The healthcare industry is the nation’s largest employer, with surges in job growth as the demand for care and services swells. For 2019, healthcare also has some of the best jobs, according to U.S News, which ranked the top 100 best jobs for 2019.
Healthcare roles made a splash on the annual list thanks to high demand and, oftentimes, high salaries. Out of the 100 jobs listed, healthcare took 44 spots. Notably, some of the most in-demand jobs in healthcare on the list don’t require the same major schooling commitments as physicians and other specialties.
"Healthcare occupations continue to dominate the U.S. News 2019 Best Jobs rankings, with demand in the field highest for workers to fill roles such as nurse practitioner, physician assistant and physical therapist," Rebecca Koenig, careers reporter at U.S. News, said in the report. "That's good news for students and career changers, because it takes less school time and tuition money to prepare for those positions than it does to become a physician or surgeon."
Here are the five best healthcare jobs on the overall list as ranked by U.S. News:
- Physician assistant
- Dentist
- Orthodontist
- Nurse anesthetist
- Nurse practitioner
Healthcare also swept the top spots for the best-paying jobs, each with a $208,000 median salary:
- Anesthesiologist
- Surgeon
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
- Obstetrician and gynecologist
- Orthodontist
The report comes at a time when unemployment in the nation has reached historic lows, though it rose slightly in December to 3.9 percent. At the same time, 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. As the population ages, higher demand for several healthcare jobs will also continue to grow and provide more employment opportunities in the field.
U.S. News drew data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find jobs with the highest hiring demand, and scored jobs based on seven component measures, including 10-year growth volume and percentage, salary, employment rate, stress level and work-life balance, and future job prospects.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."