Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Health Sciences, Medical Assisting, Health Information Management, Radiologic Technology and Medical Imaging, Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Medical Services, Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Surgical Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science. Each major below links to what it includes, the skills you build, career paths, suggested minors and how many colleges report awarding it.
Colleges: active, degree-granting U.S. schools that reported awarding at least one degree or certificate in the field, IPEDS completions, awards conferred July 2023 to June 2024 (C2024_A).
Nursing
Prepares you to assess, treat and educate patients as part of a healthcare team. Nursing programs combine science courses with supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other care settings.
Skills: Patient assessment, Medication administration, Clinical judgment, and Communication with patients and families. Pairs well with: Psychology, Public Health, Healthcare Administration.
Healthcare Administration
Teaches you to manage the business side of hospitals, clinics and health systems. Healthcare administration combines business courses with health policy, law and ethics.
Skills: Budgeting and financial analysis, Regulatory compliance, Staff scheduling and supervision, and Data and quality reporting. Pairs well with: Business, Accounting, Public Health.
Public Health
Studies how to prevent disease and improve the health of whole communities. Public health majors learn how diseases spread, how health is shaped by environment and behavior, and how programs and policies protect populations.
Skills: Data analysis, Program planning and evaluation, Health communication, and Research methods. Pairs well with: Statistics, Biology, Sociology.
Health Sciences
A broad science-based major that prepares you for clinical programs and health careers. Health sciences programs cover biology, anatomy, health care delivery and research, and many students use the major to prepare for graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, pharmacy or medicine.
Skills: Scientific reasoning, Medical terminology, Research and data interpretation, and Patient communication. Pairs well with: Psychology, Chemistry, Public Health.
Medical Assisting
A short program that prepares you for clinical and administrative work in medical offices. Medical assisting programs, offered as certificates and associate degrees, teach both front-office tasks such as scheduling and billing and back-office clinical tasks such as taking vital signs, preparing patients and assisting providers.
Skills: Taking vital signs, Patient intake and scheduling, Electronic health records, and Infection control. Pairs well with: Healthcare Administration, Spanish, Psychology.
Health Information Management
Teaches you to manage, protect and code patient health records and data. Health information management (HIM) sits where healthcare meets data.
Skills: Medical coding, Data accuracy and auditing, Privacy and compliance, and Database and records management. Pairs well with: Information Technology, Data Analytics, Business.
Radiologic Technology and Medical Imaging
Prepares you to create medical images such as X-rays, CT, MRI and ultrasound. Medical imaging programs teach anatomy, patient positioning, radiation safety and the operation of imaging equipment, with extensive clinical practice.
Skills: Operating imaging equipment, Radiation protection, Patient positioning and care, and Image quality evaluation. Pairs well with: Physics, Healthcare Administration, Psychology.
Respiratory Therapy
Prepares you to evaluate and treat patients with breathing and heart-lung problems. Respiratory therapy programs teach cardiopulmonary anatomy, ventilator management, airway care and diagnostic testing, with clinical rotations in intensive care and emergency settings.
Skills: Ventilator and airway management, Patient assessment, Emergency response, and Equipment troubleshooting. Pairs well with: Biology, Healthcare Administration, Gerontology.
Emergency Medical Services
Trains you to provide emergency care at the scene and during transport. EMS programs range from short EMT courses to paramedic certificates and associate degrees.
Skills: Emergency patient care, Calm decision-making under pressure, CPR and life support, and Radio communication. Pairs well with: Emergency Management, Spanish, Psychology.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Studies human movement, exercise and physical activity for health and performance. Kinesiology and exercise science majors study anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology and motor learning.
Skills: Fitness testing, Exercise program design, Coaching and motivation, and Injury prevention. Pairs well with: Nutrition, Psychology, Business.
Nutrition and Dietetics
Studies food, nutrients and diet and how they affect health and disease. Nutrition and dietetics majors learn biochemistry, food science, medical nutrition therapy and community nutrition.
Skills: Diet assessment and planning, Nutrition counseling, Food safety, and Scientific reasoning. Pairs well with: Exercise Science, Psychology, Chemistry.
Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting
Prepares you to clean teeth, take X-rays and support dentists in patient care. Dental assisting programs are usually certificates, while dental hygiene programs are typically associate degrees, with bachelor's options.
