $32.94/hr to $39.06/hr. This roughly translates to $63,244.80/yr to $74,995.20/yr.
Speech Language Pathologist career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 18%.
Search Speech Language Pathologist Jobs
11. Family Practitioner
Family Practitioners are medical doctors that specialize in family medicine. Family Practitioners concentrate on providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages throughout their life.
It’s easy to remember who Family Practitioners are, because they are often the first choice to go see when something happens and isn’t an emergency. Patients commonly refer to them as “the family Doctor”.
Family Practitioners focus their practice around providing care for patients over long periods of time on an ongoing basis.
Family Practitioners typically provide early screenings for serious conditions and provide general health advice.
For more serious complications — Family Practitioners will recommend seeking the advice of specialists in certain areas if they don’t have as deep of a knowledge or understanding about certain topics or health concerns.
A Family Practitioner’s core responsibilities include treating patients with a wide array of illnesses or ailments, coordinating care with other medical professionals, building long-term relationships with patients, educating and providing information and techniques to help patients live a healthy lifestyle, and focusing on illness prevention.
Family Practitioners make our list of best healthcare jobs because the career offers a unique opportunity for Physicians to provide ongoing care for their patients and truly get to know them.
Other healthcare careers only see patients on an infrequent basis — because patients will only seek medical advice when they need it.
The recommended education level to become a Family Practitioner is to earn an undergraduate degree, take the MCAT, earn a medical degree, and complete a residency program centered around Family Medicine.
For more information on what it takes to become a Family Practitioner, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Family Medicine Physician for you to review.
Family Practitioners typically earn between $79.09/hr to $103.05/hr. This roughly translates to $151,852.80/yr to $197,856/yr.
Family Practitioner career job growth outlook over the next decade is expected to be 13%.
Search Family Practitioner Jobs
10. Chiropractor
Chiropractors come in at number 10 in our list of best healthcare jobs because of the schooling, pay and stress level.
While they have relatively lower stress than other jobs in medicine, they don't make a lot of money for the amount of school they need.
Chiropractors treat patients with problems that affect neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
They use spinal adjustments and manipulation, and other techniques to manage patients’ health concerns, such as back and neck pain.
While their stress is limited, they do have to ensure they don't seriously injure patients.
Because of this, Chiropractors must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree and get a state license.
These programs take 4 years to complete and require at least 3 years of undergraduate college education for admission.
For all the schooling, Chiropractors only make an average of $66,720 per year, which is why they land where they are on the list. They do have a good job growth outlook at 17% though and many are self-employed, which is a plus.
Search Chiropractor Jobs
9. Audiologist
Audiologists have pretty calm jobs because they work in quiet environments. This is probably one of the lowest stressed jobs on our list, but the schooling it takes relative to the salary, lands it at number 9.
Audiologists are healthcare professionals who possess expertise in non-medical diagnosis and management of disorders pertaining to the auditory and balance system.
They specialize in the middle and inner ear and identify and assess hearing and balance disorders and rehabilitate patients who suffer from such disorders.
It takes 4-7 years to earn a Doctor of Audiology Degree (Au.D.) and can cause substantial student loan debt.
Before 2012, you needed a Master's degree, but now you must get the Au.D.
Audiologists can make $73,060 per year which is solid, but might not be enough for the amount of debt and schooling some students must take on.
For more information on what it takes to become an Audiologist, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become an audiologist for you to review.
Search Audiologist Jobs
8. Pharmacist
This is one of the best healthcare jobs, but one of the most demanding, which is why it lands at number 8.
Pharmacists are responsible for dispensing medications as prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners.
They also assist with monitoring patient health by advising physicians and other health care providers on the selection, interactions, recommended uses, suggested dosages and potential side effects of medications.
They have a higher level of education needed and higher stress levels than many of these other jobs on the list.
To be a Pharmacist, you need a Pharm. D degree along with an undergrad degree.
The time it takes is longer and the tests you must take are more daunting. You need to remember a ton of things to ensure that patients don't die. So inherently there are more risks, and more stress.
Pharmacists can work long hours and sometimes nights, weekends, or holidays.
Since many pharmacists are self-employed, they must take on administrative and management tasks along with their pharmacist duties, which adds to the stress.
All the hours and work pays off though, because Pharmacists typically earn $120,950 per year on average and have a good amount of jobs in their field (about 300,000).
Another thing that adds to a lower position is their slow 3% growth. They have a ton of jobs, but not many more are projected to open up into 2024.
Search Pharmacist Jobs
7. Optometrist
Making it on our best healthcare jobs list at number 7 is Optometrist.
An Optometrist provides primary medical and health care for the eyes. They diagnose and treat eye injuries and diseases, and can also pinpoint systemic problems (like diabetes) causing eye disorders that require treatment by other specialists.
They make great money too. Optometrists typically earn $102,000 per year, they are one of the highest paid on this list, but that comes with more schooling and more responsibility.
They have to complete an O.D. program which takes four more years of schooling and more testing.
This job is growing much faster than other jobs at 27%, on average and has a good job outlook through 2024.
Most Optometrists have their own offices, where they work independently, generally on a 40 hour weekly schedule.
Since these offices are set up as a comfortable environment for patients and workers, an optometrist works in clean, well-lit, attractively furnished surroundings.
Search Optometrist Jobs
6. Medical Lab Technologist or Technician
Medical Laboratory Technologists and Medical Lab Technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.
They typically need a Bachelor's degree, but if you want to be a lab technician you will only need an Associate degree. But because you don't have very advanced education, you are limited in your responsibilities and pay.
This job is good if you want autonomy and a quiet atmosphere, because outside of collecting samples, you will spend more time away from patients than with them. It's also a great healthcare job if you like doing lab work and experimenting.
