Because of a very good employment outlook for most medical occupations over the next decade, right now is the perfect time for anyone considering beginning a career in healthcare in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Labor forecasts that jobs in the Health Science field will increase at the highest rates in the labor marketplace. Oregon’s growth is in line with the national trend for the healthcare field. Undoubtedly, medical field workers are in high demand almost everywhere. In a bit of even better news for any person interested in going into the field, according to the 2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), there are presently over a million unfilled job openings (around 50% of all positions) for healthcare personnel in the U.S.
Beginning a career in healthcare in Oregon
The rapid growth of the healthcare marketplace in Oregon plays a part in the 18% growth rate that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts for the United States through 2026. An aging adult population and greater number of insurable people are the primary drivers for this rapid growth. Thanks to these factors, there is an enormous range of employment possibilities for people from all walks of life.
The Best Healthcare Programs in Oregon
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type |
|---|---|---|
| Abdill Career College Inc | 843 E Main Ste 203, Medford, Oregon 97504-7137 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences | 5005 SW Macadam Ave, Portland, Oregon 97239 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| Birthingway College of Midwifery | 12113 SE Foster Rd, Portland, Oregon 97266 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit |
| Blue Mountain Community College | 2411 NW Carden Ave, Pendleton, Oregon 97801 | 2-year, Public |
| Carrington College-Portland | 2004 Lloyd Center, 3rd Fl., Portland, Oregon 97232-1309 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Central Oregon Community College | 2600 NW College Way, Bend, Oregon 97703 | 2-year, Public |
| Chemeketa Community College | 4000 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, Oregon 97305 | 2-year, Public |
| Clackamas Community College | 19600 Molalla Ave, Oregon City, Oregon 97045-8980 | 2-year, Public |
| Clatsop Community College | 1651 Lexington Avenue, Astoria, Oregon 97103 | 2-year, Public |
| Columbia Gorge Community College | 400 E Scenic Dr, The Dalles, Oregon 97058 | 2-year, Public |
| Concorde Career College-Portland | 1425 NE Irving Street, Bldg 300, Portland, Oregon 97232-4203 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Concordia University-Portland | 2811 NE Holman Street, Portland, Oregon 97211-6099 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Corban University | 5000 Deer Park Dr SE, Salem, Oregon 97317-9392 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| East West College of the Healing Arts | 525 NE Oregon St, Portland, Oregon 97232-0000 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Eastern Oregon University | One University Blvd, La Grande, Oregon 97850 | 4-year, Public |
| George Fox University | 414 N Meridian St, Newberg, Oregon 97132 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Institute of Technology | 4700 Silverton Road NE, Salem, Oregon 97305 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Klamath Community College | 7390 South Sixth Street, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603-7121 | 2-year, Public |
| Lane Community College | 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene, Oregon 97405-0640 | 2-year, Public |
| Lewis & Clark College | 0615 S W Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, Oregon 97219-7899 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Linfield College-McMinnville Campus | 900 SE Baker, McMinnville, Oregon 97128-6894 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Linfield College-Online and Continuing Education | 900 SE Baker Street, McMinnville, Oregon 97128-6894 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Linfield College-School of Nursing | 2255 NW Northrup St, Portland, Oregon 97210-2932 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Linn-Benton Community College | 6500 Pacific Blvd SW, Albany, Oregon 97321 | 2-year, Public |
| Mt Hood Community College | 26000 SE Stark St, Gresham, Oregon 97030 | 2-year, Public |
| National University of Natural Medicine | 049 SW Porter Street, Portland, Oregon 97201-4848 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Northwest Christian University | 828 E. 11th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97401-3745 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Oregon Coast Community College | 400 SE College Way, Newport, Oregon 97366 | 2-year, Public |
| Oregon College of Oriental Medicine | 75 NW Couch, Portland, Oregon 97209 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Oregon Health & Science University | 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098 | 4-year, Public |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | 3201 Campus Drive, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601-8801 | 4-year, Public |
