2026 Michigan Healthcare Industry Workforce Analysis Report
Talent Pipeline

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), National Center for Education Statistics

Due to the size of Healthcare in Michigan, a variety of postsecondary programs can lead to opportunities within the sector. Approximately 16 percent of completions related to Healthcare were in postsecondary nondegree awards or certificates. There were more than 1,000 completions in medical/clinical assistant and licensed practical/vocational nurse training programs at the nondegree level in the 2024–25 academic year. Both programs can lead to occupations that are key to the Healthcare sector. 

Associate degree completers accounted for about one in five Healthcare-related postsecondary degrees. Those who completed registered nursing/registered nurse (2,200) programs made up 28 percent of all associate degree completions related to the sector. The registered nursing program also leads the bachelor’s degree completions with over 3,200 students. Bachelor’s degrees accounted for more than one-third of the postsecondary degrees related to the sector in the latest academic year. Other notable bachelor’s programs included business administration and management (2,500), finance (1,460), and social work (910). All other related fields had less than 400 completions. 

The main master’s degree-level programs in the sector were business administration and management (2,260) and social work (1,360). Some completions were observed for physician assistants (360) and health/health care administration (220), among others, but completion totals were much lower than the leading programs. 

Doctoral or professional degrees related to Healthcare make up a smaller share of completions but are notable in the sector. Completions in medicine (950), osteopathic medicine/osteopathy (300), physical therapy/therapist (300), dentistry (300), and pharmacy (250) programs were the top five at the degree level. All other programs had less than 200 completions. 

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (2,940), Wayne State University (2,120), and Michigan State University (1,980) were the top three universities in terms of completions of bachelor’s degrees or higher. In associate degrees or less, Washtenaw Community College (780), Lansing Community College (630), and Henry Ford College (610) were the leading institutions. Although the top producing institutions are in the south central to east areas of the state, opportunities for Healthcare-related postsecondary programs exist throughout Michigan.

Registered Apprenticeships

Nearly 740 active Registered Apprentices were in Healthcare-related programs in 2025. Of the active participants, about 29 percent were in the Nursing care facilities industry (skilled nursing) followed by just under 25 percent in Hospitals and 17 percent in Vocational rehabilitation services. 

Source: Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Data System (RAPIDS), Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of Labor

The number of new Registered Apprentices has varied greatly since 2015 while the annual completers have been less volatile. There was a large increase in new participants in 2018, following increased funding across the state for Registered Apprenticeships. In 2025, there were over 600 new Registered Apprentices in Healthcare. This was the fourth highest level seen since 2015. There have been between 130 and 255 program completers in the sector each year since 2022. Prior to that, 2020 was the only year with more than 100 completers. 

Source: Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Data System (RAPIDS), Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of Labor

Women are better represented in Healthcare Registered Apprenticeship programs than all sector areas in Michigan. In Healthcare, women made up more than one in two active Registered Apprentices, compared to around one in 10 across all Michigan sectors. The Healthcare programs were also more diverse than the state average with more than a quarter of participants being people of color. Youth (age 16–19) and veterans, however, were less represented among Healthcare apprenticeship programs. Many healthcare programs require a high school diploma unless it is a pre-apprenticeship program or specific to youth, which likely contributes to the lower share of youth participants.