5 In-Demand Healthcare Careers


Healthcare jobs, as a whole, have an expected job growth of 18.1% from 2016 to 2026. While this is less than the job growth of the previous decade, which was a strong 20.5%, it is still a far higher rate of growth than the rest of the economy, which is projected to rise only 6.1% percent. An anticipated 3.5 million healthcare workers will be needed to fill this demand by 2026.

Here are five of the positions within healthcare with the highest anticipated growth rates, meaning high demand, making them incredibly promising career options.

Home Health Aides

  • Percent Change, Projected 2016-2026: 47%
  • Median Annual Wage: $22,600
  • Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Experience Required: None
  • Additional Training: Short-term on-the-job training

Personal Care Aides

  • Percent Change, Projected 2016-2026: 39%
  • Median Annual Wage: $21,920
  • Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Experience Required: None
  • Additional Training: Short-term on-the-job training

Physician Assistants

  • Percent Change, Projected 2016-2026: 37%
  • Median Annual Wage: $101,480
  • Education Required: Master’s degree
  • Experience Required: None
  • Additional Training: None

Nurse Practitioners

  • Percent Change, Projected 2016-2026: 36%
  • Median Annual Wage: $100,910
  • Education Required: Master’s degree
  • Experience Required: None
  • Additional Training: None

Physical Therapist Assistants

  • Percent Change, Projected 2016-2026: 31%
  • Median Annual Wage: $56,610
  • Education Required: Associate’s degree
  • Experience Required: None
  • Additional Training: None

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.