The median annual wage for medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians isn't too shabby at $49,310 a year. You can work your way up the pay scale the more you learn and the more experience you get.
Also, the job growth for this job is 16 percent which is much faster than other jobs in any field. And with 328,200 jobs in the field, there are many opportunities to land a job.
Search Medical Lab Technologist / Medical Lab Technician Jobs
5. Dietician
Dietitians design nutrition programs to protect health, alleviate the symptoms of some types of diseases, and to prevent allergic reactions.
They are the experts in understanding the importance of nutrition as the foundation of good health.
It's one of the best healthcare jobs right now because many Americans are realizing how important a proper diet is to their health — also, with it being a new year, many people are jumping on the fitness bandwagon and you can always make good money by helping them meet their goals.
Clinical dietitians may specialize in many different areas and have a Bachelor’s degree and have completed supervised training through an internship.
This education pays though, because the average salary for a dietician is $56,950 per year and many can make more money by owning their own business and by creating specialty diets and working with high-end clients.
Currently, this job is growing faster than others at 16% and has about 66,700 jobs with more on the horizon as America becomes more conscious of health.
This job has a low-stress level and normal work hours. Most work 40 hours and have a variety of facilities to work at, or their own office.
For more information on what it takes to become a Dietitian, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Dietitian for you to review.
Search Dietitian Jobs
4. Radiologic Technologist
If you don't mind a little radiation exposure, becoming a Radiologic Technologist is one of the best jobs in healthcare due to the academic requirements, pay, and relative stress levels.
Radiologic Technologists perform diagnostic imaging procedures (Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), X-ray examinations and Computed Tomography (CT) scans) and administer radiation therapy treatments.
A great thing about this job is the advancement opportunities, as there are a number of specialties you can go into.
These specialties can bring more money, but could mean more schooling.
The work environment isn't bad either. The job allows for a pretty high level of autonomy, low stress, and regular work schedules.
Most Radiologic Technology positions are full-time at 40 hours a week.
Some positions may include evening, weekend or on-call assignments. They mainly work at hospitals, but can also be found at specialty clinics, urgent care facilities, and private practices.
Another great thing is entry into the field only takes an Associate Degree. Many start as radiologic technologists and go on to specialize in another area, which brings in more money.
The average salary of Radiologic Technologists is about $58,000 a year and some of the specialties can bring in six figures.
Currently there are 230,600 Radiologic Technologist positions in America and the field is growing by 9% which means an increase of 20,700 more hospital jobs over the next few years.
For more information on what it takes to become a Radiologic Technologist, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Radiologic Technologist for you to review.
Search Radiologic Technologist Jobs
3. Dental Hygienist
As far as best healthcare jobs go, becoming a Dental Hygenist is one of the best healthcare jobs you can do if you want to help people and make great money, but not spend all your time in college — or if you are changing career paths and need to balance work and school.
Dental Hygienists clean teeth, examine patients, provide preventive dental care, and help dentists in more complex procedures like implants and root canals.
They also educate their patients on the best ways to improve and maintain oral health.
This job is great because it pays on average $71,520 per year and only requires an Associate Degree.
Every job has it's struggles, but at least with this job you have a normal work schedule, have most of your weekends off (depending on your boss's schedule), work in a nice, clean, relaxed atmosphere, and don't have the normal stress of other healthcare jobs.
The growth rate of this job is 19% which is much faster than other jobs in the nation.
Right now there are 200,500 jobs out there with an increase in almost 40k over the next few years. So, if you put in the typical 3 years it takes to complete the program, you can almost guarantee that you will have a job when you get out.
2. Physical Therapist
Physical therapists (PTs) work closely with clients, patients and their families to promote, restore and maintain overall wellness and fitness.
This is a growing field as many Americans want a more active, satisfying lifestyle. The statistics show that Physical Therapist jobs are growing by 34%, which is killer and much faster than many jobs.
Physical Therapists are making more money as more people are becoming active and as others are getting injured.
They can work with high-end clients and sports teams, which can earn them great money.
Right now Physical Therapists make on average $82,390 per year and have a good number of jobs in the field; about 211,000 jobs according to the BLS.
You do need a Bachelor's degree and to graduate from a DPT program which can take up to 3 years in addition to your undergrad degree.
For a healthcare job, this is a relatively low stress one because in most cases they aren't dealing with life and death. They also work regular hours and normal schedules.
Sometimes they may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays, but not always.
If you want this job, you need to be fit because a Physical Therapy position can be physically demanding.
As a PT, you must frequently kneel, stoop, crouch, lift or stand for long periods of time.
Physical Therapists are also expected to move heavy equipment around and lift patients when needed. They also assist patients with turning, standing and walking.
For more information on what it takes to become a Physical Therapist, we have put together the most comprehensive guide on how to become a Physical Therapist.
1. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
APRNs made number one on our list of best healthcare jobs because they have great career opportunities, job growth, and have a good balance of time in school relative to salary.
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, also referred to as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.
These nurses have many functions; from administering anesthesia, midwifing, and providing primary care, these Nurses work on a high level and maintain quality care and rapport with their patients.
To be a APRN, you must get a Master of Science in Nursing, and usually get certified in a specialty area, but all that is worth it for the money they earn. APRNs typically earn $102,670 per year.
Not only are these the highest paid nurses, they get to operate with autonomy and prescribe medication. Many people are foregoing Medical School to become a APRN since it allows for a lot of the same privilege.
The job growth rate is great at 31% which is one of the highest on our list.
There are a ton of these positions opening up and many can have their own practices since they can work independent of physicians.
It's a great job if you want to focus on patient care, not stay in school for the rest of your life, and make great money.
For more information on what it takes to become an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner or an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, we have put together a comprehensive guide on how to become a Nurse Practitioner.
