Healthcare is one of the strongest employment sectors in the United States, with demand being driven by population aging, chronic diseases, expanding healthcare services, and the growing need for long-term and community-based care.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the healthcare and social assistance sector will be the fastest-growing major industry sector from 2024 to 2034, with employment expected to increase by 8.4% and approximately 2 million new jobs added. Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations are projected to grow by 7.2%, while healthcare support occupations are projected to grow by 12.4%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

For students, particularly international students, this makes healthcare an attractive area of study. However, an "in-demand healthcare degree" does not necessarily mean the degree itself is officially classified as being in demand. The U.S. government measures employment demand at the occupation level.

The degrees below are therefore based on healthcare occupations with strong projected employment growth, large numbers of job openings, or significant workforce demand.

1. Nursing

Nursing is one of the strongest healthcare degree options in the United States because of the size of the profession and the large number of job openings expected over the coming decade.

Registered nurses provide direct patient care, administer medications, monitor patients, coordinate treatment, educate patients and families, and work across hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, schools, community settings, and other healthcare environments.

The BLS projects 5% employment growth for registered nurses from 2024 to 2034, faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Approximately 189,100 openings for registered nurses are projected each year during the decade. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Potential Careers

• Registered nurse
• Clinical nurse
• Community health nurse
• Critical care nurse
• Pediatric nurse
• Oncology nurse
• Public health nurse
• Nurse educator

Nursing also provides opportunities for postgraduate advancement into advanced practice roles such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists.

Why Nursing Is in Demand

The aging U.S. population is increasing demand for healthcare services, while nurses are required across virtually every major healthcare setting.

The large number of annual openings also reflects replacement demand as experienced nurses retire or move into other occupations.

For students seeking a healthcare degree with a large and diverse employment market, nursing remains one of the strongest options.

2. Nursing Practitioner and Advanced Practice Nursing

Advanced practice nursing is one of the fastest-growing areas of healthcare employment in the United States.

Nurse practitioners assess patients, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications where authorized, and provide a range of primary and specialized healthcare services.

The BLS projects 40.1% employment growth for nurse practitioners from 2024 to 2034, making nurse practitioners the fastest-growing healthcare occupation and one of the fastest-growing occupations across the entire U.S. economy. Employment is projected to increase from approximately 320,400 in 2024 to 448,800 in 2034. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Potential Careers

• Family nurse practitioner
• Adult-gerontology nurse practitioner
• Pediatric nurse practitioner
• Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner
• Women's health nurse practitioner
• Acute care nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioner careers generally require graduate-level nursing education after becoming a registered nurse.

For students interested in both nursing and advanced clinical practice, this pathway offers particularly strong long-term employment prospects.

3. Physician Assistant Studies

Physician assistant studies provide a pathway into one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions in the United States.

Physician assistants provide medical services as part of healthcare teams. Depending on state law and practice arrangements, they can examine patients, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, and assist with procedures.

The BLS identifies physician assistants as one of the healthcare occupations expected to experience particularly strong employment growth between 2024 and 2034. The agency specifically cites physician assistants among the healthcare occupations benefiting from increased demand for team-based care. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Potential Careers

• Physician assistant
• Emergency medicine PA
• Surgical PA
• Family medicine PA
• Orthopedic PA
• Dermatology PA
• Internal medicine PA

The profession can be attractive to students who want advanced clinical responsibilities without following the longer medical school and residency pathway required to become a physician.

4. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is another healthcare field with strong projected demand.

Physical therapists help patients recover from injuries, improve mobility, manage pain, and regain physical function following illness, surgery, or injury.

The growing number of older adults is expected to increase demand for rehabilitation and therapy services. The BLS specifically identifies physical therapist assistants among the healthcare occupations expected to experience rapid growth as demand for therapy services increases. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Students can enter the profession through physical therapy education and later specialize in areas such as orthopedics, sports rehabilitation, neurology, pediatrics, or geriatrics.

Potential Careers

• Physical therapist
• Sports physical therapist
• Orthopedic physical therapist
• Neurological physical therapist
• Pediatric physical therapist
• Geriatric physical therapist
• Rehabilitation specialist

Physical therapy can be particularly attractive for students interested in rehabilitation and long-term patient recovery.

5. Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy focuses on helping people develop, recover, or maintain the skills needed for everyday activities.

Occupational therapists work with people experiencing injuries, disabilities, developmental conditions, neurological disorders, and other challenges that affect their ability to perform daily activities.

Demand is supported by the aging population and the increasing need for rehabilitation and supportive healthcare services.

