What Can You Earn in Healthcare?

Healthcare workers provide essential services crucial to the health and well-being of others, but compensation varies drastically between roles. Some of the more accessible entry-level positions, such as veterinary assistants or orderlies, make under $40K a year. However, you can significantly increase your earning potential as you gain more skills, knowledge, and expertise (and the required degrees or licenses).

In general, there tends to be a split between higher- and lower-paying jobs in healthcare — those that practice medicine and perform more technical, knowledge-based roles and those in support-level roles requiring less education. The difference in annual wages for these two groups is substantial. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual salary for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations at $80,820 versus $36,140 for healthcare support occupations.

These healthcare categories encompass a wide salary spectrum, with some annual earnings exceeding six figures. Here are the median salaries of over 20 healthcare occupations, as reported by the BLS.

Median annual wage of healthcare occupations

• Home Health and Personal Care Aides: $33,530
• Medical Transcriptionists: $37,060
• Nursing Assistants and Orderlies: $38,130
• Pharmacy Technicians: $40,300
• Phlebotomists: $41,810
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians: $43,740
• EMTs and Paramedics: $44,780
• Medical Records Specialists: $48,780
• Surgical Assistants and Technologists: $60,370
• Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides: $65,450
• Dietitians and Nutritionists: $69,680
• Respiratory Therapists: $77,960
• Orthotists and Prosthetists: $78,100
• Registered Nurses: $86,070
• Dental Hygienists: $87,530
• Speech-Language Pathologists: $89,290
• Occupational Therapists: $96,370
• Radiation Therapists: $98,300
• Physical Therapists: $99,710
• Veterinarians: $119,100
• Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners: $129,480
• Physician Assistants: $130,020
• Optometrists: $131,860
• Pharmacists: $136,030
• Podiatrists: $141,650
• Dentists: $170,910
• Physicians and Surgeons: over $239,200

As expected, physicians and surgeons lead in healthcare earnings — a direct result of their decade (or more) of rigorous education and training. While this career path demands a substantial educational investment, it offers the highest earning potential. Here is the average annual salary for 10 physician and surgeon specialties.

Highest paid physicians and surgeons

• Neurologists: $271,470
• Obstetricians and Gynecologists: $278,660
• Emergency Medicine Physicians: $306,640
• Ophthalmologists: $312,120
• Anesthesiologists: $339,470
• Dermatologists: $342,860
• Radiologists: $353,960
• Orthopedic Surgeons: $378,250
• Cardiologists: $423,250
• Pediatric Surgeons: $449,320

The specialized nature of their work demands a level of expertise and experience that is exceptionally challenging to achieve. And the education isn’t cheap — according to the AMA, the average med student graduates with over $200k in medical school debt.

Beyond their rigorous qualifications, these high-stress, demanding jobs involve long hours, emergency situations, and the pressure of making life-altering decisions. Although physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding, the roles are rewarding for those committed to their work. 

Understanding key wage factors

Ultimately, how much you can earn in healthcare comes down to three important factors: field, education, and location.

Certain healthcare roles pay more than others — no matter where you work, physicians and dentists earn more than nutritionists or EMTs. Higher education levels, including certifications and advanced degrees, correlate with higher wages across all healthcare fields, whether you want to work in dentistry, pharmaceuticals, optometry, or another area. Where you work also influences your wages, with coastal metropolitan areas paying the most.

To see these factors in action, let’s look at wages within the context of the nursing profession.

Field

What you can earn as a nurse varies quite a bit. Nurses typically earn between $60K to $200K+, depending on specialty. Knowing the difference between LPNs vs. RNs vs. APRNs will help you narrow down your potential salary range.

Education

Different nurse specializations require different educational levels. The more advanced your education, the higher your earning potential:

• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN): High school diploma or equivalent + certification program; median pay is $59,730. 
• Registered Nurses (RN): Bachelor’s or associate degree in nursing + exam; median pay is $86,070.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): Master’s degree in a specialized nursing field; median pay is $129,480.

Location

For registered nurses (RNs), California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Alaska pay the highest annual wages, with California leading at $120,560 annually and Alaska averaging $95,270.

Healthcare salaries vary greatly, with your earning potential influenced by your chosen profession, education level, and geographic location. Researching these factors will help you estimate your potential future earnings — and where you’d like to settle once you’re ready to begin your career.

Want more tips and insights? Check out our full Guide to Your Future In Healthcare here.