46 healthcare careers that pay well: Entry level to highest paying
Find healthcare careers that pay well, from entry level to the highest paying healthcare jobs. Explore salaries & find your dream career path.
Your neighbour who works at the local hospital probably earns more than you think. While everyone talks about tech salaries or finance bonuses, healthcare workers quietly build stable, well-paid careers that recession-proof their futures.
And these aren’t just jobs for people who aced biology in high school and have always dreamed about becoming a doctor. Healthcare welcomes career changers, school leavers and anyone looking for work that makes a difference and helps pay the bills comfortably.
Australia’s healthcare industry currently employs over 1.7 million people, with 30% working in hospitals alone. That includes everything from Certificate III graduates to surgeons with decades of formal education. No matter how little experience or education you have, there’s an easy way for you to break into healthcare and grow with it. The Institute of Allied Health online courses are the perfect way to get your foot in the door as you start your healthcare career.
Why choose a healthcare career?
People get sick, have accidents and grow old. That means people who work in healthcare get to enjoy one of the most stable job markets in human history. Healthcare workers stay employed during recessions, pandemics, economic downturns and even demographic transitions because society cannot function without their essential services.
And that’s especially true for Australia. Health Care and Social Assistance became the country’s largest employing industry at 14.5% of the workforce. Between 2013 and 2022, the number of registered healthcare professionals actively working increased by 37%. And yet, the job market still hasn’t had enough. More than four in five health professional occupations faced shortages in 2023, which means that employers almost always have to compete for qualified candidates with better pay and working conditions.
Healthcare careers let you start earning immediately and keep advancing throughout your career. Many successful nurses, therapists, doctors and specialists started with basic certificates and eventually worked their way to the top as they pursued further education. The Institute of Allied Health helps students move from entry-level healthcare careers into high-paying healthcare jobs through structured learning pathways that build on your experience.
Plus, the variety within healthcare means you can find work that matches your personality and interests. There are many different types of roles in healthcare:
Clinical roles: They work directly with patients in hospitals, clinics, aged care facilities or community health settings. You’ll be taking care of patients in their day-to-day life and assist with their treatments.
Support positions: Assistants help healthcare teams work smoothly by handling administrative tasks, coordinating with patience, performing maintenance on equipment and running the operations at the facilities.
Technical specialisations: Operating MRI machines and analysing blood samples requires workers with special certifications. Each day brings different diagnostic challenges as you help run tests and diagnostics that help doctors make decisions about how to treat critically ill patients.
Management and leadership: Healthcare departments need someone to coordinate staff schedules, approve budgets and deal with insurance. Senior managers mediate conflicts between team members while implementing new safety protocols.
Research and education: Clinical trials test new treatments that could save lives, while medical educators train future doctors and nurses. Research findings published today might change how we treat diseases tomorrow and you could be a part of that change.
Entry-level healthcare careers
You don’t need to spend years studying to start making a difference in healthcare. Many rewarding (and well-paid!) positions require just Certificate III or IV qualifications that you can complete in 12 to 18 months through flexible online study. The Institute of Allied Health offers nationally recognised training that gets you job-ready in no time, with practical placements that give you real-world experience before you graduate.
