Americans are poised to live longer — with the most recent life expectancy sitting at 78.4 years — and people living longer brings a greater need for healthcare workers. The growing industry presents a timely opportunity for workers seeking ample openings and staying power.¹

In May, healthcare held the top spot in new job openings across the U.S., adding 62,000 — even higher than its 12-month average. Growth came in a range of workplaces, including hospitals, ambulatory health care services, and skilled nursing care facilities.²

Those currently in healthcare roles may have also seen a compensation bump: The space was responsible for around a third of the total payroll gains from the start of the year into April.³

Healthcare’s industry outlook

The demand for healthcare workers is high compared to other sectors of the economy: Several healthcare positions rank among America’s 20 fastest-growing occupations, some of which do not require a traditional bachelor’s degree:^4,5

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of April 18, 2025.

Nursing school enrollment, in particular, has not grown fast enough to keep up with the demand in open roles. While entry-level nursing baccalaureate programs saw a 0.3% registration jump in 2023, shortages of faculty, budgets, and classroom and clinical space led to thousands of applications being turned away.⁶

The gap has spurred some universities to offer tuition-free nursing education (with specific program criteria) around the country, such as in Illinois, Texas, and West Virginia.^7,8,9

In some cases, organizations are experimenting with new working models. A North Carolina school offers an “early college” program that prepares teens for healthcare jobs with work-based training along with traditional high-school curriculum.¹⁰ In Georgia, a healthcare apprenticeship program aims to solve staffing challenges by building a professional pipeline.¹¹

Read more: Investing in Yourself: How mentorship can recharge careers and finances

Healthcare companies are also getting creative to retain their current staff and promote professional growth. One Virginia healthcare system allows nurses working there to have a guaranteed spot in a part-time, online program where they can earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing while still working full-time.¹²

Despite some roles still requiring shift work, the healthcare industry has been integrating more flexible arrangements to fill critical needs. Travel nurses take short-term assignments in domestic or international locations, combining an in-demand skillset with a desire to explore new places.¹³ The spread of telehealth has shifted psychologists to offer more hybrid and remote setups for their patients, and they’re likely to continue offering the options.¹⁴

Healthcare includes non-clinical roles

Jobs that don’t involve direct patient care or years of medical education are another hands-on way to get into the healthcare industry.

Those with administrative backgrounds could take on the tasks of a medical secretary, including preparing billing processes and managing schedules.¹⁵

Workers who enjoy making connections can find a sense of purpose as a patient advocate. These roles assist patients and their loved ones in managing provider referrals, navigating medical insurance, and tracking visits and forms. Openings for patient advocates can be at hospitals, private practices, or other care facilities like nursing homes.¹⁶

Read more: Healthcare now, savings later

The amount of U.S. content creators hit 1.5 million in 2024, and tech-savvy talent could see their skills align with healthcare companies aiming to connect with patients. Case in point: To get health-related content, Gen Z engages with social media almost as frequently as a healthcare provider.¹⁷

AI’s impact on healthcare

As artificial intelligence transforms industries across the U.S. economy — with some seeing staffing shifts and streamlining — healthcare occupations are still expected to grow.¹⁸

Current physicians see an upside for AI on behind-the-scenes work. More than half (54%) say it could help with documentation, such as in medical charts or visit notes. Over two in five (43%) think AI could create discharge instructions and notes around a patient’s progress.¹⁹

Healthcare involves some tasks that AI hasn’t been able to get a hand in yet. A job like sterilizing surgical instruments involves classes to learn specific skills, though no formal degree is required. Entry-level openings can bring around $50,000 and $70,000 in annual salary.²⁰

Growing within healthcare

Paying to stay healthy is an essential line item in Americans’ budgets, and in May, people spent an average of $376 on healthcare, according to Empower Personal Dashboard^TM data.

Empower research found that 35% of people think success comes in the form of their physical well-being. Working in the healthcare world could bring together a sense of professional purpose while filling a need that’s essential to the economy.