5 Careers in Healthcare That Are Seeing Explosive Growth in 2022 and Beyond
The medical industry is one of the fastest-growing fields that are currently tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, with over 14.3 million current employees and a further 3.2 million new jobs being created in the next few years. Alongside a lucrative field, with over $200 billion in revenue being generated by this field in 2020, it is also one that makes a positive change, helping to save lives.
Considering the aging population of the USA caused by the Baby Boomer generation, there are currently more elderly people than ever living in the States. Due to this, the demand for healthcare workers has increased in order to meet the needed capacity.
Healthcare is an industry that is definitely not going anywhere anytime soon with people in need of help and a system that’s there to provide the best care possible.Due to that, there are many healthcare careers that are currently growing in their demand.
Within this article, we’ll be discussing the five careers that are currently seeing high rates of growth. In no particular order, we’ll be covering:
- Physician Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Nurse Practitioner
- Hospital Administrator
- Survey Statistician
Let’s get right into it.
Physician Assistant
A physician assistant, also commonly known as a PA, is a medical professional that helps with treatment plans, diagnosis, and the prescription of medicines to patients. Their jobs can involve taking medical histories from patients, conducting physical exams that need doing, then interpreting tests and acting upon them.
Being a physician’s assistant is a more general form of medicine than a nurse practitioner, with PAs being educated in a broad range of medicine and with the intention of then practicing that medicine. With their advanced skill set, they can also expect a good wage of $115,390 a year.
A PA is likely to need a master’s degree in a related field to medicine. Additionally, PAs must then work for more than 3,000 hours with patients. This could be as a medical assistant, athletic trainer, paramedic, or some other field that involves patient contact.
This career path is very much in demand, with current job growth projections between 2020-2030 being at 31%. This number represents around 12,200 new openings for this position every single year.
Key Takeaways:
- 31% job demand growth from 2020-2030
- $115,390 average yearly salary
- Main tasks include diagnosing and conducting exams on patients
Occupational Therapy Assistants
An occupational therapy assistant, also known by the acronym OTAs, works with occupational therapists in order to help individuals overcome challenges they face when performing physical actions. These challenges could have been caused by an injury, disability, or illness that has impacted the general health of a patient.
The average pay for an occupational therapy assistant is currently around $60,950 per year. However, the entry-level to go into this career path is fairly low, only needing an associate’s degree from a program that focuses on occupational therapy.
This is a career path that is seeing a huge boom in uptake. From 2020-2030, it’s expected that the job demand will increase by 34%. This is significantly higher than the average and puts it near the top of the list for fastest growing healthcare roles. This increase represents an additional 8,800 new roles opening in the States every year.
Key Takeaways:
- 34% job demand growth from 2020-2030
- $60,950 per year salary
- Main tasks include physical rehabilitation exercises and helping occupational therapists create and execute their treatment plans
Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner has much of the same responsibilities as a doctor, ordering diagnostic tests, diagnosing diseases, intubating patients, putting casts on injuries, and more. Typically, nurse practitioners also then specialize in a specific area like pediatrics, gerontology, orthopedics, etc., in order to further advance their skills.
This field is the runaway star of the list, with an incredible 45% growth outlook between 2020-2030. This is much faster than the average growth rate across all industries, demonstrating the extent to which nurse practitioners are now being sought out in the masses.
When someone becomes a nurse practitioner, they can expect to make around $114,510 per year. This high salary can be pushed even further if they decide to specialize in an additional area of medicine, helping them to create an even more valuable skill set.
This pathway is one that does require a lot of education, with a nurse practitioner having to go through the whole process of becoming a nurse before then taking a Masters of Science in Nursing degree.
Key Takeaways:
- 45% job demand increase from 2020-2030
- $114,510 average salary per year
- Main tasks include the treatment and diagnosing of medical patients
Hospital Administrator
A hospital administrator is the backbone of a hospital, helping ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible. While ensuring that the hospital is run in a cost-effective way, these positions can also focus on making sure the hospital has everything it needs to run well.
Typical tasks for a hospital administrator include ordering equipment for the hospital, ensuring that it is stocked up, making sure there are enough staff members, and creating and designing rotas for other healthcare workers. Within this role, a staff member can expect to earn around $112,870 per year.