These are the top healthcare careers that pay well and don’t require years of experience:
| Role | Role description | Median salary | Flexible study options at IAH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant | Provides hands-on patient care like bathing and feeding under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. | $57,000 | Certificate III in Health Services Assistance |
| Medical Receptionist | Manages patient appointments and handles medical records | $50,000 | Certificate III or IV in Health Administration |
| Phlebotomist | Draws blood samples from patients for testing | $53,000 | |
| Aged Care Worker | Supports elderly residents with daily living activities and provides companionship in residential care facilities | $52,000 | Certificate III in Health Services Assistance |
| Allied Health Assistant | Helps physiotherapists and other specialists deliver treatment programs to patients | $86,000 | Certificate III or IV in Allied Health Assistance |
| Medical Office Assistant | Handles administrative tasks like billing and insurance claims | $53,000 | Certificate III or IV in Health Administration |
| Patient Transport Officer | Safely transports patients within hospitals and between medical facilities | $63,000 | |
| Pharmacy Assistant | Helps pharmacists prepare medications, manage inventory and serve customers in retail and hospital pharmacies | $46,000 | Certificate III in Community Pharmacy |
| Pathology Collector | Collects blood and other specimens from patients for lab testing and analysis | $70,000 | |
| Community Support Worker | Assists people with disabilities or chronic conditions to live independently in their own homes | $67,000 | |
| Hospital Orderly | Keeps patient areas clean and provides general support in hospital wards | $52,000 | Certificate III in Health Services Assistance |
| Medical Equipment Technician | Maintains, repairs and operates medical devices and equipment in healthcare facilities | $62,000 | |
| Medical Records Administrator | Manages patient records and processes medical data | $56,000 | Certificate III in Health Administration |
| Disability Support Worker | Helps people with disabilities participate in community activities and develop independent living skills | $62,000 | |
| Sterilisation Technician | Cleans and sterilises medical instruments and equipment to prevent infections | $57,000 |
*All salaries sourced from Payscale
Mid-level healthcare careers that pay well
These positions require diplomas or bachelor’s degrees but come with a very strong earning potential that justifies the investment in education. You’ll spend two to four years training, but the financial returns and career stability make this pathway worthwhile for many healthcare professionals.
These are the top healthcare careers that pay well:
| Role | Role description | Median salary | Flexible study options at IAH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | Administers medications and coordinates patient care plans | $80,000 | — |
| Dental Hygienist | Cleans teeth, takes X-rays and supports dentists during important procedures | $72,000 | — |
| Radiology Technician | Operates imaging equipment like X-ray and CT machines | $90,000 | — |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | Implements treatment plans that help patients regain their daily living skills after an injury or illness | $51,000 | Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance |
| Physiotherapy Assistant | Supports physiotherapists by guiding patients through exercise programs and rehabilitation activities. | $66,000 | Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance |
| Mental Health Support Worker | Counsels individuals experiencing psychological challenges and connects them with appropriate treatment resources. | $66,000 | — |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Analyses blood, tissue and other specimens to help doctors diagnose diseases and conditions | $60,000 | — |
| Paramedic | Responds to emergency calls and delivers advanced life support care during medical crises and transport to hospitals | $80,000 | — |
| Dental Therapist | Performs routine dental procedures including fillings and extractions | $99,000 | — |
| Respiratory Therapist | Treats patients with breathing disorders using specialised equipment and therapeutic techniques | $60,000 | — |
| Exercise Physiologist | Develops fitness programs for people recovering from illness or managing chronic health conditions | $68,000 | — |
| Sonographer | Uses ultrasound technology to create images of internal organs and developing babies during pregnancy | $97,000 | — |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | Administers radioactive materials and operates imaging equipment to diagnose medical conditions | $85,000 | — |
| Radiation Therapist | Operates machines that deliver targeted radiation treatments to cancer patients | $82,000 | — |
| Medical Imaging Technologist | Performs various diagnostic imaging procedures like MRI, CT scans and mammographies | $85,000 | — |
*All salaries sourced from Payscale
The highest paying healthcare careers in Australia
These high paying healthcare jobs require plenty of formal education and training, but always reward that investment handsomely. Most require advanced university degrees followed by years of specialised training, but the financial compensation reflects the level of expertise and responsibilities.
These are the highest paying healthcare careers in Australia:
*All salaries sourced from Payscale
How to progress from entry-level to high-paying roles
Healthcare careers have some of the clearest advancement pathways of any industry. They reward additional training with better pay and increased responsibility, so you can continue climbing the longer you stay in your profession. Unlike other industries where career progression can feel unpredictable and have more to do with luck, healthcare has clear ladders where you build on your previous experience to grow.
