"Employment in this sector has grown 18% from January 2019, compared to 4% for all other nonfarm payrolls. That divide has gotten even more stark in the last year. The latest jobs report showed that the US added only 181,000 jobs in 2025; healthcare and social assistance added 693,200 jobs over the year."
"The healthcare industry was such an important driver of jobs growth in 2025 that we are going to want to watch it closely in 2026 for any signs of a slowdown. As jobs growth in the labor market becomes more narrow, we are relying increasingly on healthcare to keep us in the green."
"Opportunities for doctors, nurses, and similar professionals are less vulnerable to the uncertainty that's been prevalent in the job market. Job-market experts said healthcare and social assistance work will remain important as the population ages and people retire."
The healthcare and social assistance sector has become the primary engine of job growth in the United States. Since January 2019, this sector expanded 18% compared to just 4% for all other nonfarm payrolls. In 2025 alone, healthcare and social assistance added 693,200 jobs while the overall US economy added only 181,000 jobs, meaning the sector accounted for all net job growth. Without healthcare's contribution, the job market would have contracted by approximately half a million positions. Experts attribute this resilience to demographic trends, as an aging population requires expanded healthcare services. Employment opportunities in healthcare remain less vulnerable to broader economic uncertainty affecting other industries.
Read at Business Insider
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