In Demand Business Careers in Healthcare

Check out this post on the My Insider Coach career blog about business careers in healthcare. It provides good information for business professionals looking for new career options.

How Employers View Online Degrees

When online degrees were a new and emerging division of education, many employers thought that these degrees were not as valid as degrees from brick and mortar institutions. The evolution from distrust to the currently accepted trend has taken time. Naturally, when a new technology is introduced there is bound to be skepticism. These feelings of unrest were most likely compounded when early emerging unaccredited diploma mills interested in making fast money surfaced. Soon, a few accredited colleges and universities began to offer online programs and people began to see the benefits of online learning. Now there are a growing number of online programs and courses offered from a number of legitimate and well-known universities that make it difficult to decipher differences between online and traditional degrees. All of this support adds to the acceptance that is now felt towards someone earning a degree online. Continue reading

Pharmacy Technician Careers and Job Description

Currently, the future job outlook for pharmacy technicians and aides is strong and growing fast, so now is the time to get involved and see if this career path is something worth investigating.



The career outlook for pharmacy aides is good. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the expected increase in job opportunities is 25% to 2018. This is a faster than average for all occupations. This is due to the ever-aging population requiring more prescription drugs and the possibilities for the increase in health prescription drug coverage. Job creation will be made to replace people leaving this occupation as they advance. The average yearly income is fairly competitive considering the qualifications can be minimal compared to some other careers. Continue reading here.

8 Fastest Growing Allied Health Professions

There are many incentives to begin a allied health related career. Well over 13 million workers are already employed in the healthcare field according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and job creation is projected to grow 20% by 2014 – that translates to long-term job security.

The majority of these positions will be in a sector of health care called Allied Health. Reviewing the expected employment growth and average salary of the top 8 allied health careers should help assist in determining which path to choose.

Top Seven Healthcare Careers to Consider Entering

1. Audiology: Audiology professionals help people who have ear defects, diseases and injuries that lead to hearing loss, balance problems and related difficulties. Earning a bachelor’s degree in this field can qualify you as an audiology technician, while becoming an audiologist requires a Master's Degree in Audiology or doctorate.

Average Annual Salary, Audiologist: $40,360 - $98,880*

2. Nursing: Registered nurses (RNs) perform the bulk of day-to-day nursing duties, from evaluating patients to providing front-line care. To become an RN you must earn at least an associate’s degree in nursing and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Those who plan to elevate their careers into administration or advanced nursing practice often complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

Average Annual Salary, Registered Nurse: $43,410 - $92,240*

3. Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapists help patients with injuries, diseases or age-related problems recover or improve their everyday living and working abilities. A Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy is required to practice this profession.

Average Annual Salary, Occupational Therapist: $42,820 - $98,310*

4. Pharmacy: There are two levels of pharmacy work: pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians typically earn pharmacy certificates or associate’s degrees in pharmacy. If you want to become a pharmacist, you will need to first earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a related field – such as biology or chemistry – and then complete a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program.

Average Annual Salary, Pharmacist: $77,390 - $131,440*

5. Physical Therapy: Like occupational therapists, physical therapists treat patients with injuries, diseases or age-related problems. Their goal is usually to help those patients recover normal or close-to-normal use of a damaged physical ability. A Master of Science (MS) in Physical Therapy is required to practice this profession.

Average Annual Salary, Physical Therapist: $50,350 - $104,350*

6. Physician Assistant: Physician assistants (PAs) provide diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic healthcare services as delegated by a medical doctor (MD). They are sometimes the principal care providers in small rural or inner-city clinics where the availability of MDs is limited. PA programs typically take at least two years to complete and require previous healthcare experience, a college degree, or both to enroll.

Average Annual Salary, Physician Assistant: $51,360 - $110,240*

7. Radiologic Technology: Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations, such as x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The education requirements can be met at the certificate, associate's degree or bachelor’s degree level; those with Radiologic Technologist Associate's Degree or higher typically have access to better positions and higher salaries.

