What Do Health Care Jobs Pay? Salaries, Job List, and More

Health care can be equally financially and personally rewarding. In this industry you'll help and guide others toward their health goals; the health care industry also has a higher-than-average salary alongside increased job demand.

In a report compiled by the Canadian Citizenship & Immigration Resource Center based on Job Bank Canada data, the top seven most in-demand health care jobs in Canada include:

• Registered nurses (RNs)

• Licensed practical nurses (LPNs)

• Medical administrative assistants

• Medical lab technicians

• Medical secretaries

• Hospital administrators

• Home support workers [1] 

In this article, you’ll learn about the pay range you can expect in the health care industry in Canada and find a list of common health care professions, their most common qualifications, and their average annual wage. Health care is a growing industry, so read on to learn if there’s a job that meets your financial goals. 

Health care job pay range 

There is a wide range of health care jobs and accompanying salaries. Among the highest-paying health care jobs are physicians and surgeons, who earn an average annual salary of $209,236 and $264,656, respectively, in Canada as of August 2024 [3, 4]. On the lower salary end, non-certified health care aides make a median salary of $48,348 CAD per year [5]. 

Health care jobs and salaries 

The pay you can expect to earn in the health care industry highly depends on your position. To help you get a better idea of the kind of jobs that meet your financial goals, the sections below cover some of the biggest health care areas, followed by a list of associated jobs and their salaries. 

Note: All salary information is sourced from Job Bank Canada as of August 2024.

Dentistry

Dental professionals help others care for their teeth, gums, and mouths. Their responsibilities range from cleaning and preparing teeth for medical procedures to diagnosing and treating gum diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis. Typically, dentists operate their own businesses, set their own schedules, and don’t handle medical emergencies. 

Diet, exercise, and physical health

Health care professionals in this area help others achieve their physical fitness goals and treat musculoskeletal ailments. This work is well-suited to individuals looking for health care professions focused on physical health and working closely with patients. 

Nurses, aides, and assistants

Medical professionals working as nurses, aides, or assistants directly assist patients and sometimes administer treatments. The intimate nature of the work means that it is best suited to those who enjoy close contact with others. The most advanced positions, such as nurse practitioners (NP), often perform many of the same duties as physicians. 

Optometry  

Those working in the field of optometry help others with their eye health. While in some cases, this means fitting them for glasses, in others, it means diagnosing and treating eye ailments, such as cataracts or glaucoma. 

Physicians, surgeons, and other medical specialists

Most of these medical professionals require the highest professional degree in their fields, which often requires many years of education. As a result, these professionals are usually qualified to diagnose and treat a wide range of ailments, whether by prescribing medication or conducting surgery. 

Technologists, technicians, and specialists

Health care professionals working as technologists, technicians, or specialists are qualified to handle technical machinery or programs that support either physicians or hospital administrators. While in many cases, this means operating specific machinery such as sonographs or MRIs, in others, it might mean creating and maintaining medical records. 

Therapists

Although the term is most often associated with mental health professionals, therapists are individuals who are trained to treat a variety of disorders. While in some cases, these conditions can be psychological, in others, they can be physical, respiratory, or something else entirely. As a result of their responsibilities, therapists must be credentialed. 

Start your health career with Coursera

The first step to working with patients, creating treatment plans, and healing illness and injury is gaining the required medical knowledge and training. As you are preparing to start your journey toward a health care career, you might consider taking a flexible online course through Coursera.

Rice’s Medical Terminology Specialization introduces course takers to the terms used to describe the 10 major organ systems. The University of Colorado’s Become an EMT Specialization, meanwhile, teaches the skills needed to provide first responder emergency medical care.