Considering the large baby boomer population that is now approaching older years, healthcare, in general, is always an expanding industry. This position is no different, with a predicted increase of 32% occurring between 2020-2030.
Most commonly, someone that’s going to enter into the field of hospital administration needs to have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. Alternatively, students may be able to study a healthcare management program and then shift into the industry. If you enjoy managing and want to be within the medical setting, this is a great career opportunity for you.
Key Takeaways:
- 32% job demand increase between 2020-2030
- $112,870 average salary per year
- Main tasks include the day to day running of hospitals
Survey Statistician
A frequently overlooked career in the healthcare industry is the role of survey statistician. Although there are survey statisticians in a range of fields, cropping up everywhere from finance to technology, one that’s working within the medical field can focus on topics like health habits, nutrition, diet, exercise, and more.
The main role of a survey statistician is to create detailed surveys around key topics, with the aim being to generate insights that can then be used to make advancements in the medical field. Most commonly, they’ll work as a team, creating surveys, issuing them, and then creating reports on their findings.
This final step, presenting reports, is arguably the most important part of their role, needing expert writing and presenting skills. As healthcare research continues to grow, this job is becoming more important than ever. This is reflected in the increased demand, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting an increase of 33% in demand for this role.
Additionally, those that follow this pathway can expect to earn a good amount of money, with the acreage clocking in at $79,440 a year. A survey statistician is likely to need a bachelor’s degree in a field related to mathematics.
Key Takeaways:
- 33% job increase between 2020-2030
- $79,440 average salary a year
- Main tasks include writing, conducting, and reporting on healthcare-related surveys
Final Thoughts
All of the careers on this list are experiencing incredible growth, with projections ranging between 32% and 45% between 2020-2030. This boom in healthcare jobs being created is a reflection of the society we live in, with an aging population placing more strain than ever on the industry.
Additionally, global events like the pandemic have seen pressure on this industry skyrocket, ensuring that the employability of anyone with the required qualifications in this field is fairly certain to always be able to find a job.
If you’re looking to start a career in a stable field, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one more accessible and with better foundations than healthcare.
5 Careers in Healthcare That Are Seeing Explosive Growth in 2022 and Beyond
The medical industry is one of the fastest-growing fields that are currently tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, with over 14.3 million current employees and a further 3.2 million new jobs being created in the next few years. Alongside a lucrative field, with over $200 billion in revenue being generated by this field in 2020, it is also one that makes a positive change, helping to save lives.
Considering the aging population of the USA caused by the Baby Boomer generation, there are currently more elderly people than ever living in the States. Due to this, the demand for healthcare workers has increased in order to meet the needed capacity.
Healthcare is an industry that is definitely not going anywhere anytime soon with people in need of help and a system that’s there to provide the best care possible.Due to that, there are many healthcare careers that are currently growing in their demand.
Within this article, we’ll be discussing the five careers that are currently seeing high rates of growth. In no particular order, we’ll be covering:
- Physician Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Nurse Practitioner
- Hospital Administrator
- Survey Statistician
Let’s get right into it.
Physician Assistant
A physician assistant, also commonly known as a PA, is a medical professional that helps with treatment plans, diagnosis, and the prescription of medicines to patients. Their jobs can involve taking medical histories from patients, conducting physical exams that need doing, then interpreting tests and acting upon them.
Being a physician’s assistant is a more general form of medicine than a nurse practitioner, with PAs being educated in a broad range of medicine and with the intention of then practicing that medicine. With their advanced skill set, they can also expect a good wage of $115,390 a year.
A PA is likely to need a master’s degree in a related field to medicine. Additionally, PAs must then work for more than 3,000 hours with patients. This could be as a medical assistant, athletic trainer, paramedic, or some other field that involves patient contact.
This career path is very much in demand, with current job growth projections between 2020-2030 being at 31%. This number represents around 12,200 new openings for this position every single year.
Key Takeaways:
- 31% job demand growth from 2020-2030
- $115,390 average yearly salary
- Main tasks include diagnosing and conducting exams on patients
Occupational Therapy Assistants
An occupational therapy assistant, also known by the acronym OTAs, works with occupational therapists in order to help individuals overcome challenges they face when performing physical actions. These challenges could have been caused by an injury, disability, or illness that has impacted the general health of a patient.
