Advanced practice registered nurses and home health and personal care aides lead the list of top healthcare careers in 2024, according to a study from digital healthcare platform Tebra.
The researchers compared 46 healthcare industry jobs by median pay, 10-year outlook and expected job growth, employment per 10,000 workers and web search volume, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau.
The study aims to help professionals, graduates and students make informed decisions regarding their place in the healthcare workforce, according to the company.
“Changing patient needs, government health initiatives, and recent technological advancements like medical artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the industry, introducing roles that were once unimagined,” said Jean Lee, managing editor at Tebra’s publication, The Intake.
According to the study, the need for APRNs is expected to increase by 38% by 2032. The company included roles such as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists in this category.
Among all healthcare occupations included in the study, ones in home care had the highest employment rate. That jibes with a recent report from Altarum that found that home health was the fastest-growing healthcare employment segment in 2023. The number of home health workers increased by approximately 100,000 during the year, or growth of approximately 6.4%, despite wage growth of only 2.4%
According to Tebra, home care’s employment rate “could be attributed to the relatively low barriers to entry into this profession, making it an accessible career option, and the demand for people to fill those roles to care for the aging baby boomer population.”
In spite of its high ranking for employment, home care slid into the No. 46 spot in median pay, with an average earnings of $30,180 per year.
“Aspiring healthcare professionals must evaluate not just a job’s income potential but also the educational and time investment it requires and its projected job growth. This can help them make informed decisions aligned with their personal and financial goals,” Lee said. “As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, so do its opportunities.”