Potential Careers

• Occupational therapist
• Pediatric occupational therapist
• Neurological occupational therapist
• Rehabilitation therapist
• Geriatric occupational therapist
• Mental health occupational therapist

Students interested in rehabilitation, disability care, pediatrics, or geriatrics may find occupational therapy particularly suitable.

6. Medical and Health Services Management

Healthcare demand is not limited to direct patient-care occupations.

Medical and health services managers plan, direct, and coordinate healthcare services in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, physician practices, and other healthcare organizations.

The BLS projects 23.2% employment growth for medical and health services managers from 2024 to 2034, significantly faster than the average for all occupations. Employment is projected to increase by approximately 142,900 jobs during the period. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Potential Careers

• Healthcare administrator
• Hospital administrator
• Clinical manager
• Health services manager
• Nursing home administrator
• Healthcare operations manager
• Medical practice manager

Degrees in healthcare administration, health services management, public health, business administration, or related fields can provide pathways into this area.

This option can be particularly attractive to students who want to work in healthcare without providing direct bedside care.

7. Medical Assisting

Medical assisting is one of the faster-growing healthcare support occupations in the United States.

Medical assistants perform both administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare settings. Their responsibilities can include taking patient histories, recording vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, scheduling appointments, and assisting healthcare professionals.

The BLS projects 12% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, compared with 3% for all occupations. Approximately 112,300 openings are projected each year over the decade. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Potential Careers

• Medical assistant
• Clinical medical assistant
• Administrative medical assistant
• Ophthalmic medical assistant
• Medical office assistant

Medical assisting generally requires less education than many other healthcare professions, making it an accessible entry point into the U.S. healthcare sector.

However, students seeking a bachelor's or graduate-level healthcare career should distinguish medical assisting from professional healthcare degrees such as nursing, physician assistant studies, or physical therapy.

8. Public Health

Public health focuses on improving health at the population level rather than providing only individual patient care.

Public health professionals work in disease prevention, health education, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy, community health, and health research.

The increasing focus on disease prevention, population health, chronic disease management, and health disparities creates opportunities for graduates with public health expertise.

Potential Careers

• Public health analyst
• Epidemiologist
• Community health specialist
• Health educator
• Public health researcher
• Environmental health specialist
• Health policy analyst

Public health can be particularly suitable for students who want to work in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, healthcare systems, or international organizations.

However, some specialized public health occupations, particularly epidemiology, generally require postgraduate education.

Most In-Demand Healthcare Degrees Compared

Because U.S. labour-market data measure occupations rather than university degrees, the following comparison connects healthcare degrees with representative occupations and their projected employment outlook.

Healthcare Degree	Representative Career	Employment Demand
Nursing	Registered Nurse	5% growth; ~189,100 annual openings
Advanced Practice Nursing	Nurse Practitioner	40.1% growth
Physician Assistant Studies	Physician Assistant	Very strong projected growth
Physical Therapy	Physical Therapist	Strong rehabilitation demand
Occupational Therapy	Occupational Therapist	Growing rehabilitation demand
Healthcare Administration	Medical & Health Services Manager	23.2% growth
Medical Assisting	Medical Assistant	12% growth; ~112,300 annual openings
Public Health	Public Health Specialist/Analyst	Broad population-health demand

The figures demonstrate why "most in-demand" should not be interpreted solely as the occupation with the highest percentage growth. Registered nursing, for example, has a lower projected growth rate than nurse practitioners but is expected to generate approximately 189,100 openings annually because of the profession's much larger workforce. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Why Healthcare Demand Is Growing in the USA

Several major demographic and economic trends are driving healthcare employment.

Aging Population

The U.S. population is aging, increasing the need for healthcare, long-term care, rehabilitation, and home-based services.

The BLS specifically identifies the growing elderly population as a major reason for increased demand across healthcare occupations. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Chronic Diseases

The prevalence of chronic health conditions increases the need for ongoing medical treatment, monitoring, rehabilitation, and preventive services.

This supports demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals.

Expansion of Home-Based Care

Healthcare delivery is increasingly shifting toward home and community-based settings for some patients.

The BLS projects 17% employment growth for home health and personal care aides between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 765,800 openings annually. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Although becoming a home health aide generally does not require a healthcare degree, the trend demonstrates the broader growth of home-based healthcare and the increasing need for professionals who can coordinate and deliver care outside traditional hospitals.

Team-Based Healthcare

Healthcare organizations increasingly rely on teams of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, therapists, and other professionals.

The BLS specifically identifies nurse practitioners and physician assistants as occupations expected to benefit from the expansion of team-based healthcare. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Best In-Demand Healthcare Degrees for International Students in the USA

For international students, nursing is one of the strongest healthcare degree options because of the size of the profession and the large number of projected annual openings.

