Health care is a booming industry with a wide range of rewarding jobs working with patients, communities, or behind the scenes. Explore your career options with these guides to careers in the health industry.
Working in health care can look like a lot of different things. You may work directly with patients as a doctor, nurse, or physical therapist, or maybe you work within communities through a public health career. You'll also find jobs behind the scenes, working in a lab or with health care data. You'll find several fields to explore:
In a 2023 report, the BLS notes the median annual wage for health care professionals in May 2022 was $77,760, a significantly higher salary than the national median wage of $46,310 for all professions during the same period. Furthermore, the BLS anticipates the health care industry to grow much faster than average between 2022 and 2032 [1].
Health care in the United States is a booming industry with a wide range of jobs offering salaries exceeding the national median, which could make it a good choice depending on your interests. You'll find a wide range of jobs in health care – from those that only require a high school diploma to those requiring a doctorate and many years of medical training.
As you are considering a career in the medical field, you should think about the kind of work environment that best fits your personality. While some might thrive on the tension and pressure of the surgery room, others might flourish in the daily routine of providing at-home patient care to the elderly. Others, meanwhile, might enjoy the work of dealing with animals and their owners in a veterinary office rather than dealing with the personal politics of a busy hospital.
Each career in health care offers the opportunity for working in totally different environments, so consider the kind of environment that you feel fits you best.
![[Featured Image]: A female nurse case manager, wearing a blue uniform and a stethoscope around her neck, standing in an examination room, standing in front of a white desk and a white bookcase .](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4Dr0xobYqWZ6D9cXSixkps/62b0c83704d5eece88719b93b7f2b15b/GettyImages-1292777549__5_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Two biostatisticians, one male and one female, wearing white uniforms and eye protectors, are analyzing data.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3wg6caZ8IDcQAq7uJ5ptai/8a5e3ef28c89a92688564a19b3c68dfb/GettyImages-1159612116.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Two people looking at graphs of statistic in a lab](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2aqg4q85RPMkald8w6OIzD/aedef19dc703899c60521bd49189f2fa/GettyImages-949561070__2_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A physical therapist holding a red therapy ball stands in the middle of a clinic smiling at the camera.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2iiL9tC10TcsY3LxfLKMsj/c6659de100e251e7823af95075ab515f/GettyImages-1204666791.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A personal care aide attends to the needs of a patient in his home.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/7m7xUScKkMe5JGLam5Fyyh/2860c4284df72f8292988b63a915c410/GettyImages-1293212244.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A Licensed Vocational Nurse, wearing a purple uniform and a face covering, is looking at the vital signs of a patient.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/7kVkthPNggcFvzvegYhrGF/4b63e3cf03093dda6935b08e014c4a04/GettyImages-1139849841__4_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A case manager, wearing a blue uniform and a blue head covering, is sitting in front of three computer screens, looking at charts.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/74UCNQZ7eoX2IiTXBfxqlm/22e01be84083d62ce5b73fd342e8c6a1/GettyImages-108436364__1_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A woman in a blue uniform, and a stethoscope around her neck. She is standing in an office with white furniture and a bookshelf.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4hrhxnAqGS9M6brsS7Srv6/a5c0cf3ed5430fd5c52085a5f22710bf/GettyImages-1292777549__4_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A community health worker in a green jacket, white top, and a face covering loads prescription medication into a van.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/5l9mkI1aWMEwN5NoeYqngr/8ebbfc78e3658f28721a12e1a86adf1f/GettyImages-1281481296.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Feature Image]: A Health Educator wearing a blue shirt is talking to members of the community about health wellness issues.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/5eta5fPX1Rzdh4nHvfvFK0/7f03e4bc601e4d0dd1e34bc17cde2ff6/GettyImages-1175124132.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A legal nurse consultant, wearing a blue uniform and face covering, is looking at charts.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/7fSPhBHnYxsz96dbvfAwQW/180f84560247161d5f5483828e053818/GettyImages-1310360109__6_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Occupational therapist in a suit and tie meets with a client.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4vVUj1qcHRwbtBiGGSi2Tp/74cc2f7bc6460311338f623bbabf9a29/GettyImages-1173948784.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
