With an exciting and extremely bright healthcare career job outlook for the majority of medical occupations through the next decade, now is the perfect time for those considering starting one of the top healthcare careers in Mississippi. Per the latest report from the Mississippi Department of Labor, Health Science jobs collectively rank among the state’s fastest-growing careers. The record expansion of the healthcare industry in Mississippi reflects an identical trend which is going on around the nation. The need for new professionals is at unprecedented levels in many metropolitan areas. In point of fact, the national need for healthcare professionals is so high that the 2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) estimates that as many as half of all openings are currently unfilled nationally.
Beginning a career in healthcare in Mississippi
The rapid expansion of the healthcare marketplace in Mississippi plays a part in the 18% growth rate that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts for the nation by 2026. An aging adult population and greater number of insurable patients are the key drivers for this rapid expansion. Thanks to these conditions, there is an enormous range of career possibilities for people from all backgrounds.
The Best Healthcare Schools in Mississippi
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type |
|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University | 1000 ASU Dr Ste 359, Alcorn State, Mississippi 39096-7500 | 4-year, Public |
| Antonelli College-Hattiesburg | 1500 N 31st Ave, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Antonelli College-Jackson | 2323 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, Mississippi 39232 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Belhaven University | 1500 Peachtree St, Jackson, Mississippi 39202 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Blue Cliff College-Gulfport | 12251 Bernard Pkwy, Gulfport, Mississippi 39503 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Blue Mountain College | 201 W Main St, Blue Mountain, Mississippi 38610-9509 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Coahoma Community College | 3240 Friars Point Rd, Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614 | 2-year, Public |
| Concorde Career College-Southaven | 7900 Airways Blvd, Ste 103, Southaven, Mississippi 38671 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College | 1001 Co-Lin Lane, Wesson, Mississippi 39191 | 2-year, Public |
| Delta State University | 1003 W Sunflower Road, Cleveland, Mississippi 38733 | 4-year, Public |
| Delta Technical College | 6550 D Interstate Blvd., Horn Lake, Mississippi 38637 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| East Central Community College | 15738 Highway 15, Decatur, Mississippi 39327-0129 | 2-year, Public |
| East Mississippi Community College | 1512 Kemper Street, Scooba, Mississippi 39358-0158 | 2-year, Public |
| Hinds Community College | 608 Hinds Boulevard, Raymond, Mississippi 39154 | 2-year, Public |
| Holmes Community College | #1 Hill St, Goodman, Mississippi 39079 | 2-year, Public |
| Institute of Health & Technology | 4200 Mamie Street, Suite 120, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Itawamba Community College | 602 W Hill Street, Fulton, Mississippi 38843-1099 | 2-year, Public |
| Jackson State University | 1400 J R Lynch Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39217 | 4-year, Public |
| Jones County Junior College | 900 South Court Street, Ellisville, Mississippi 39437 | 2-year, Public |
| Meridian Community College | 910 Hwy 19 N, Meridian, Mississippi 39307-5801 | 2-year, Public |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Ridgeland | 113 Market Ridge Drive, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157-6027 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Mississippi College | 200 South Capitol Street, Clinton, Mississippi 39058 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Mississippi Delta Community College | Hwy 3 and Cherry St, Moorhead, Mississippi 38761 | 2-year, Public |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | 51 Main Street, Perkinston, Mississippi 39573 | 2-year, Public |
| Mississippi State University | Lee Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 | 4-year, Public |
| Mississippi University for Women | 1100 College Street, Columbus, Mississippi 39701 | 4-year, Public |
| Mississippi Valley State University | 14000 Highway 82 West, Itta Bena, Mississippi 38941-1400 | 4-year, Public |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College | 101 Cunningham Blvd, Booneville, Mississippi 38829 | 2-year, Public |
| Northwest Mississippi Community College | 4975 Hwy 51 N, Senatobia, Mississippi 38668-1714 | 2-year, Public |
| Pearl River Community College | 101 Hwy 11 N, Poplarville, Mississippi 39470 | 2-year, Public |
| Southwest Mississippi Community College | 1156 College Dr, Summit, Mississippi 39666-0000 | 2-year, Public |
| Strayer University-Mississippi | 460 Briarwood Drive, Suite 200, Jackson, Mississippi 39206 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| University of Mississippi | Oxford, Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677-1848 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 118 College Drive # 0001, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001 | 4-year, Public |
| William Carey University | 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401-5499 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
Mississippi Healthcare support roles
Around 31,420 individuals in Mississippi are today working as Healthcare Support professionals. These workers receive an annual median wage of $25,320, which ranks them near the top of those positions which don’t demand a college degree.
In the section below, you can find educational prerequisites and job and salary information for 10 entry-level healthcare positions in Mississippi.
| Louisiana Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 710 | 31.14 | 64770 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 2160 | 17.82 | 37070 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 3860 | 14.65 | 30480 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 8970 | 17.92 | 37280 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 2030 | 16.02 | 33320 |
| Home Health Aides | 4870 | 10.63 | 22120 |
| Nursing Assistants | 12850 | 10.96 | 22790 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | 340 | 27.61 | 57440 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 930 | 23.27 | 48400 |
| Dental Assistants | 2240 | 16.04 | 33360 |
| Medical Assistants | 2930 | 14.61 | 30390 |
| Phlebotomists | 970 | 13.35 | 27770 |
Taking the first step to a Healthcare Career in MS
Regardless of the potential for finding an entry-level job without prior professional training, most facilities in Mississippi would rather employ candidates who have some type of certification. This makes the completion of a formal training class and some kind of specialized credential is a vital step for any person considering a career in healthcare.
Completing formal training is sometimes possible in less than a year for many healthcare support positions.
Where to find courses for Allied Health Careers in Mississippi
By clicking the hyperlinks below, you can check out important information on training in Mississippi for each profession. Click the career titles shown below to learn more about that profession.
- CNA courses in Mississippi
- Dental assistant training in Mississippi
- EMT schools in Mississippi
- HHA training in Mississippi
- LPN schools in Mississippi
- Medical assistant training in Mississippi
- Medical billing & coding programs in Mississippi
- Pharmacy technician classes in Mississippi
- Phlebotomy programs in Mississippi
- Ultrasound technician programs in Mississippi
Where to look for healthcare jobs in Mississippi
There are healthcare job opportunities all across the State of Mississippi. but the Jackson area is where the largest number of professionals are employed by the industry. Roughly 7,800 healthcare workers are employed near Jackson, which is the state’s highest concentration of industry workers.
Significant towns and cities in Mississippi where there exists a significant volume of healthcare job opportunities are:
- Gulfport, MS
- Hattiesburg, MS
- Jackson, MS
- Biloxi, MS
- Pascagoula, MS