Advanced practice nursing offers particularly strong growth potential for students willing to pursue graduate-level education.

Physician assistant studies provides another rapidly growing clinical pathway.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy are suitable for students interested in rehabilitation, while healthcare administration provides an alternative for students who want to work in healthcare without focusing on direct patient care.

Public health can provide opportunities in population health, research, policy, disease prevention, and community programs.

Students should consider whether they want a clinical or non-clinical career before selecting their degree.

Healthcare Degrees and Professional Licensing

Healthcare is a highly regulated sector in the United States.

Completing a degree does not automatically authorize a graduate to practice a regulated healthcare profession.

Nurses must meet state nursing licensure requirements. Physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other licensed professionals also have specific education, examination, and state licensing requirements.

Requirements can differ between states.

International students should therefore research the licensing pathway associated with their chosen profession before enrolling in a U.S. program.

Clinical vs Non-Clinical Healthcare Careers

Students should also distinguish between clinical and non-clinical healthcare degrees.

Clinical degrees such as nursing, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, and occupational therapy generally lead to patient-facing roles and require professional licensing.

Non-clinical degrees such as healthcare administration and some public health programs can lead to healthcare-sector employment without requiring the graduate to become a licensed clinical practitioner.

This distinction can be particularly important for international students deciding how closely they want their career to involve direct patient care.

Healthcare Degrees and the U.S. Job Market

The overall outlook for healthcare employment is strong.

The BLS projects that healthcare and social assistance will add approximately 2 million jobs between 2024 and 2034, more than any other major U.S. industry sector. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

However, employment opportunities differ significantly between occupations.

A degree leading to a rapidly growing occupation may have fewer total openings than a degree leading to a large profession such as nursing.

For this reason, students should consider both percentage growth and the absolute number of projected openings.

For example, nurse practitioners are projected to grow by 40.1%, while registered nursing is projected to grow by 5%. Yet registered nursing is expected to have approximately 189,100 openings annually because of the size of the profession and replacement needs. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

How to Choose an In-Demand Healthcare Degree in the USA

1. Look at Projected Employment Growth

A high growth rate can indicate rapidly increasing demand.

Nurse practitioners, for example, are projected to grow by 40.1% between 2024 and 2034. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

2. Look at the Number of Job Openings

Growth percentage is only part of the picture.

A large occupation such as registered nursing can provide significantly more total job openings than a smaller occupation with a higher percentage growth rate.

3. Consider Licensing

Students entering clinical healthcare professions should research licensing requirements before choosing a program.

Licensing can affect where and how graduates are able to work after completing their education.

4. Consider Education Length

Some healthcare careers require postgraduate education and clinical training.

Students should compare the total time and cost required to reach professional practice.

5. Consider Career Flexibility

Degrees such as nursing can lead to numerous clinical, administrative, educational, research, and advanced practice careers.

Other degrees may lead to more specialized professional pathways.

6. Consider Location

Healthcare demand exists throughout the United States, but opportunities can vary by state, city, healthcare system, and specialty.

Students should research the labour market in the areas where they would realistically like to work.

Post-Study Opportunities for International Students

International students studying healthcare in the United States may be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) after completing an eligible program, subject to applicable requirements.

Some healthcare degrees may qualify for the STEM OPT extension if the specific degree program meets the relevant STEM classification requirements. Healthcare should not automatically be assumed to qualify simply because the program contains science-based coursework.

Students should also distinguish between immigration authorization and professional licensing.

A graduate may have permission to work in the United States while still needing a state professional license before practicing as a nurse, physician assistant, physical therapist, or another regulated healthcare professional.

Students planning to remain in the United States after graduation should therefore consider both their immigration pathway and professional licensing requirements.

Final Thoughts

Healthcare is projected to remain one of the strongest employment sectors in the United States over the coming decade.

The strongest healthcare degree pathways based on current employment projections include nursing, advanced practice nursing, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, healthcare administration, medical assisting, and public health.

Among these, nurse practitioner stands out for its projected 40.1% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, while registered nursing stands out for its exceptionally large number of projected annual openings. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Healthcare administration is also experiencing strong growth, with medical and health services managers projected to grow by 23.2% over the same period. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

For international students, however, the most in-demand healthcare degree is not necessarily the degree with the fastest growth rate.

A stronger decision considers employment growth, total job openings, education requirements, licensing, career flexibility, location, salary potential, and post-study work opportunities together.

The U.S. healthcare sector is expected to continue expanding, creating opportunities for graduates who combine an appropriate healthcare qualification with the professional credentials and practical skills required by the American healthcare system.