While some workers worry that AI threatens the job security of their professions, in health care, where worker demand is still growing, artificial intelligence may augment the administrative burden of an understaffed, overworked, and stressed workforce.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the sector will grow much faster than the overall employment average, adding about 1.9 million jobs yearly from 2023 to 2033.
The huge demand for health care in the United States derives from the country's fastest-aging population in recent history. Fewer people are willing or able to work in the industry after hundreds of thousands left because of COVID-19 pandemic-related burnout. And President Donald Trump's campaign promise to take a broad-scale effort to target undocumented immigrants could severely impact the workforce; over 16% of health care workers are immigrants, according to the Census Bureau's 2021 American Community Survey.
QMedic examined data from the Department of Labor to determine which high-paying occupations within the health care sector are projected to boom in the next decade. While the list represents the five jobs with the highest projected growth in employment, positions were ranked by their median wage in 2023. To be included, the median wage had to be above the national median of $48,060.
Burnout, strikes, and the push for better wages
Only 52% of health care employees believe they're paid fairly, according to a 2023 Qualtrics report, the lowest mark of any industry. As of May 2023, the median annual wage was $80,820 for health care practitioners such as technicians, registered nurses, and surgeons, according to the BLS.
The effects of the pandemic still ripple on: The public health emergency caused high rates of burnout across industry roles—almost 50% on average—along with substantial and long-lasting turnover rates. One-third of medical practices in a 2021 poll said at least one physician had retired early or left because of burnout. At the same time, retirees and older people are largely fueling the demand for health care workers to care for the rapidly aging population.
Dissatisfaction in the industry has continued since numerous major strikes in 2021 over issues such as low pay and unsafe working conditions due to widespread shortages of personal protective equipment during the pandemic. A number of nurse union strikes in New York City led to higher wages and better working conditions until tensions boiled over in summer 2024. The NewYork-Presbyterian system took a dispute with the union over the dismissal of a nurse and union organizer to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. Still, nurses fear losing their jobs.
However, the confluence of these variables may help push wages higher across the industry.
David Mafe, chief diversity officer and vice president of human resources at UCHealth in the Denver area, told CNN the industry is still strained and finding skilled workers is a challenge. "We've had to be more aggressive with salaries over the last year and a half than before," he said. "We're constantly looking at our benefits and ensuring that the things we offer to our staff are actually relevant to them and relevant to their families."
Read on to see what the best-paying jobs will look like over the next 10 years.
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#5. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Current employment levels: 39,100
- Projected growth, 2023-33: +16.3%
- Median wage in 2023: $62,990
Health information technologists and medical registrars work together to analyze vast amounts of clinical data and offer insights. They also advise organizations on how to store and retrieve electronic health record system data. The level of education needed for entry into these roles can vary from a certificate to a postgraduate degree. As the volume of electronic health information grows, more people are needed to fill the positions.
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#4. Speech-language pathologists
- Current employment levels: 180,800
- Projected growth, 2023-33: +18.4%
- Median wage in 2023: $89,290
Speech-language pathologists will be increasingly needed to research, assess, and treat people with communication disorders and swallowing problems. These professionals are in demand particularly to care for the generation of baby boomers at risk of strokes or dementia that may impair their speech and language skills. Speech-language pathologists hold master's degrees or higher levels of education along with state licenses.
They may specialize in working with certain demographics or conditions, including children with autism. Part of their role can include educating patients on how to understand language or communicate using alternative systems; they also evaluate the progress of patients and adapt their treatment plans accordingly.
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#3. Veterinarians
- Current employment levels: 88,200
- Projected growth, 2023-33: +19.1%
- Median wage in 2023: $119,100
Americans are devoted to their pets and are spending more money on them, with expanding treatment options comparable to those for humans. Their veterinarians work in diverse settings, from zoos to hospitals, and are highly paid for good reason: They treat injured and ill animals with increasingly complex procedures, including kidney transplantation and cancer treatments.
Veterinarians must hold a doctor of veterinary medicine degree—which generally takes four years to complete after undergraduate study—and a state license. Over the next decade, an average of 4,300 openings will become available each year to backfill for people who leave the profession.
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#2. Nurse practitioners
- Current employment levels: 292,500
- Projected growth, 2023-33: +46.3%
- Median wage in 2023: $126,260
Nurse practitioners provide advanced nursing services and can operate independently from physicians. People in these roles work in primary or specialty care and generally focus on certain populations, such as people who are older or those with mental illnesses. The need for nurse practitioners is growing exponentially and is also reflective of a push toward preventive care in medicine.
Nurse practitioners must earn a master's degree and be licensed and certified.
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#1. Physician assistants
- Current employment levels: 153,400
- Projected growth, 2023-33: +28.5%
- Median wage in 2023: $130,020
Physician assistants have the best-paying jobs in health care with the second-highest growth outlook. This career track will provide an estimated 12,900 openings each year over the next decade to backfill for professionals who are retiring or pursuing other occupations. Similar to a physician, a physician assistant in primary care examines, diagnoses, and treats patients, though their decisions are overseen by doctors.
PAs can work across diverse specialties and require a master's degree and state license.
Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on QMedic and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