The average pay for an occupational therapy assistant is currently around $60,950 per year. However, the entry-level to go into this career path is fairly low, only needing an associate’s degree from a program that focuses on occupational therapy.
This is a career path that is seeing a huge boom in uptake. From 2020-2030, it’s expected that the job demand will increase by 34%. This is significantly higher than the average and puts it near the top of the list for fastest growing healthcare roles. This increase represents an additional 8,800 new roles opening in the States every year.
Key Takeaways:
- 34% job demand growth from 2020-2030
- $60,950 per year salary
- Main tasks include physical rehabilitation exercises and helping occupational therapists create and execute their treatment plans
Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner has much of the same responsibilities as a doctor, ordering diagnostic tests, diagnosing diseases, intubating patients, putting casts on injuries, and more. Typically, nurse practitioners also then specialize in a specific area like pediatrics, gerontology, orthopedics, etc., in order to further advance their skills.
This field is the runaway star of the list, with an incredible 45% growth outlook between 2020-2030. This is much faster than the average growth rate across all industries, demonstrating the extent to which nurse practitioners are now being sought out in the masses.
When someone becomes a nurse practitioner, they can expect to make around $114,510 per year. This high salary can be pushed even further if they decide to specialize in an additional area of medicine, helping them to create an even more valuable skill set.
This pathway is one that does require a lot of education, with a nurse practitioner having to go through the whole process of becoming a nurse before then taking a Masters of Science in Nursing degree.
Key Takeaways:
- 45% job demand increase from 2020-2030
- $114,510 average salary per year
- Main tasks include the treatment and diagnosing of medical patients
Hospital Administrator
A hospital administrator is the backbone of a hospital, helping ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible. While ensuring that the hospital is run in a cost-effective way, these positions can also focus on making sure the hospital has everything it needs to run well.
Typical tasks for a hospital administrator include ordering equipment for the hospital, ensuring that it is stocked up, making sure there are enough staff members, and creating and designing rotas for other healthcare workers. Within this role, a staff member can expect to earn around $112,870 per year.
Considering the large baby boomer population that is now approaching older years, healthcare, in general, is always an expanding industry. This position is no different, with a predicted increase of 32% occurring between 2020-2030.
Most commonly, someone that’s going to enter into the field of hospital administration needs to have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. Alternatively, students may be able to study a healthcare management program and then shift into the industry. If you enjoy managing and want to be within the medical setting, this is a great career opportunity for you.
Key Takeaways:
- 32% job demand increase between 2020-2030
- $112,870 average salary per year
- Main tasks include the day to day running of hospitals
Survey Statistician
A frequently overlooked career in the healthcare industry is the role of survey statistician. Although there are survey statisticians in a range of fields, cropping up everywhere from finance to technology, one that’s working within the medical field can focus on topics like health habits, nutrition, diet, exercise, and more.
The main role of a survey statistician is to create detailed surveys around key topics, with the aim being to generate insights that can then be used to make advancements in the medical field. Most commonly, they’ll work as a team, creating surveys, issuing them, and then creating reports on their findings.
This final step, presenting reports, is arguably the most important part of their role, needing expert writing and presenting skills. As healthcare research continues to grow, this job is becoming more important than ever. This is reflected in the increased demand, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting an increase of 33% in demand for this role.
Additionally, those that follow this pathway can expect to earn a good amount of money, with the acreage clocking in at $79,440 a year. A survey statistician is likely to need a bachelor’s degree in a field related to mathematics.
Key Takeaways:
- 33% job increase between 2020-2030
- $79,440 average salary a year
- Main tasks include writing, conducting, and reporting on healthcare-related surveys
Final Thoughts
All of the careers on this list are experiencing incredible growth, with projections ranging between 32% and 45% between 2020-2030. This boom in healthcare jobs being created is a reflection of the society we live in, with an aging population placing more strain than ever on the industry.
Additionally, global events like the pandemic have seen pressure on this industry skyrocket, ensuring that the employability of anyone with the required qualifications in this field is fairly certain to always be able to find a job.
If you’re looking to start a career in a stable field, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one more accessible and with better foundations than healthcare.