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Healthcare support occupations had employment of 6.4 million in May 2020
April 02, 2021
Healthcare support occupations had employment of 6.4 million in May 2020, representing 4.6 percent of total U.S. employment. Healthcare support workers assist healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, such as physicians and nurses.
Employment and annual mean wages for healthcare support occupations, May 2020
Occupation
Employment
Annual mean wage
Home health and personal care aides
3,211,590
$28,060
Nursing assistants
1,371,050
32,050
Medical assistants
710,200
36,930
Dental assistants
312,140
42,310
Phlebotomists
128,020
37,280
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
98,810
30,980
Healthcare support workers, all other
96,720
41,430
Physical therapist assistants
92,740
59,440
Massage therapists
85,040
47,350
Medical equipment preparers
56,870
41,070
Psychiatric aides
51,550
33,300
Medical transcriptionists
49,530
37,310
Physical therapist aides
45,790
30,110
Orderlies
43,570
31,780
Occupational therapy assistants
42,750
63,420
Pharmacy aides
38,900
32,250
Occupational therapy aides
5,630
34,160
Home health and personal care aides (3.2 million) and nursing assistants (1.4 million) made up 71 percent of healthcare support jobs. After home health and personal care aides and nursing assistants, the largest healthcare support occupations were medical assistants (710,200), dental assistants (312,140), and phlebotomists (128,020).
Healthcare support occupations had an annual mean wage of $32,250, below the U.S. average of $56,310 for all occupations combined. The largest healthcare support occupation, home health and personal care aides, was also the lowest paying, with an annual mean wage of $28,060. The highest paying healthcare support occupations were occupational therapy assistants ($63,420) and physical therapist assistants ($59,440).
Ninety-one percent of healthcare support jobs were in healthcare and social assistance industries, including individual and family services (1.5 million), home health care services (959,870), general medical and surgical hospitals (702,320), and nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) (630,550).
United States Department of Labor
