Following a trend, U.S. News and World Report has named many healthcare professions to their list of “The 100 Best Jobs” of 2014. Entries are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected number of job openings for 2012-2022. Based on seven specific criteria the top 100 are ranked by sector and on a list of all occupations. Job growth for this sector is fueled by the influx of new patients due to health care reform and retiring Baby Boomers. Below are the professions that made the top half of the general list (Click here to see the complete list and explanation of the ranking system):
#4 Nurse Practitioner: Growth rate of 33.7%, very low unemployment rate and a median salary of $89,960 put NPs high on the list.
#6 Registered Nurse: A 19.4% growth rate, low unemployment and median salary of $65,470 make RN a top career.
#7 Physical Therapist: Flexibility, below average stress, a median salary of $79,860, along with growth of 36%, attract many to the field of PT.
#14 Occupational Therapist: A respectable growth rate of 29% and a median salary of $75,400 ensure the viability of the OT profession moving forward.
#17 Physical Therapy Assistant: The demand for PTAs is exceeding even that of the therapists who supervise them, with a well above average growth of 41%, and a median salary of $52,160.
#21 Occupational Therapy Assistant: Like their PTA counterparts, demand for OTAs is pushing professional growth rate to a staggering 42.6%. Median salaries for the profession are $53,240, with home health care and nursing care facilities paying higher.
#35 Speech Language Pathologist: As experts in communication disorders, included many age-related ones, it is anticipated that there will be 26,000 new SLP openings before 2022. Average salaries have also risen to $72,730 (2012 stat) with health care industry jobs paying higher than the education system.
Are you a new grad in any one of these professions or a veteran looking to make a career move? Come ride the wave of demand with Centra! We have exciting and exclusive opportunities to fit your skills and experience. Call us at 800 535 0076or download our mobile app.