Industry Shortfalls: Career Choices With High Opportunity

As unemployment declines, the U.S. economy is increasingly moving into a labor shortage that some experts believe could last as long as 15 years.^* In a number of industries, there are already more available jobs than there are qualified workers to fill them. It’s a problem for business. But it can be an opportunity for you.

If you have the skills to help fill a labor shortage, you’re more likely to enjoy a higher salary and career success. The key is knowing where the biggest labor shortfalls are—and what you can do to qualify for the available jobs. Here are five careers that are forecast to have lots of job growth in the coming years, along with the college degrees/graduate degrees that can help you land the best jobs in those fields.

Nurse Practitioner

Like physicians, nurse practitioners are trained in patient care and can, in most states, treat patients on their own. Since nurse practitioners work in nearly every medical specialty, the profession is helping alleviate the increasing strain on our healthcare system. However, the demand for nurse practitioners may soon eclipse the supply. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of available jobs for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners will increase by 31% from 2016 to 2026, a rate that’s much faster than average.^‡

Best Degree for a Nurse Practitioner Career

• Master of Science in Nursing (considered a prerequisite for all nurse practitioners) 

Healthcare Administrator

The U.S. spends over $3 trillion a year on healthcare, which accounts for nearly 18% of the nation’s GDP.** Keeping such a massive system running requires a lot of managers at every level, from private clinics to hospital systems to insurance companies. However, the healthcare system is so big that the pace of hiring is straining demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of available jobs for medical and health service managers will increase by 20% from 2016 to 2026, a rate that’s much faster than average.^††

Best Degrees for a Healthcare Administrator Career

• BS in Healthcare Management
• Master of Healthcare Administration
• Doctor of Healthcare Administration

What’s the Best Way to Earn a Degree?

If you want to put yourself in position for one of the nation’s most in-demand jobs, you’ll likely want to earn one of the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees mentioned above. But if you’re a working adult, you may be concerned that earning a degree isn’t feasible. The good news is, thanks to online education, it can be.

When you choose an online university for your higher education, you’ll enjoy several advantages. First of all, you can take online courses from home, meaning you don’t have to worry about being close to or even driving to a campus. Secondly, online classes are typically offered on a flexible schedule, allowing you to attend class at whatever time of day works best for you. It’s what makes earning a degree online such a popular choice among working adults.

Best of all, there are plenty of good colleges offering degrees online. If an online school has accreditation, you can be sure it’s meeting rigorous educational standards. And many accredited online colleges offer as wide a variety of degrees as you’ll find at campus-based colleges and universities. Putting online universities on your list of colleges is a great idea if you want to earn a degree that can help launch or advance a career in an in-demand profession.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

*M. Hartman, 15 Years of Labor Shortages Predicted for the U.S. Economy, Marketplace, on the internet at www.marketplace.org/2016/04/19/world/15-years-labor-shortages-predicted-us-economy.

†N. Ismail, Global Shortfall of Cyber Security Workers to Reach 1.8 Million in 5 Years, Information Age, on the internet at www.information-age.com/shortfall-cyber-security-1-8-million-123464493.

‡Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor, on the internet at www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm.

§A. Gershkoff, How to Stem the Global Shortage of Data Scientists, Tech Crunch, on the internet at https://techcrunch.com/2015/12/31/how-to-stem-the-global-shortage-of-data-scientists.

**A. Martin, et. al., National Health Spending: Faster Growth in 2015 as Coverage Expands and Utilization Increases, Health Affairs, on the internet at http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/36/1/166.

††Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor, on the internet at www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm.

‡‡A. Picchi, The Best 11 Jobs in America for 2017, Moneywatch, on the internet at www.cbsnews.com/media/the-best-11-jobs-in-america-for-2017/9.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.