Online Healthcare Degrees

Healthcare is a vast and incredibly diverse field that holds a wide array of career paths, interest areas, and educational requirements. Encompassing sectors such as medicine, public health, nursing, speech pathology, and occupational therapy (to name just a few), entering the field of healthcare presents an opportunity for a variety of interests and strengths.

In choosing healthcare as a career field, professionals are making a commitment to contribute to society by making sure it’s inhabitants are living the healthiest lives they can. For students seeking education in healthcare, the sheer number of degree options available can be quite daunting. Students can go to medical school, enroll in a nursing program, pursue a degree in physical therapy – the list goes on and on.

The decision gets more complex for working young professionals or those changing careers, as they may not have the time to put their lives on hold to pursue a new degree. Online education might be the most efficient and logistically sound decision in these circumstances – and fortunately online healthcare degrees are abundant in the modern era.

Choosing a University for your Online Healthcare Degree

In choosing a university for an online healthcare degree, it’s important to seek out programs that have a range of factors that enable them to provide the same level of education as their on-campus counterparts. Obviously, choosing a university is a personal decision, and can be influenced by cost, geography, and prestige – however there are some standards that exist in online degree programs that should be considered alongside these factors. One is offering coursework that mirrors traditional programs and provides a balance of live classes and work to be completed on your own time. Another is technical support for difficulties operating the systems and platforms of the specific online program in question. Finally, and perhaps most importantly to a degree in a healthcare field, is having teams set up to help students obtain clinical placement – something that is vital to the completion of many programs in health.

Online Healthcare Degree Checklist

Live, Interactive Classes

Clinical Placement Teams

Small Average Class Sizes

Technical Support Teams

Online Healthcare Program Options

Speech Pathology

Earning a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology allows you to work in the vast field of speech, communication and swallowing disorders, and to specialize in different components of speech and language development.

Learn more about SLP Careers and Online Speech Pathology Programs

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists help patients by providing hands-on care to improve motion, strengthen physical function, reduce pain, and minimize the potential for physical disability. Doctorate in Physical Therapy programs (DPT) help teach aspiring physical therapists how to succeed in the field.

Learn more about PT Careers and Online Physical Therapy Programs

Occupational Therapy

Helping people develop the physical and mental skills to perform daily functions is a rewarding and fundamental attribute of being an occupational therapists. For most occupational therapists, their career arc ends with a license to work in school, healthcare, or rehabilitation environments, performing as a therapist-clinician.

Learn more about OT Careers and Online Occupational Therapy Programs

Nurse Practitioner

Online MSN programs are a blend of core nursing courses as well as coursework and practicum experiences tailored to a student’s chosen APRN or Nurse Practitioner specialty.

Learn more about NP Careers and Online Masters in Nursing Programs

Family Nurse Practitioner

Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is can be a rewarding and potentially lucrative career move for Registered Nurses (RNs). The FNP role goes beyond the typical RN experience with added responsibilities and authorities.

Learn more about FNP Careers and Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs

Midwifery

An online midwifery program is an alluring advancement option for Registered Nurses (RNs) with an interest in a wide range of women’s health practices who are looking for a rewarding and lucrative specialization.

Learn more about Midwife Careers and Online Midwifery Programs

Salaries for Health Care Professions

The salary outlook for those in healthcare professions varies widely from career to career based on field, experience level, and educational level. With that being said, on the whole, the future for careers in healthcare is fairly bright. According to the BLS, employment for careers in healthcare is expected to grow at a rate of 14% between 2018 and 2018 – faster than the average growth across all occupations. The median annual salary for healthcare practitioners and technicians (including nurses, doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and many more occupations) was $66,440 as of May 2018, a number significantly higher than the average salary across all occupations.

One of the most appealing things about entering into the field of healthcare is the seemingly endless career paths that are presented to you. Your choice of career field within healthcare might depend on a few factors, including: how much schooling you wish to undergo, your salary expectations, and your desired work-life balance. These factors, as well as numerous others, should be weighed before choosing a program to help you achieve your healthcare ambitions.

To the right is a table depicting the average salaries associated with just a few of the many job titles that exist under the umbrella of the healthcare field.

Job TitleAverage Annual Wage
Physician and Surgeon
$208,000
Dentist
$156,240
Pharmacist
$126,120
Nurse Practitioner
$113,930
Physician’s Assistant
$108,610
Physical Therapist
$87,930
Occupational Therapist
$84,270
Speech Pathologist
$77,510
Registered Nurse
$71,730

Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018