Time To Go To Med School? Most New Jobs Likely To Be In Health Care

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. job market is being propped up almost entirely by the health care sector.
• Forecasters expect the trend to continue in February.
• Laid-off workers in other sectors may have a hard time transitioning to the growing field, as many health care jobs require licenses and specialized education.

Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise.

ASK

The health care sector has been one of only a few bright spots in the job market lately, and economists see that trend continuing in the near future.

Friday’s report on the job market from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to show, once again, that the sector was hale and hearty while other occupations were on life support in February.

In January, for example, the sector added 137,000 jobs, accounting for nearly all the month’s job growth, while other industries lost ground. The same was true over the course of 2025—job growth would have been in the red last year if not for health care pushing it into positive territory.

What This Means For The Economy

The concentration of job growth in health care is a sign of weakness in the labor market, since the sector tends to be immune to the ups-and-downs of the economy.

“This sector is almost certain to dominate job growth again in February,” Dean Baker, senior fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, wrote in a commentary.

Data from Revelio Labs showed U.S. employers added 16,000 health care jobs in February while many other sectors lost jobs, the employment data analysis company said Thursday.

The sector has been a saving grace in an economy where many industries have been losing jobs at levels typically seen during recessions, economists at job site Indeed wrote in a research note this week.

“Driven by factors including rising incomes, expanding access to health insurance, medical product innovation, and longer life expectancies, the health care and social assistance subsector has been steadily increasing as a share of the labor force for over 30 years,” economist Felix Aidala and analyst Sneha Puri wrote.

Related Education

Exploring the Healthcare Sector: Industries, Key Statistics, and More

Five Reasons to Consider Investing in Healthcare

The trend is only intensifying as baby boomers age and require more assistance. Unfortunately for job seekers, however, the best jobs in the field require licenses that can take years and extensive education.

“The subsector’s ability to serve as a safety valve for displaced workers is limited,” Aidala and Puri wrote. “High licensing requirements in several health care and social assistance occupations create steep barriers for those looking to transition from other, slowing industries.”

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at

[email protected]