Health Occupations Schools and Programs in The United States

Health Occupations Studies in The United States

Health occupations cover the professions that work alongside medicine: nursing, therapy and rehabilitation, diagnostic imaging, laboratory science, dental hygiene, emergency care and health administration, among others. In the United States each of these occupations has its own entry qualification, from a one-year certificate to a clinical doctorate, and most are licensed state by state. SpainExchange lists 153 colleges and universities in the United States under health occupations, from community and technical colleges to research universities with colleges of health sciences.

Qualifications and levels

The level of study depends on the occupation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gives the typical entry-level education for each one:

• Certificate or diploma (postsecondary non-degree award): medical assistants, dental assistants, licensed practical nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Medical assistant programmes take about one or two years
• Associate degree (two years): dental hygienists, respiratory therapists, radiologic and MRI technologists
• Bachelor's degree (four years): registered nurses, dietitians and nutritionists, clinical laboratory technologists
• Master's degree: occupational therapists, physician assistants, speech-language pathologists
• Doctoral or professional degree: physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, physicians

Nursing shows how the routes overlap. According to BLS, registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing programme. Physical therapy sits at the other end: therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, a programme that typically lasts three years and usually requires a bachelor's degree first.

Many universities also offer a general health sciences bachelor's degree as preparation for graduate study. The University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences, for example, states that graduates of its Human Health Sciences degree are prepared to pursue advanced programmes in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies and physical therapy.

Admission and language

Each institution sets its own requirements. Undergraduate applicants need to have completed high school, and universities require an English proficiency test before admission. Clinical programmes may add their own conditions; check them with each programme before applying.

International students need a student visa. The F visa is for study at an accredited college or university; the M visa is for non-academic or vocational training. In both cases the applicant must first be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), whose international student office issues the Form I-20 for the visa application.

Costs

Tuition is set by each institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average tuition and fees in 2022-23 were $4,000 at public two-year colleges, $9,800 at public four-year institutions and $40,700 at private non-profit four-year institutions. The public figures are in-state rates, so international students should check the non-resident rate. Community colleges, where many certificate and associate programmes in health are taught, are the cheaper start, and their credits can count towards a bachelor's degree after transfer to a university.

Where to study health occupations

Boston has the most schools in this directory (five), followed by New York (four) and Baltimore (three); Nashville, San Diego, Pittsburgh and Denver have two each. The schools fall into three groups:

• Community and technical colleges, such as Alexandria Technical & Community College in Minnesota, which lists an Associate Degree of Nursing, Practical Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technician and Medical Coding Specialist programmes, or the Community College of Rhode Island and Broward College
• Universities with a college of health sciences or health professions, such as the University of Kentucky, the University of Pittsburgh, whose School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences advertises more than 30 health care programmes on campus, hybrid and online, Northeastern University in Boston and the University of Florida
• Online universities, such as University of Phoenix, an online university for working adults

Accreditation and licences

Two checks matter more than the name of the school. First, programme accreditation: besides the accreditation of the institution, many health programmes are accredited by a specialised agency. The largest is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), which reports 2,715 accredited programmes in 31 health science professions (checked October 2026). Second, the licence: most health professions are regulated by the states. Registered nurses, for example, need a licence from the state where they work, and to obtain it they must graduate from an approved nursing programme and pass a qualifying exam. All states also license physical therapists.

Students who plan to work in their home country should ask the regulator there how a U.S. qualification is recognised before they enrol. Health professionals trained abroad who want to work in the United States must meet the requirements of the state licensing board.

Careers

According to BLS, overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035, with about 1.9 million openings a year. For registered nurses alone, BLS projects growth of 6% and about 180,800 openings a year over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

Which health occupations can I study in two years or less?

Certificate and associate programmes prepare, among others, medical assistants, licensed practical nurses, dental hygienists, respiratory therapists and radiologic technologists. They are mostly taught at community and technical colleges.

Do I need a bachelor's degree to become a registered nurse?

Not necessarily. BLS lists three paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved nursing programme. In every case the nurse must then obtain a state licence.

How do I know whether a health programme is recognised?

Check that the institution is accredited, that the programme holds the specialised accreditation used in its field (CAAHEP for many allied health programmes) and that it qualifies graduates for the state licence.