The Healthcare sector employs individuals from many educational backgrounds and training experiences. This section highlights opportunities for individuals at four common starting points, beginning with a high school diploma or equivalent. For more information on top jobs across the state by similar education and training tiers, please see Michigan’s 2026 Career Outlook.
High School Diploma or Equivalent and Short-term Training
- Customer Service Representatives
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Receptionists and Information Clerks
- Social and Human Service Assistants
Many opportunities exist in Healthcare for individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent and short-term training (one month or less). Typically, the occupations that were available in this education tier offered below-average earnings. However, many of the occupations had high levels of employment and many expected annual openings, providing good opportunities to enter the sector.
Postsecondary Certificate or Moderate-term Training
- Dental Assistants
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Nursing Assistants
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Phlebotomists
Occupations requiring a postsecondary certificate or moderate-term training in Healthcare offered earnings much closer to the statewide median ($23.69). Of the occupations listed, median earnings ranged from nearly $19 (Nursing assistants) to over $31 (Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses). The highlighted occupations offered numerous employment opportunities in the sector and were projected to grow between 3.5 and 7.2 percent through 2034.
Associate Degree or Long-term Training or Apprenticeships
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Dental Hygienists
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
- Opticians, Dispensing
- Respiratory Therapists
Occupations in this educational tier typically had lower employment (less than 10,000 people) and fewer (less than 600) expected annual openings. Regardless, most were projected to increase in employment through 2034 and can offer above-average median wages. For the specific occupations highlighted, median wages ranged from roughly $20 (Opticians, dispensing) to nearly $41 per hour (Magnetic resonance imaging technologists).
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Registered Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
Numerous occupational opportunities exist in Healthcare for individuals obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher. The jobs in this sector requiring high levels of educational attainment were typically projected to have employment growth between 2024 and 2034 and were often higher-paying jobs. Registered nurses is the largest occupation in the sector (94,300 workers) and paid a median wage above $45 per hour in 2025. Overall, there are a wide variety of occupations in Healthcare in this education tier, from various types of managers to nurses to social workers.