U.S. News and World Report on Jan. 10 released its best jobs ranking for 2023. Of the 190 jobs on the list, 56 were healthcare or healthcare support-related.
For its analysis, U.S. News staff identified jobs with the largest number and percentage of projected openings from 2021 to 2031, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then, each career was assigned a weighted average score out of 10 based on the following component factors: median salary, unemployment rate, 10-year growth volume, 10-year growth percentage, future job prospects, stress level and work-life balance.
Although healthcare careers can be associated with high stress, they are in high demand, which allowed them to dominate the rankings.
"We know that the healthcare and social services industry is the second-fastest growing industry as far as future job prospects over the next 10 years," Janica Ingram, U.S. News' careers editor, told Becker's. "These jobs are continuing to be in demand. There's going to be job growth there. And that's definitely something that people are interested in, especially looking in 2023 — the U.S. may go into a recession."
Here are the 56 healthcare-related jobs listed on U.S. News' ranking, along with the rank they received among professions across all industries.
2. Nurse practitioner
3. Medical and health services manager
4. Physician assistant
6. Physical therapist
10. Dentist
13. Physician
14. Orthodontist
17. Registered nurse
19. Occupational therapy assistant
24. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
25. Nurse anesthetist
26. Epidemiologist/medical scientist
31. Speech language pathologist
32. Psychiatrist
33. Optometrist
34. Pediatrician
35. Dental hygienist
36. Respiratory therapist
38. Physical therapist assistant
41 (tie). Anesthesiologist
41 (tie). Obstetrician and Gynecologist
46. Chiropractor
48. Medical records technician
64. Diagnostic medical sonographer
65 (tie). Personal care aide
65 (tie). Home health aide
67. Prosthodontist
70. Orthotist and Prosthetist
72. Occupational Therapist
76. Dietitian and Nutritionist
77. Medical Assistant
78. Cardiovascular technologist
79. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse
81. Massage therapist
82. Hearing aid specialist
83. Genetic counselor
86. Clinical laboratory technician
89. Pharmacist
90. Audiologist
92. Pharmacy technician
104. Ophthalmic medical technician
106. Surgeon
109. Podiatrist
114. Phlebotomist
118. Medical equipment repairer
119. Dental assistant
123. Health educator
124. Paramedic
131. Radiation therapist
132. Radiologic technologist
138. Nursing aide
141. Physical therapist aide
143. Surgical technologist
152. Nuclear medicine technologist
157. Optician
165. Occupational therapy aide