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Job outlook for health service workers in the United States
Health service worker job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected health service worker job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 64,000 new jobs for health service workers are projected over the next decade.
Health service worker salaries have increased 14% for health service workers in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,810 health service workers currently employed in the United States.
There are 85,892 active health service worker job openings in the US.
The average health service worker salary is $30,241.
Are health service worker jobs in demand?
Health service worker job and salary trends over time
Health service worker jobs over time
Health service worker job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,810 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,828 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,871 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,759 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,676 | 0.00% |
Average health service worker salary over time
Health service worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $30,241 | $14.54 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $28,957 | $13.92 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $27,833 | $13.38 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $26,846 | $12.91 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | $26,505 | $12.74 | +1.3% |
Health service worker jobs by state
Most common states for health service workers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 234 | 34% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 254 | 29% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 519 | 27% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 368 | 27% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,960 | 26% |
| 6 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,659 | 25% |
| 7 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,534 | 24% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,480 | 24% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 2,320 | 23% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,909 | 23% |
| 11 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 397 | 23% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 210 | 22% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 663 | 21% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,115 | 20% |
| 15 | Vermont | 623,657 | 127 | 20% |
| 16 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 4,061 | 19% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,077 | 19% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 943 | 19% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,201 | 18% |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 712 | 18% |
Most common cities for health service workers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gainesville | 2 | 5% | $23,190 |
| 2 | Boulder | 2 | 2% | $31,859 |
| 3 | DeKalb | 1 | 2% | $25,865 |
| 4 | Gainesville | 1 | 1% | $26,873 |
| 5 | Fresno | 1 | 0% | $45,081 |
Health Service Worker job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of health service worker experts
North Dakota State University
University of Baltimore
Joel Hektner Ph.D.
Professor and Department HeadNorth Dakota State University
Human Development and Family Science
What skills will help Health Service Workers earn the most?
Joel Hektner Ph.D.: The ability to adapt your skills to the context you are in.
Sepideh Soheilian Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Baltimore
Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Health Service Worker job market given the pandemic?
Sepideh Soheilian Ph.D.: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of mental health counselors is projected to grow 25% from 2019 to 2029, which is much greater than the average for all occupations. The pandemic has greatly affected the mental health of Americans due to the necessity to quarantine and/or keep a safe distance from others. Human beings are social by nature. Thus, social isolation can significantly impact stress levels and mental health. Additional ways that the pandemic has negatively affected mental health is via job loss as well as creating increased responsibilities for people while working virtually such as caring for children engaged in distance learning, or caring for the elderly. The aforementioned situations can be challenging and create stress for individuals, especially if they are unable to engage in appropriate self-care, or positive ways of coping in response to the new stresses in their lives. As such, my prediction is that there will be an even greater demand for mental health services due to the pandemic, consequently resulting in a greater need for mental health professionals.
What Health Service Worker skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sepideh Soheilian Ph.D.: If a recent college graduate decides to take a gap year between their undergraduate studies and starting a master's program in Counseling Psychology, my advice would be to try their best to be exposed to or engage in either 1) experiences in the field of mental health, or 2) experiences that will strengthen their social science research skills. Engaging in these types of experiences such as working as an administrative assistant in a private practice, or volunteering on a psychiatric unit at a hospital will provide greater exposure to the field of mental health and hopefully, help the graduate determine if entering the mental health field would be the right fit for their career expectations, goals, and values.