Thinking about going into the growing field of healthcare? Concordia University Ann Arbor offers programs in many of the top healthcare careers.
With so many of America’s largest generational cohort—the “baby boomers”—retiring every day, it’s no secret that the demand for qualified healthcare professionals has nowhere to go but up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare is expected to add 1.9 million jobs between 2018 and 2028—more than any other occupational grouping.
The digital publishing company Sechel Ventures utilized BLS data to round up a list of the top 50 health careers of the moment. The list takes into consideration:
- Career growth (Potential for employment)
- Salary
- Flexibility and return on investment
And guess what? Four programs offered at Concordia University Ann Arbor show up among the first 17 on the list—including six in the top 10 healthcare careers. Take a look!
No. 1 on the list—Physical Therapist
Sechel Ventures says: “Physical therapy tops this health career list because it is a lucrative position with expected growth in the coming years. It also offers a relatively flexible and comfortable lifestyle. As of May 2021, the median annual wage for physical therapists was $95,620, and demand for these health professionals is expected to grow by 21 percent in the decade preceding 2030. Unlike some other health professionals, physical therapists can often make their hours, choose their clients, and are more likely to be self-employed.”
The Concordia degree: CUAA offers a new Doctorate of Physical Therapy program.
No. 3 on the list—Nurse Practitioner
Article says: “In many states, nurse practitioners are licensed to do much of what physicians can do. As the demand for healthcare services increases over the next decade, the demand for nurse practitioners is expected to increase by 45 percent (2020 to 2030). With a median salary of $120,680, this career is even more lucrative than physician assistants (or associates), particularly for in-demand specializations like adult care, gerontology, neonatal, pediatric, and more.”
The Concordia degree: Our Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing degree is an online program that is run from our partner campus in Mequon, Wisconsin. Due to the convenience of the online format, students can take the program in a wide variety of states, and then find on-the-ground clinical placements wherever they live. *Some states are excluded due to state’s Board of Nursing regulations.
No. 4 on the list—Physician Assistant
Article says: “Not to be confused with medical assistants, physician assistants are highly trained health workers with advanced degrees who work closely with medical doctors to diagnose and treat illness. In May 2021, the median salary for a physician assistant in the US was $121,530, helping to make this challenging career one of the most lucrative in healthcare. The demand for physician assistants is expected to increase by 31 percent between 2020 and 2030.”
The Concordia degree: Concordia launched its first-ever Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program in January 2021.
No. 7 on the list—Occupational Therapist
Article says: “The BLS has noted that the demand for occupational therapists is expected to grow much faster than the average (8 percent) at 17 percent by the year 2030. This growth, coupled with a relatively high median salary of $85,570 (BLS May 2021) per year, makes this a highly desirable career pursuit. OTs typically have at least a master’s degree.”
The Concordia degree: Our Doctor of Occupational Therapy program launched in fall 2022.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2025.
Want in?
CUAA will continue to offer degrees in 2025-26 and beyond. Pursue a degree in healthcare at our North Building with its newly remodeled features and state-of-the-art simulation equipment, or earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education through one of our well-established online programs. The CUAA campus continues to offer a route to a Lutheran Teacher Diploma to help equip Lutheran K-12 schools nationwide with qualified workers. CUAA has also announced the launch of a new Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DE-MSN) program, designed specifically for career changers who hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and are ready to pursue a future in nursing. The first cohort will begin in fall 2026.
Click here to view a full list of the programs Concordia will retain in Ann Arbor. Click below to schedule a visit with an Admissions team member.