4 Ways To Make Money in Healthcare That Are Worth Pursuing

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If you’re looking for a new career, the healthcare field can be a great choice for stability, abundant job opportunities and a high salary potential. Healthcare jobs can also be fulfilling and diverse, and many options don’t require getting a doctorate. 

U.S. News & World Report published its 2024 Best Healthcare Jobs list, which considers factors such as pay, job growth and employment levels. Here are the top four healthcare jobs worth pursuing along with current salary and job growth information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1. Nurse Practitioner

• Average salary (2022): $124,680
• Expected job growth (2022-2032): 45%
• Jobs added (2022-2023): 118,600

Requiring a master’s degree and certification, a nurse practitioner career offers the fastest job growth in the healthcare field and a six-figure average salary. This role is great for specializing in certain types of patients, such as children or the elderly. It also provides opportunities to work in various facilities, including hospitals, urgent care centers and doctors’ offices.

Depending on state laws, you could complete various care tasks, including doing tests and exams, giving medications, diagnosing conditions and providing patient education. Working with physicians can also be part of the job.

2. Physician Assistant

• Average salary (2022): $125,270
• Expected job growth (2022-2032): 27%
• Jobs added (2022-2023): 39,300

Physician assistants earn the most out of the healthcare jobs on this list. This role can be a good alternative to becoming a physician if you prefer certification and a master’s degree over many years of medical school and residencies. It’s especially suited to those with prior healthcare experience. 

A physician would oversee your work as a physician assistant. While the care tasks can be similar to a nurse practitioner’s, this role involves more responsibility since you might write prescriptions and help with surgeries. State laws and your specialization can affect your duties.

3. Speech-Language Pathologist

• Average salary (2022): $89,460
• Expected job growth (2022-2032): 19%
• Jobs added (2022-2023): 33,100

A speech-language pathologist career can be a fulfilling option if you want to help your patients overcome issues with swallowing and talking. It’s also known for its very high employment growth and average salary near $90,000. This job requires a master’s degree and often certification, with several specializations available. 

Working at an educational institution or therapist’s office is common. This is a team-based role that involves evaluating your clients, making treatment plans and monitoring their progress. You’ll often work with children and their families.

4. Occupational Therapist

• Average salary (2022): $92,800
• Expected job growth (2022-2032): 12%
• Jobs added (2022-2023): 16,100

As an occupational therapist, you would help clients improve their ability to work or complete daily living tasks. Work settings are diverse since you might work in clients’ homes as well as in schools and healthcare settings. A master’s degree and certification are needed, and you can specialize in an area such as physical rehab or assistive technology.

Your main tasks would be to evaluate your clients, make custom treatment plans, suggest assistive equipment and show clients how to do exercises. You would also give advice about making the client’s environment more suitable for their needs and keep an eye on their progress.

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