Because of a very good job outlook for many medical professions through the next few years, today is the perfect time for anyone thinking about beginning a career in healthcare in the state of Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Labor projects that jobs in the Health Science industry will grow at one of the highest rates in the job market. The record growth in healthcare in Connecticut mirrors the same phenomenon that’s occurring around the country. Demand is great, and so is the need for new workers. In a little bit of even better news for anyone interested in entering the healthcare field, (based on the 2018 JOLTS Survey – Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey), there are well over one million unfilled healthcare jobs in the nation.
A look at healthcare careers in Connecticut
As is true all around the U.S. (the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an 18% growth in healthcare jobs over the next decade), the health industry in Connecticut is also experiencing record growth. An older adult population and greater number of insurable patients are the primary drivers for this rapid expansion. As a result of these factors, there is an enormous number of employment opportunities for people from all walks of life.
The Best Healthcare Schools in Connecticut
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type |
|---|---|---|
| Albertus Magnus College | 700 Prospect St, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-1189 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| American Institute-West Hartford | 99 South Street, West Hartford, Connecticut 06110-1922 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Asnuntuck Community College | 170 Elm St, Enfield, Connecticut 06082 | 2-year, Public |
| Branford Hall Career Institute-Branford Campus | One Summit Place, Branford, Connecticut 06405 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Branford Hall Career Institute-Southington Campus | 35 N Main St, Southington, Connecticut 06489 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Capital Community College | 950 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103 | 2-year, Public |
| Central Connecticut State University | 1615 Stanley St, New Britain, Connecticut 06050 | 4-year, Public |
| Charter Oak State College | 55 Paul Manafort Drive, New Britain, Connecticut 06053 | 4-year, Public |
| Cortiva Institute-Groton | 1154 Poquonnock Rd, Groton, Connecticut 06340 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Cortiva Institute-Newington | 75 Kitts Lane, Newington, Connecticut 06111-3975 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Cortiva Institute-Westport | 25 Sylvan Rd South, Westport, Connecticut 06880-4619 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | 83 Windham St, Willimantic, Connecticut 06226 | 4-year, Public |
| Fairfield University | 1073 N Benson Rd, Fairfield, Connecticut 06824-5195 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Gateway Community College | 20 Church Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510 | 2-year, Public |
| Goodwin College | One Riverside Drive, East Hartford, Connecticut 06118 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit |
| Harris School of Business-Danbury | 155 Main Street, Suite 302, Danbury, Connecticut 06810-7857 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Housatonic Community College | 900 Lafayette Blvd, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604-4704 | 2-year, Public |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain | 200 John Downey Dr, New Britain, Connecticut 06051 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton | 8 Progress Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 06484 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Manchester Community College | Great Path, Manchester, Connecticut 06040 | 2-year, Public |
| Middlesex Community College | 100 Training Hill Rd, Middletown, Connecticut 06457-4829 | 2-year, Public |
| Mitchell College | 437 Pequot Avenue, New London, Connecticut 06320 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Naugatuck Valley Community College | 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, Connecticut 06708-3089 | 2-year, Public |
| Northwestern Connecticut Community College | Park Pl E, Winsted, Connecticut 06098 | 2-year, Public |
| Norwalk Community College | 188 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06854 | 2-year, Public |
| Porter and Chester Institute of Branford | 221 W Main St, Branford, Connecticut 06405 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Porter and Chester Institute of Stratford | 670 Lordship Blvd, Stratford, Connecticut 06615-7158 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Post University | 800 Country Club Rd, Waterbury, Connecticut 06723 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Quinebaug Valley Community College | 742 Upper Maple St, Danielson, Connecticut 06239-1436 | 2-year, Public |
| Quinnipiac University | Mt Carmel Ave, Hamden, Connecticut 06518 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Sacred Heart University | 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825-1000 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Southern Connecticut State University | 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06515-1355 | 4-year, Public |
| Stone Academy-East Hartford | 745 Burnside Avenue, East Hartford, Connecticut 06108 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Stone Academy-Waterbury | 101 Pierpont Road, Waterbury, Connecticut 06705 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Stone Academy-West Haven | 560 Saw Mill Road, West Haven, Connecticut 06516 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Three Rivers Community College | 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich, Connecticut 06360 | 2-year, Public |
| Tunxis Community College | 271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, Connecticut 06032-3187 | 2-year, Public |
| University of Bridgeport | 126 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604-5620 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| University of Connecticut | 352 Mansfield Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Hartford | 200 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, Connecticut 06117-1599 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| University of New Haven | 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, Connecticut 06516-1916 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| University of Saint Joseph | 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut 06117 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Western Connecticut State University | 181 White Street, Danbury, Connecticut 06810-6826 | 4-year, Public |
| Yale University | Woodbridge Hall, New Haven, Connecticut 06520 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
Healthcare support positions in CT
Even though many people see physicians and other professional-level positions as common health workers, the reality is that most of the those employed in the industry are employed in either nursing or Healthcare Support Occupations (49,930 in Connecticut). With an annual median salary of $35,270, these support professionals earn a decent salary for occupations which don’t require a four-year college degree.
The area below highlights 10 popular medical field jobs in Connecticut, and their training prerequisites, employment outlook, and median salary.
| Connecticut Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 920 | 38.72 | 80550 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 3320 | 22.99 | 47810 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 3780 | 16.81 | 34960 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 7750 | 27.51 | 57210 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 1900 | 23.24 | 48330 |
| Home Health Aides | 6840 | 13.38 | 27830 |
| Nursing Assistants | 21710 | 15.85 | 32970 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | 510 | 30.81 | 64080 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 680 | 29.55 | 61470 |
| Dental Assistants | 4030 | 21.06 | 43800 |
| Medical Assistants | 7520 | 17.55 | 36510 |
| Phlebotomists | 1220 | 19.41 | 40370 |
Getting started in the healthcare field in CT
The majority of professional medical employers prefer to hire entry-level employees who have recently completed some type of formal training program. For this reason, it’s strongly recommended that anybody who is seriously considering a career in healthcare complete an accredited, formal training course.
When it comes to healthcare support courses, most can be completed in 12 months or less.
Getting the appropriate career training in Connecticut
To check out local training programs for some of Connecticut’s entry-level healthcare careers, click on any of the links shown below. Click on any one of the career titles listed below to find out more about that career.
- CNA certification in Connecticut
- Dental assistant certification in Connecticut
- EMT courses in Connecticut
- HHA classes in Connecticut
- LPN programs in Connecticut
- Medical assistant schools in Connecticut
- Medical billing & coding classes in Connecticut
- Pharmacy technician programs in Connecticut
- Phlebotomy training in Connecticut
- Ultrasound technician courses in Connecticut
- Patient care technician courses in Connecticut
The healthcare job marketplace in Connecticut
The Hartford region of Connecticut is where the state’s highest concentration of healthcare opportunities can be found. Approximately 19,420 medical field professionals work in Hartford, which is the state’s highest concentration of industry personnel.
The following list reflects all the towns and cities in the state where you will find a significant quantity of healthcare positions.
- Hartford, CT
- Bridgeport, CT
- New Haven, CT
- Dansbury, CT