Top 10 Healthcare Careers in 2024

The healthcare industry is expanding faster than healthcare facilities can fill job positions. A recent Indeed search for the term “healthcare” yielded 6,278 job listings for the Atlanta area.

If you’re considering a career in healthcare, you may be wondering which healthcare jobs make the best healthcare careers. And maybe which healthcare careers are in highest demand right now.

Read on as we cover why healthcare is experiencing unprecedented job growth and review 10 healthcare careers in demand for 2024.

Since the pandemic, growth in all job sectors has slowed, yet the number of people employed in healthcare in 2023 grew by 3.9 percent compared to a 1.5 percent growth for the rest of the job market. According to Becker's Hospital Review, 2023 had the highest healthcare job growth rate since 1991. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in January of 2024, the number of people employed in healthcare grew by 70,000, compared to an average of 58,000 additional jobs per month in 2023.

This growth makes careers in healthcare appealing to many people and is why healthcare careers consistently make best jobs lists, like U.S. News and World Report’s Best Jobs list of 2024.

Why is healthcare a high-demand industry?

Here are a few reasons that careers in healthcare continue to be in high demand:

• People will always need healthcare.
• People are living longer and need more healthcare services in their twilight years.
• The shortage of healthcare providers that existed before the pandemic has not improved.
• Some healthcare workers left the industry during or after the pandemic due to burnout, leaving those positions open.
• Automation and artificial intelligence are impacting jobs in some industries. Employees impacted by the shift to automation can move into healthcare support jobs with minimal training. 

The bottom line: The U.S. needs healthcare workers.

If you want to know about careers in healthcare that are in high demand, check out 10 of the best healthcare careers of 2024 below.

Nursing Professions

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses are multi-talented ninjas who provide complex medical care for patients. Registered nurses work in many settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and the community.

It is not necessary to enroll in a four-year degree program to become a registered nurse. Some nurses begin their careers as licensed practical nurses (LPN) or licensed vocational nurses (LVN).

LPNs can enroll in an LPN to RN program to earn an associate degree that qualifies them to take the national registered nurse exam, the NCLEX-RN.

After obtaining an associate degree and passing the national registered nursing licensing examination, the NCLEX-RN, the registered nurse can continue their education through an RN to the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program, making them more marketable to employers and eligible for higher level positions and higher pay.

The BLS expects registered nurse jobs to grow 6 percent between 2022 and 2032.

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are at the top of the best healthcare careers list.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are ranked by U.S. News as the #1 Best Job of 2024. Jobs for nurse practitioners are expected to increase by a whopping 45 percent between 2022 and 2032.

Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat patients alongside other providers. NPs may even be able to open a practice, depending on the regulations in the state in which they plan to work.

Want to join the ranks of nurse practitioners changing the world of healthcare? No matter what path you choose to follow to obtain a BSN, you’ll have the foundational training to pursue your dream of becoming a nurse practitioner.

Allied Health Professions

Physical Therapist

Many people see a physical therapist when they are injured or have a musculoskeletal problem that prevents them from doing the activities they would like to do. You may know that physical therapists work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and patients’ homes.  

What you may not know is that physical therapists are doctors. Physical therapists hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy, are licensed, and can open a practice. 

Physical therapy is a rewarding profession for someone who wants to help people, likes to be active during their workday, and doesn’t mind doing the occasional dressing change.

 The job outlook is great for the aspiring physical therapist, with an expected employment growth rate of 15 percent from 2022 - 2032. 

Respiratory Therapist

Want to work directly with patients and see prompt results from the treatments you provide?

Respiratory therapists help people with breathing problems to breathe easier. The treatments the therapist gives patients often result in an immediate improvement in a patient’s condition.

Completing a two-year respiratory care program can get you on your way to becoming an in-demand respiratory therapist. Job prospects for respiratory therapists are very good, with a 13 percent job growth rate predicted from 2022 to 2032.

Radiation Therapist

If you have a heart for supporting patients through health challenges and are detail-oriented, we invite you to explore the world of radiation therapy.

During a radiation therapy training program, you will learn to administer targeted radiation therapy while protecting the patient and yourself from unnecessary exposures. You will also develop the soft skills needed to support patients as they receive treatment.

Typically, students complete a two-year degree or four-year degree that qualifies them to sit for the Registered Technologist in Radiation Therapy exam.

Through 2032, the BLS expects radiation therapist jobs to increase at a rate equal to the average for all occupations.

Healthcare Support Jobs

Clinical Laboratory Technician

Clinical lab technicians run tests on patient samples in a laboratory. If you are not squeamish about blood and body fluids, but prefer not to work directly with patients, this might be a good career path to explore.

Clinical laboratory technicians need at least a two-year associate degree.

If you want more responsibility and the ability to perform specialized lab tests, consider becoming a clinical laboratory technologist. A clinical laboratory technologist has obtained a bachelor’s degree in medical technology or a related field.

The BLS anticipates clinical laboratory technologist and technician jobs to increase by 5 percent through 2032.

Medical Assistant

Do you want to be a part of one of the best healthcare careers of 2024? Can you see yourself interacting with patients daily and helping with administrative tasks? 

Become a medical assistant and apply your innate compassion and attention to detail to help people who are sick or injured.

Medical assistant jobs typically require a medical assistant program certificate or a two-year degree. These programs typically take one to two years to complete.

Experts expect medical assistants to have ample job opportunities through 2032, with a predicted job growth rate of 14 percent.

Radiologic Technologist

A radiologic technologist operates imaging technology, such as X-ray machines and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. Radiologic technologists gather patient images and information that help providers accurately diagnose medical problems.

You can start working as a radiologic technologist with a two-year associate’s degree. And you have plenty of time to take advantage of the 6 percent predicted job growth rate through 2032.

Phlebotomist

Almost everyone has encountered a phlebotomist. A phlebotomist is the person who draws your blood when you have a physical exam or give blood.

However, phlebotomy isn’t just about drawing blood. Many people have a fear of needles or the patient may be a child or infant.

Phlebotomists need to have good interpersonal communication skills and knowledge of distraction techniques.

If this sounds like you, and you don’t mind the sight of blood, consider a career in the fast-growing field of phlebotomy.

Completing a phlebotomy certification program can get you started, and you can seek further certifications through national phlebotomist organizations.

As a phlebotomist, you’ll join the growing ranks of your peers experiencing an expected job growth rate of 8 percent through 2032.

Medical and Health Services Manager

A career in healthcare does not always involve patient care, blood, and needles. While not directly involved in the day-to-day care of patients, medical and health services managers serve as directors of a healthcare system or facility and rank high on the list of best healthcare careers.

If you want to learn about how healthcare systems work, love numbers and budgets, have good communication and organization skills, and thrive on change, you may be a good fit for a medical and health services management position.

To get started as a health services manager, you’ll typically need a four-year college degree in business, health administration, or even nursing.

Medical and health services manager ranked #6 in the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Jobs of 2024 report. This career path has a projected job growth rate of 28% through 2032.

It can be hard to decide on the best healthcare career path when there’s so many opportunities available.

Labouré College of Healthcare offers flexible programs for many healthcare careers in demand, including nursing, respiratory care, radiation therapy, healthcare administration, phlebotomy, and health science.

To help you narrow down your choices, take Labouré’s short online quiz. Answering just a few questions may help you determine which healthcare pathway may be a good fit for you.

Speak with a Labouré admissions counselor today to learn more about your healthcare career options.