Average Annual Salary, Radiologic Technologist: $35,100 - $74,970*

*All salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition

Receent Articles on In-Demand Degrees and Top Paying Careers

If you are in the process of picking a major, starting a new job or considering a next career. U.S News University Directory has recently published several new articles that can help individuals identify in-demand and top-paying fields that  have projected growth well into the future.

Research top careers and degree programs

Training Times & Starting Salaries for 6 Top Jobs
It could take mere months or it could take many years to achieve your dream job, but whether you're starting out in an entry-level position or setting your sights on higher-levels of the ladder, you can expect to undergo some amount of training.

The Highs and Lows: Choosing a Degree That Pays You Back
5 majors that will get you ahead and 5 that could leave you in major debt

How to Pick the Best College for You (and Your Wallet)
Students applying to college and for financial aid are being hit with a double whammy right now: Acceptance letters and financial aid packages. Here's some advice on how to handle it.

No-GMAT MBA Programs and No-GRE Master’s Degree Programs Gaining Popularity
Examination of  the increasing interest in no-GMAT MBAs and no-GRE master’s degrees, especially among working adults.

Take Advantage of Lower-Cost Education Options
Explore five careers you can enter by completing relatively inexpensive accredited associate's degrees and certificate programs

Allied Health Education and Careers

Allied Health Education Grows

Both allied health workers and training are in great demand. The need for professionals with allied health degrees and certificates is expected to grow significantly over the next ten years.  To help individuals looking for information about these emerging careers and related education programs U.S News University Directory has launched a new section dedicated to the topic. The area highlights some of the most popular degree and certificate categories that are offered on-campus or through allied health distance learning programs. Some of the most in-demand programs that are now available from top schools and colleges include medical transcription training, pharmacy assistant programs and audiology degrees.

The section also contains overviews of a large collection of Allied health careers and job profiles.  Each career page provides a full job description, education requirements, earnings outlook and a video overview for some of the most sought after allied health professions.   

In addition to education and career information there is also allied health news and topical  articles to keep readers informed about the latest trends in allied health care employment and education.

New Education Programs Available

The U.S. News University Directory recently added several new categories to the online education portal. New categories are focused on degree programs that are in demand or projected to be be in demand by employers over the next decade. 

The combination of industries needing educated and skilled workers and the growing numbers of adults looking to advance their education and earning power. Has fueled the creation of many new educational programs in fields like healthcare, business and technology. Many of these new offerings are available partially or totally online. 

A sample of the recent additionas includes:

• Online Finance Degree Programs
• International Business Degrees
• Master's in Nursing Programs
• Social Work Degrees
• Pharmacy Degrees and Programs

State of the Union 2011 Emphasizes Education and Jobs

Last weeks State of the Union address highlighted the need to support and encourage education and innovation in order to create jobs and prepare the workforce of the future. For an in-depth look at what the President said and what it means to students and adult learners read the following articles from U.S. News University Directory. 

Where Will the Jobs Come From in the Next 10 Years
Promoting private sector job growth and restoring American competitiveness were at the centerpiece of President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address on Jan. 25.

Making College Education Accessible and Affordable
In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama stressed the importance of increasing the quality and availability of education.

"We Do Big Things"
In his State of the Union 2011 address, the President spoke plainly about what America must do to compete in the 21st Century.

January 2011 In-Demand Careers Spotlight

Human Resource Managers - With 22% job growth projected during the next decade and average earnings ranging from $74, 000 to over $124, 000 it is easy to see why human resources is an in-demand field.



More In-Demand High-Paying Careers

• Public Relations Manager - Over 13% job growth expected and yearly earnings potential of $125,000 or more.
• Physical Therapist Jobs - Strong demand through 2018 and average earnings between $62,000 and $87,000 a year.
• Market Research Analyst Careers - Job growth estimates of 26% over the next 8 to ten years and yearly salary between $44,000 and $85,000 qualify market analyst as a hot career.