In 2018, the healthcare industry became the largest employment sector in the United States, but rising demand has made certain positions in the space some of the hardest to fill.
CareerCast ranked the toughest jobs to fill in 2019, noting those with high job openings and expected demand. The healthcare sector began 2019 with the highest percentage of job openings, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One estimate from Mercer puts the number of new hires needed in healthcare over the next six years at 2.3 million, CareerCast noted.
Here are the toughest healthcare jobs to fill in 2019 as ranked by CareerCast:
- Home health aide (No. 3 overall)––Median salary of $23,210; projected growth of 47 percent
- Medical services manager (No. 4)––Median salary of $98,350; projected growth of 20 percent
- Medical technologist (No. 5)––Median salary of $51,770; projected growth of 14 percent
- Nursing assistant (No. 6)––Median salary of $27,520; projected growth of 11 percent
- Personal care aide (No. 7)––Median salary of $23,100; projected growth of 39 percent
- Registered nurse (No. 8)––Median salary of $70,000; projected growth of 15 percent
With such high demand, there are likely to be some shortfalls, and finding enough applicants with the education and experience necessary will continue to be a challenge. Shortfalls are likely to be more apparent in positions with lower average salaries, such as personal care aides and home health aides.
Outside of healthcare, the No. 1 most in-demand job is application software developer, while construction laborer came in at No. 2.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."