Outlook on Common U.S. Health Care Occupations: Benefits, Costs and Future Trends

Abstract

Students anticipating a career in specific popular health professions need to balance salary, availability of training, enrollment, and predicted job growth against costs of tuition, training time and levels of degree requirements. Comparative data on these variables are also an important resource for undergraduate guidance counselors, yet this information is widely scattered through different professional associations, government and private databases. The research aim of this report is to compile data from public and private datab ases and professional association websites, and use this data to describe median salaries, job growth, tuition, training levels and opportunities for eleven health practitioner professions from vocational to professional doctorate. Although primary care physicians hold the highest levels of compensation, nursing and physician assistants hold the greatest ratio of compensation for time in training and per tuition dollar. Training programs available in these fields are readily accessible and are accommodating increased enrollment. There is a significant positive correlation between predicted future employment needs and enrollment for health professional programs. Baccalaureate nursing, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are growing health careers with high predicted earnings, moderate time to training and tuition. Other doctoral professions offer similar compensation but require longer training. These current data serve as a useful guide to assist students and undergraduate counselors in identifying health carriers that best align student goals and finances.