Healthcare support occupations

Dental Assistants

Job prospects should be excellent.
Dentists are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks so that they may devote their own time to more complex procedures.
Most assistants learn their skills on the job, although an increasing number are trained in dental-assisting programs; most programs take 1 year or less to complete.

Massage Therapists

Employment is expected to grow faster than average over the 2004-2014 period as more people learn about the benefits of massage therapy.
Many States require formal training and a national certification in order to practice massage therapy.
This occupation contains a large number of part-time and self-employed workers.

Medical Assistants

About 6 out of 10 medical assistants work in offices of physicians.
Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1- or 2-year programs in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges.
Medical assistants is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 period.
Job prospects should be best for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly those with certification.

Medical Transcriptionists

Job opportunities will be good.
Employers prefer medical transcriptionists who have completed a postsecondary training program at a vocational school or community college.
Many medical transcriptionists telecommute from home-based offices as employees or subcontractors for hospitals and transcription services or as self-employed, independent contractors.
About 4 out of 10 worked in hospitals and another 3 out of 10 worked in offices of physicians.

Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides

Home health aides is projected to be the fastest growing occupation through 2014.
Numerous job openings and excellent job opportunities are expected.
Most jobs are in nursing and residential care facilities, hospitals, and home health care services.
Modest entry requirements, low pay, high physical and emotional demands, and lack of advancement opportunities characterize this occupation.

Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides

Employment is projected to increase much faster than the average, reflecting growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function who require therapeutic services.
Occupational therapist assistants generally must complete an associate degree or a certificate program; in contrast, occupational therapist aides usually receive most of their training on the job.
In an effort to control rising health care costs, third-party payers are expected to encourage occupational therapists to delegate more hands-on therapy work to lower-paid occupational therapist assistants and aides.

Pharmacy Aides

Job opportunities are expected to be good for full-time and part-time work, especially for those with related work experience.
Many pharmacy aides work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
About 80 percent work in retail pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores, or mass retailers.

Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides

Employment is projected to increase much faster than average; physical therapist aides may face keen competition from the large pool of qualified applicants.
Physical therapist assistants generally have an associate degree, but physical therapist aides usually learn skills on the job.
About 60 percent of jobs are in hospitals or offices of physical therapists.

Healthcare Support Workers, all other

Earnings Graph

National Average and Percentile Annual Earnings, May 2005

Metropolitan area and State estimates.

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about this section

Area and Industry Statistics

May 2005 Mean Annual Earnings and Employment, wage and salary workers

Healthcare support occupations
— National
U.S.:	$23,850
— by State
AL:	$19,410
AK:	$30,410
AZ:	$23,960
AR:	$19,540
CA:	$27,030
CO:	$26,670
CT:	$28,420
DE:	$25,740
DC:	$26,930
FL:	$22,900
GA:	$21,850
HI:	$26,860
ID:	$21,880
IL:	$23,890
IN:	$23,590
IA:	$22,510
KS:	$21,830
KY:	$21,980
LA:	$18,360
ME:	$23,080
MD:	$26,000
MA:	$27,940
MI:	$25,450
MN:	$25,760
MS:	$18,430
MO:	$21,500
MT:	$20,560
NE:	$22,620
NV:	$26,780
NH:	$26,550
NJ:	$26,100
NM:	$22,030
NY:	$25,420
NC:	$21,530
ND:	$21,260
OH:	$23,390
OK:	$20,560
OR:	$25,410
PA:	$23,590
RI:	$26,400
SC:	$21,230
SD:	$21,110
TN:	$22,440
TX:	$20,450
UT:	$22,000
VT:	$23,060
VA:	$23,280
WA:	$27,460
WV:	$19,200
WI:	$24,520
WY:	$22,470
GU:	$21,380
PR:	$15,610
VI:	$18,750
— by NAICS Industry Sector
11	$23,520
21	$16,110
23	$20,160
31-33	$29,940
42	$23,970
44-45	$20,100
48-49	$21,900
51	$25,520
52	$28,200
53	$21,590
54	$20,790
55	$26,490
56	$24,490
61	$26,990
62	$23,610
71	$39,480
72	$27,790
81	$36,110
92	$27,240
Also see State and Metropolitan Area and industry estimates of employment and percentile earnings for healthcare support occupations.

Width of bars indicates mean annual wages; color of bars indicates employment.

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about this section

Demographics

Healthcare support occupations

Employed persons, 2004

Employed persons: 2,921,000	Percent of total
	Women	Men	Black	Asian	Hispanic
	89.3%	10.7%	25.9%	3.5%	13.1%

Full-time wage and salary workers, 2004
Employment Median weekly earnings
$ W/M ratio
Women
(emp.) (earn.) 1,755,000 $402 0.887
Men
(emp.) (earn.) 230,000 $453
All workers
(emp.) (earn.) 1,985,000 $407

source: Current Population Survey; about this section

Hourly and Minimum Wage

Employed wage and salary workers paid hourly rates and those with earnings at or below the Federal minimum wage, 2004

Healthcare support occupations

Paid hourly wages	2,460,000
At or below $5.15 per hour	33,000
At $5.15	12,000
Below $5.15	21,000

source: Current Population Survey; about this section

Employee Tenure

Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers, 2004

Occupation	Employee Tenure, median (years)
Healthcare support occupations	2.9

source: Current Population Survey; about this section

Fatalities

2004 Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and event or exposure

Occupation	Fatalities: Event or exposure
Occupation	Total	Tran.	Viol.	Cont.	Falls	Expo.	Fires
Healthcare support occupations	11	3	3	-	-	-	-
Other healthcare support occupations	3	-	-	-	-	-	-

source: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities Program; about this section

Job Openings

Current job openings on craigslist.com

medical / health jobs

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	Employment	Median weekly earnings
	Employment	$	W/M ratio
Women (emp.) (earn.)	1,755,000	$402	0.887
Men (emp.) (earn.)	230,000	$453	0.887
All workers (emp.) (earn.)	1,985,000	$407