Top Health Care Careers

Health care careers are built on the sincere desire to help other people. Although many health care professionals started their careers with that impulse, they also enjoy some of the highest levels of job security and professional compensation in America.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States health care industry employed 13.5 million people in 2004, making it the largest business sector in the nation. About 40 percent of those employees work in hospitals, and most of the others work in the following:

• Private practices
• Nursing and residential care centers
• Laboratories
• Home health care practices.

Top Health Care Careers Open to a Variety of Educational Backgrounds

Educational requirements in the health care industry range from a high school diploma to years of medical school. More than fifty percent of the jobs in nursing homes and other residential health care facilities require no specialized training. Other health care careers, such as social workers and therapists, require at least a bachelor's degree.

Nursing Tops the List of In-Demand Health Care Professionals

A recent report from the American Health Care Association states that, on any given day, there are 100,000 job openings for nurses. Top graduates of nursing programs, from two-year associate degrees in nursing to four-year bachelor of science in nursing degrees, often receive several job offers with lucrative signing bonuses before they even finish school.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs for nurses will grow much faster than average over the next decade. Government salary surveys report that most registered nurses earn about $60,000 per year. Because of the severe shortage of nurses in the United States, many nurses also receive periodic bonuses.

Other Top Careers in Health Care

Demand for health care professionals, the difficulty of the work, and the level of required education results in good salaries for those who pursue health care careers, especially:

Physician assistants. Most physician's assistants complete two-year health care degree programs and receive state licensure. With pressure from insurance companies to lower costs, many medical practices rely on physician assistants to treat minor illnesses under the supervision of a doctor. Experts predict that jobs for physician assistants will grow by more than half over the next decade. Salary studies suggest that many physician assistants earn over $70,000 each year.

Home health aides. As the Baby Boomer population ages, analysts expect the growth in jobs for home health aides to increase by two-thirds. Home health aides help homebound patients manage housekeeping, administer medication, and perform routine health checks. Depending on experience, home health aides can earn $9 per hour, while enjoying flexible schedules. While not the most lucrative position in health care, jobs as home health aides offer valuable part-time work for parents that want to spend more time with their children.

Dental hygienists. Americans' positive dental habits allow more people to keep their natural teeth longer. Therefore, dentists' offices rely on dental hygienists to work with patients during routine visits. Job prospects for dental hygienists are excellent, as fewer dentists enter the field to replace a rapidly retiring generation. All states require licensing for dental hygienists, and schooling ranges from two to six years.

Top Health Care Salaries (Annual Averages)

Sources
AHCA
AMA
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Money Instructor