What Can You Do with a Healthcare Degree?
Healthcare is a booming industry, and skilled health professionals are always in high demand. If you are a compassionate person looking to make a difference in a fast-paced career, then earning a degree in healthcare can be an excellent way to reach your career goals.
List of the Top 40 Healthcare Careers & Salaries
There are many paths within the healthcare field when it comes to career choices. To give you an idea of the different occupations you can pursue after you have earned your degree, we have put together a top 40 list with each job’s median salary!
| Job Title | Job Summary |
Median Salary |
| Medical Officer | Serves as an advisory to a healthcare facility and is responsible for medical support, case reviews, and medical reviews of clinical study reports. |
$161,000 |
| Dentist | Medical professionals that specialize in the health and treatment of the teeth and mouth. |
$123,942 |
| Pharmacist | Responsible for collaborating with medical doctors, dispensing medication, and educating clients on proper usage. |
$108,267 |
| Optometrist | Examines the eyes of patients and conducts diagnostic tests to treat eyesight problems. |
$97,667 |
| Product Manager, Healthcare | Maintains and manages healthcare products from the launch of the product through its retirement. |
$87,265 |
| Program Director, Healthcare | Department manager of a healthcare institution who supervises the hospital’s operations. |
$76,330 |
| Healthcare Consultant | Handles responsibilities that include conducting research, writing reports, and designing systems and procedures within the healthcare setting. |
$73,112 |
| Radiation Therapist | Assists an oncologist by providing cancer patients with radiation therapy treatments. |
$66,454 |
| Healthcare Administrator | Upper management position that is responsible for leading the nursing staff within a medical institution. |
$64,758 |
| Audiologist | Performs hearing tests on clients in order to assess and diagnose hearing problems. |
$64,348 |
| Occupational Therapist | Helps clients gain better functioning of their bodies so they are more capable of performing daily tasks. |
$63,314 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Manages and oversees the operation of the specific healthcare organization by which they’re employed. |
$62,303 |
| Genetic Counselor | Diagnoses, counsels, and analyzes patients that exhibit symptoms of a genetic disorder. |
$62,157 |
| MDS Coordinator | Maintains patient medical records, collects MDS data, and ensures implementation of federal and organizational regulations. |
$61,497 |
| Vascular Technologist | Responsible for taking images of the vascular system through ultrasound and x-ray equipment. |
$59,895 |
| Chiropractor | Rehabilitates and treats patients suffering from spine disorders due to injuries, aging, or health conditions. |
$58,739 |
| Cardiovascular Technologist | Provides support and help to a specialized doctor in the diagnosis of individuals with heart problems. |
$54,037 |
| Dental Hygienist | Responsible for performing specific patient care during an office visit, including cleanings, sealants, and patient education. |
$51,916 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Conducts medical diagnostics through the use of sonographs on various areas of the body. |
$51,521 |
| Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Responsible for analyzing and testing a variety of human bodily fluids for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. |
$50,903 |
| Public Health Specialist | Responsible for a variety of tasks in the public health sector, including public outreach and education. |
$49,212 |
| Business Office Manager, Healthcare | Mid-level management position that oversees employees at their particular healthcare office. |
$48,746 |
| Registered Dietitian | Experts in food and nutrition that assists clients with developing nutritional plans that cater to their specific needs. |
$46,758 |
| Paramedic | Essential part of an emergency response team that responds to 911 calls and provides immediate treatment and transport to the hospital. |
$43,766 |
| Nutritionist | Works with patients individually to help them select appropriate dietary options to achieve optimal health. |
$42,135 |
| Exercise Physiologist | Works with patients to restore health or basic functioning through individualized exercise programs. |
$41,049 |
| Athletic Trainer | Professional in sports medicine that specializes in working directly with athletes. |
$39,347 |
| Senior Healthcare Assistant | Provides basic care services to patients and their families within a medical facility. |
$39,035 |
| Medical Records/Health Information Technician | Responsible for both office record administration and IT related tasks within a medical office, clinic, or hospital environment. |
$34,710 |
| Licensed Massage Therapist | Uses massage and other therapy methods to help patients with pain relief or relaxation. |
$34,360 |
| Emergency Room Technician | Works alongside ER doctors and nursing staff as a first-line caregiver in the hospital setting. |
$32,112 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Assists a pharmacist with the preparation and dispensing of medication. |
$31,266 |
| Dental Assistant | Performs hands-on work with dental patients in order to assist the dentist with procedures. |
$31,140 |
| Healthcare Assistant | Responsible for many tasks related to the basic daily care of the patients to which they are assigned. |
$30,709 |
| Phlebotomist | Collects blood, urine, and other samples to prepare for medical analysis. |
$30,411 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | Transfers codes from doctor’s notes to include treatments or diagnoses in a document or database. |
$30,182 |
| Medical Assistant | Works in a variety of medical settings to interview patients prior to their appointment and accurately records medical information. |
$30,135 |
| Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) | Works in an ambulance and responds to emergency situations in order to administer care to patients in the pre-hospital setting. |
$29,930 |
| Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) | Provides care to patients in nursing homes or hospital settings under the supervision of a registered nurse. |
$24,097 |
| Home Health Aide | Cares for patients with chronic illness or disability within their own home. |
$22,176 |
*Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Payscale.com
What can you do with a Healthcare Degree?
From the information above, you can see that the medical field is extremely broad! From administration to research and direct patient care, job opportunities run the gamut in this rewarding field. When deciding to pursue a degree in healthcare, it is important to have a good handle on your long-term career goals so you can choose a degree program that will adequately prepare you for your future line of work.
In general, healthcare careers pay above the national median salary across all occupations – as you can see from the table above. While certificate and associate degrees pay substantially less than high-level graduate degrees, you may make more or less than the numbers listed above based upon your skills and experience.
What is a Healthcare Degree?
A degree in healthcare can prepare you for handling administration work and caring directly for patients in a medical setting. Your exact course selection during your educational journey will vary based upon the specific degree program that you choose. For example, degrees in healthcare administration will focus heavily on computer and literacy skills while the path to becoming a paramedic will be largely skills training.
While some students apply for entry level jobs straight out of an associate’s or bachelor’s program, there are many advanced educational paths within healthcare that can lead to well-paying, high-level careers.
Although online healthcare degree programs vary significantly to focus on the needed skills for your future career, there are some commonalities between them. Across the various concentrations, you may come across these common course themes in your studies:
- Global Health Concerns
- Medical Laws, Policies, and Ethics
- Healthcare Theories and Strategic Planning
- Leadership and Management
- Healthcare Organization Informatics
Many healthcare degrees require at least some level of on-site learning to master the skills needed for the workplace. However, there are several reputable colleges that offer online health care degree programs for certain concentrations to provide you with the flexibility you need to juggle work, school, and family obligations!
Healthcare Career Outlook
The continuous development of specialized medical advances along with an aging population makes the outlook for many healthcare careers very positive! Since a healthcare degree covers an expansive range of career opportunities, it is useful to look at resources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to see the projected growth in your chosen career path.
The BLS predicts that between 2014 and 2024, careers in healthcare administration will grow 17%, which is significantly higher than the national average across all occupations. Additionally, the career paths of paramedics and pharmacy technicians are projected to grow 24% and 9% respectively.
With the potential to earn above average salaries and continual expansion in the job market, pursuing a degree in healthcare is an excellent choice for a challenging and rewarding career path!
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