Skills: Preventive dental care, Taking dental X-rays, Infection control, and Patient education. Pairs well with: Public Health, Spanish, Business.
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Studies medications: how they work, how they are made and how they are dispensed safely. Pharmacy-related programs range from pharmacy technician certificates to bachelor's degrees in pharmaceutical sciences and the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) required to practice as a pharmacist.
Skills: Medication accuracy, Dosage calculation, Pharmacy software, and Regulatory compliance. Pairs well with: Chemistry, Business, Spanish.
Surgical Technology
Prepares you to set up operating rooms and assist surgeons during procedures. Surgical technology programs teach sterile technique, surgical instruments, anatomy and operating room procedures, with clinical rotations in surgery departments.
Skills: Aseptic technique, Instrument handling, Anticipating surgeon needs, and Attention to detail. Pairs well with: Biology, Healthcare Administration.
Medical Laboratory Science
Prepares you to run the lab tests doctors use to diagnose and treat disease. Medical laboratory science programs cover clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and blood banking, with practice in hospital labs.
Skills: Laboratory testing, Specimen handling, Quality control, and Laboratory instruments. Pairs well with: Chemistry, Data Analytics, Biology.
Practical training for healthcare careers
These Career Education Institute courses connect to the careers above. Each is a short, self-paced online course about one job.
A self-paced online course on what medical administrative assistants do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: patient scheduling, insurance eligibility verification, and electronic health records (EHR)
Why it fits: Connected to your Healthcare Administration major
A self-paced online course on what phlebotomists do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: venipuncture and capillary collection, order of draw and tube additives, and specimen labeling and processing
Why it fits: Connected to your Health Sciences major
A self-paced online course on what medical billing and coding specialists do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding, CPT and HCPCS Level II procedure coding, and medical terminology and anatomy
Why it fits: Connected to your Healthcare Administration major
A self-paced online course on what registered nurses do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: patient assessment, medication administration and dosage calculation, and IV therapy
Why it fits: Connected to your Nursing major
A self-paced online course on what medical assistants do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: vital signs measurement, injections (intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal), and phlebotomy and specimen handling
Why it fits: Connected to your Health Sciences major
A self-paced online course on what health educators do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: needs assessment, program planning, and curriculum design
Why it fits: Connected to your Public Health major
Why consider career training alongside college?
Your college major gives you an academic foundation. Short career training can add practical knowledge of a specific job: what the work involves day to day, its vocabulary, common tasks, tools and safety rules. You do not have to wait until graduation: many students take a short course to test a career before choosing a major, to prepare for an internship or a part-time job, or to show employers they understand the work.
Healthcare majors: frequently asked questions
What are the best healthcare majors?
The best major depends on the career you want. Common choices include Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Health Sciences, and Medical Assisting. Compare the careers, coursework and skills for each.
How many healthcare majors are there?
This guide covers 15 majors in healthcare: Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Health Sciences, Medical Assisting, Health Information Management, Radiologic Technology and Medical Imaging, Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Medical Services, Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Surgical Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science. Colleges may use different names for similar programs.
What careers can you get with a healthcare major?
Careers connected to these majors include registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, medical and health services manager, medical administrative assistant, health educator, community health worker, medical assistant, and physical therapist assistant. Some require a degree and a license, while others start with a certificate or on-the-job training.
Which healthcare majors are offered at the most colleges?
Nursing (2,205 colleges), Kinesiology and Exercise Science (1,046 colleges), Health Sciences (991 colleges), and Healthcare Administration (806 colleges), based on IPEDS completions data.
Which healthcare programs can you start with a certificate or associate degree?
Nursing, Health Sciences, Medical Assisting, Health Information Management, Radiologic Technology and Medical Imaging, Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Medical Services, Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Surgical Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science are commonly offered as certificates or associate degrees, as well as at higher levels at some schools.
What skills do healthcare majors build?
Common skills include patient assessment, medication administration, budgeting and financial analysis, regulatory compliance, data analysis, program planning and evaluation, scientific reasoning, and medical terminology.
Can I study healthcare online?
Many colleges that offer these majors also report offering fully online programs. Use the college search with a major selected and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with each school which programs are online.
Can I start training for a healthcare career before I finish college?
Yes. Short online career training can help you learn what a specific job involves and build practical knowledge while you study. It does not replace a degree or a required license.