11 Entry Level Jobs in the Healthcare Industry That Are in High Demand

you’ve got your degree, or other certification, in the healthcare industry. the trouble is: you don’t have any field experience. yet! but don’t despair. here are 11 jobs with tons of openings throughout the industry—and all of them entry-level. if you’re looking for a jumping off point to start your healthcare career, then start interviewing for one of these positions stat.

registered nurse

there is such a high demand for rns right now—nearly 200,000 job openings! as long as you have supervised clinical experience (even just as part of your academic program), you’re qualified. you need a nursing license and a degree, but you can make over $65k per year right out of the gate.

licensed practical nurse

licensed practical and vocational nurses are also in extreme demand. you’ll need to pass the nclex-pn and complete a year-long practical nursing program with some clinical experience, but then you could make about $40k a year.

medical & health services manager

you’ll need a bachelor's and a master's in something relevant to health services, plus some admin or nursing experience. but not years and years. this job pays extremely well, with a median income of over $88k.

certified nursing assistant

certified nursing assistants don’t make as much money, but earn invaluable experience. there are no degree requirements, just a state approved training program.

medical assistant

similar to a cna, a medical assistant only needs an associate’s degree and some on-the-job training to get started in the field.

physical therapist

physical therapists require a lot of schooling, usually a doctorate of some kind, plus a residency or internship of at least one year, but then they make a median salary of nearly $80k and demand and growth are both quite high.

icu registered nurse

to become a registered nurse in an intensive care environment, you need the same training and certification as an rn outside the icu environment. take your pick! where would you fit best?

medical secretary

if you have a high school diploma, plus solid knowledge of medical technology and terminology, then you can get started right away as a medical secretary, earning usually over $30k per year.

patient service representative

it’s best to have a bachelor’s degree, but sometimes a high school diploma will do. and if you’re good at customer service, you’ll be an asset in this position. the median salary is about $42k.

occupational therapist

occupational therapists are a lot like physical therapists in that they work in rehabilitation, but the field is more specific. if you have your master's degree in ot and have done some work or volunteering in that setting, then you should be good to go! ots make a median salary of over $75k.

records & info technician

medical records and health information technicians are in charge of documenting and tracking patient information. if you have an associate’s degree and perhaps a professional certification, you’ll be hirable. it wouldn’t hurt to take a few related medical courses to beef up your application, but you could earn over $30k per year starting out.