| Oregon State University | 1500 SW Jefferson Avenue, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 | 4-year, Public |
| Pacific Bible College | 28 S Fir Street STE 212, Medford, Oregon 97501 | 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Pacific University | 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, Oregon 97116 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Pioneer Pacific College | 27375 SW Parkway Ave, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-9296 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| Portland Community College | 12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97219-7132 | 2-year, Public |
| Portland State University | 724 SW Harrison, Portland, Oregon 97201 | 4-year, Public |
| Rogue Community College | 3345 Redwood Hwy, Grants Pass, Oregon 97527-9291 | 2-year, Public |
| Sage School of Massage & Esthetics | 369 NE Revere Ave Suite 101, Bend, Oregon 97701 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Southern Oregon University | 1250 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland, Oregon 97520 | 4-year, Public |
| Southwestern Oregon Community College | 1988 Newmark Ave, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420-2193 | 2-year, Public |
| Sumner College | 15115 SW Sequoia Parkway #200, Portland, Oregon 97224 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Treasure Valley Community College | 650 College Blvd, Ontario, Oregon 97914 | 2-year, Public |
| Umpqua Community College | 1140 Umpqua College Rd., Roseburg, Oregon 97470-0226 | 2-year, Public |
| University of Oregon | 110 Johnson Hall, Eugene, Oregon 97403 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Portland | 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97203-5798 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| University of Western States | 2900 NE 132nd Ave, Portland, Oregon 97230-3099 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Warner Pacific University | 2219 SE 68th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97215 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies | 2600 SE 98th Ave Ste 200, Portland, Oregon 97266 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Western Oregon University | 345 North Monmouth Ave, Monmouth, Oregon 97361-1394 | 4-year, Public |
| Western Seminary | 5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97215-3367 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
Oregon State Entry-level positions in healthcare
About 49,280 men and women in Oregon are currently employed as Healthcare Support professionals. These workers earn an annual median wage of $36,570, that places them near the top of those positions which don’t call for a college degree.
The section below shows ten popular healthcare occupations in Oregon, as well as their training requirements, job outlook, and median compensation.
| Oregon Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 890 | 41.41 | 86140 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 2080 | 19.02 | 39560 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 4260 | 19.10 | 39730 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 3090 | 24.54 | 51040 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 3170 | 22.38 | 46560 |
| Home Health Aides | 5050 | 11.98 | 24930 |
| Nursing Assistants | 12800 | 15.48 | 32190 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | 310 | 29.43 | 61210 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 750 | 28.58 | 59440 |
| Dental Assistants | 5480 | 20.42 | 42470 |
| Medical Assistants | 11430 | 17.78 | 36990 |
| Phlebotomists | 1920 | 18.49 | 38450 |
How to get started in Oregon Allied Health
Though it is possible to get hired in some positions without graduating from a professional training program, a majority of hiring managers in the state would rather hire individuals with some training. Consequently, it is strongly recommended that anybody who is seriously considering a career in healthcare finish a professional, formal training course.
Finishing formal training is often possible in less than one year for many healthcare support occupations.
Getting the necessary healthcare career training in Oregon
Find some of the state’s entry-level healthcare occupations by clicking on the links shown below. Click one of the career names shown below for more information about that career.
- CNA training in Oregon
- Dental assistant programs in Oregon
- EMT classes in Oregon
- HHA training in Oregon
- LPN training in Oregon
- Medical assistant schools in Oregon
- Medical billing & coding classes in Oregon
- Pharmacy technician courses in Oregon
- Phlebotomy classes in Oregon
- Ultrasound technician courses in Oregon
The healthcare labor market in Oregon
While it is possible to get Healthcare Support positions in almost every area of Oregon, the Portland region of the state has the highest concentration of jobs. The greater Portland area is home to the state’s largest concentration of health workers with approximately 28,760 employed there.
Significant towns and cities in Oregon where there is a large number of healthcare job opportunities are:
- Portland, OR
- Eugune, OR
- Salem, OR
- Bearverton, OR
- Corvallis, OR
- Albany, OR
- Bend, OR