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 nurse works on a laptop.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4Hd6lQICNqA6YiAfzMatK7/bdde661063390748f0145e8beffe7013/iStock-1212168161.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Therapist consulting with a client, discussing mental health issues.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/kPw6yrbHOcUsOPXFU7Iwl/9e3898e7f3663a54bd22eb731b4b94c9/GettyImages-147205417.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Epidemiologist studying and analyzing information to find the cause of a disease.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2lLIJxaMuTBFxM0FBmurTQ/d235f3d7542630c4e249433070213035/GettyImages-108436364__3_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Social epidemiologist researching the impact of social conditions on public health.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3AsrPnTNopYUsPbqBWpv2m/59a1ad48972b7530f2ff27293214f30d/iStock-878841196.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A person preparing for courses as pursues a career as a dietitian.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4ld0zWNlOBSFlOHopMbVoK/27b257233b4a40688cadc32847bf6270/Paulina_Mensah_Ghana_20201118_0440__1_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A case manager meets with her supervisor at her desk to discuss a client.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1T3ha2EO3qC4OMfCdZDckY/ea275d92b142dee2e74158041934c485/GettyImages-1473496288.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A health care worker, working at his desktop computer, is analyzing the charts of a patient.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3WxklVWUrYvv953Fuvna1j/e3bc0e15410d38c5a4d5d7080cf08c5b/GettyImages-108436364__2_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Two industrial hygienists are discussing and checking the conditions of the workplace to see if there are hazards that have to be corrected.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1v14IV1cvKhxjaHQQIx5XA/be19f013445a0bdaf69fde5c16bdc28e/GettyImages-1307737353.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A rehabilitation counselor is sitting behind her desk as she prepares to meet with clients.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/32QMYdWGih72CjeRIg2VK2/d85173110ebbfd7ac8ed2242cf792568/GettyImages-1346563196.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A blonde, female speech pathologist works with a young male student using flashcards.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/9mvZBJJovfpIe87QBU9Dz/3215db02b75a72b23b915814255d715a/GettyImages-1288950070.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A health care administrator stands in a hospital hallway.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4x67AgBLSsJVbOw9s3iMyl/e05f4e12d65540cee6acb3a3b2208f3b/GettyImages-1064056738.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: A hospice nurse, wearing a blue uniform, is standing in one of the exam rooms. waiting to meet with a patient.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1IuP1czYlE9SFQxRRU38tw/96b142d44761288c609aa01dade92a8b/GettyImages-1292777549__10_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