The nursing pathway is a perfect example of this. This is the typical career progression people go through after they become a nursing assistant in Australia:
Skills that boost your earning power
The healthcare workers who earn the most money aren’t necessarily the ones with the fanciest degrees. They’re the ones who keep learning new skills throughout their careers and understand that their patients are real people, not just textbook medical conditions. Your initial qualification gets you in the door, but the extra skills you develop along the way determine how far you’ll climb and how much you’ll earn.
These are the most in-demand skills you need to further advance in your healthcare career:
Empathy and emotional intelligence: You’ll deal with scared patients and stressed out colleagues every single day. There’s no escaping this. The healthcare workers who can read the room and respond appropriately are the ones everyone wants on their team. When a family specifically asks for you to care for their loved one, management notices.
Communication: Medical jargon confuses everyone outside of healthcare. No matter how many medical encyclopedias you’ve read or how many courses you’ve completed, you still need to be able to explain everything in clear and simple terms to your patients and their families. Patients who understand their plans follow them better, which means better outcomes and fewer complications.
Teamwork without the drama: There are countless of excellent medical drama TV series out there and for good reason. If you can find a way to communicate what you need succinctly and without room for interpretation, then you’re less likely to get involved in hospital drama that’s detrimental to your career and your patients.
Clinical expertise in specific areas: Learning specialised skills like wound care or mental health support opens the door to higher-paying positions. These extra qualifications usually take just a few months to complete but can add thousands to your annual salary.
Digital health skills: Healthcare runs on computers and apps these days. Workers who know how to make the most of these resources are increasingly valuable as healthcare becomes more and more tech-focused.
FAQs
What is the easiest healthcare job that pays well?
Medical receptionist roles earn a median salary of $50,000 with the upper 10th percentile earning $63,000 or more. A job as a medical receptionist requires just basic admin skills plus a Certificate III, so it’s one of the easiest healthcare careers that pay well.
What is the highest paying job in healthcare?
Surgeons earn the most, with specialist surgeons making over $400,000 per year. However, this requires more than 10 years of medical school and extensive training after the initial degree.
Which medical field is most in demand in Australia?
Aged care has the highest demand due to Australia’s ageing population. The sector needs at least 200,000 additional full-time workers by 2050, which means anyone in this industry has excellent job security.
What is the happiest healthcare job?
Physiotherapists usually report the highest job satisfaction rates, as this profession combines good pay with positive patient outcomes and regular working hours compared to other healthcare roles.
What is the hardest medical speciality to get into Australia?
Dermatology is the hardest speciality to get into in Australia with fewer than 5% of applicants getting accepted. Most positions require top academic results plus years of research and networking to secure training spots.
What is the fastest career in the medical field?
You can become a nursing assistant in as few as 12 months with a Certificate III. You can start working immediately after graduation while studying for additional certifications to further your career.
Start your healthcare career with one decision
Healthcare careers cover every skill level and salary range imaginable. You can start earning $50,000 per year with just 12 months of study or shoot for six-figure salaries after a few years with the right qualification. The beauty of healthcare is that there are always very clear progression pathways that reward ongoing education with better pay and increased responsibility throughout your career.
Australia’s healthcare system desperately needs people like you who care about helping others. By 2050, older people aged 65 and over will make up around 22% of our population, compared to just 17% in 2022. That puts enormous pressure on the current healthcare workers but also presents incredible opportunities for all workers at every level, from nursing assistants to specialists.
Your background doesn’t matter as much as your willingness to learn and care for patients. Even if you’re changing careers at 40, healthcare welcomes people from all walks of life who want to contribute to something meaningful.
The Institute of Allied Health can get you started with nationally recognised courses that open doors to stable, well-paid careers. You don’t need to figure out your entire career path right now. Take the first step with a Certificate III and see where your interests and abilities lead you.
