Health science degree jobs give you the ability to enter the healthcare field to promote vitality and wellness.
You can acquire several high-earning titles after graduation, especially since it’s one of the more popular degree options.
If you’re curious about exploring the medical field, we highly recommend considering health sciences.
Let’s learn about what health science is, its primary benefit, a health science graduate’s career path, and the top high-paying health-science-related professions.
What Is Health Science?
Health science is a broad term that encapsulates several vital areas of health and wellness.
Students might find themselves branching out into human health while others focus primarily on animal health.
Your courses are specifically designed to help you better understand humans and animals.
You’ll gather fundamental knowledge about managing diseases, curing ailments, and understanding how living creatures function.
It’s a prevalent academic choice, especially if you want a diverse number of options regarding work.
Students find they might work in research labs, rehabilitation facilities, government agencies, hospitals, and more.
Is Health Science a Good Major?
One of the most outstanding benefits of a health science major is its flexibility.
It’s classified as an interdisciplinary degree, meaning you can choose a specialty of your liking.
Compared to other majors that focus on a single concentration, these degrees allow you to create a customized major.
Students love interdisciplinary degrees because they have a higher likelihood of studying subjects they’re interested in.
Also, you’ll find it’s simpler to create a degree program that suits the expectations of your field of work.
With that said, several course components are vital to the successful completion of your program.
You’re likely to experience science courses, health courses, mathematics courses, and more.
Depending on your post-secondary institution, the course offerings could differ. Some of the most common subjects include:
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Nursing
- Rehabilitation Sciences
- Kinesiology
- Anatomy
- Epidemiology
After you’ve been accepted into a university or college, you can decide what type of degree you want to graduate with.
The most common option is a bachelor’s degree, but students can opt for an associate’s degree.
Alternatively, you can take health sciences courses for a post-graduate degree in a specific field.
What Can I Do With a Health Science Degree?
Now that you’ve graduated, you’re likely wondering, “What can you do with a health science degree?”
As mentioned, there’s a diverse career path when health sciences are involved.
Apart from studying human physiology and anatomy, there’s also the potential for studying animals.
Let’s go over some of the most common career paths students choose after graduating.
Therapeutic Care
Helping the human body return to its original abilities can significantly improve patients’ quality of life.
With this type of degree, you can work in several therapeutic services and settings.
Graduates might find themselves in rehabilitation facilities for drugs and alcohol or physical therapy.
It’s also common for students to become counselors and psychologists, especially when their bachelor’s degree is paired with a master’s degree.
In most therapy jobs, you’ll be expected to counsel patients, manage their diagnoses, and develop a treatment plan.
Diagnostic Care
Diagnosticians are some of the essential healthcare workers, especially regarding patients with hidden illnesses.
Providing diagnostic care requires you to follow up with patients after experiencing health concerns.
It can be seen as a more hands-on type of career since you’ll be working to find the root cause of the patient’s symptoms.
Medical Support Roles
A health sciences degree can be significantly beneficial for people who prefer to provide medical support.
Instead of being at the forefront of patient care, you can assist doctors and diagnosticians.
You’ll be responsible for handling patient’s day-to-day needs as well as managing doctors’ orders and their treatment plans.
You can find medical support roles in both human health and veterinary industries.
Their most common titles are medical aides and veterinary assistants.
Biotech Positions
Biotech is one of the most exciting health sciences fields, especially regarding modern technologies.
If you’ve always been fascinated by how technology affects medical treatments, this field is for you.
In biotech, industry experts test and develop new biotechnology to help treat and cure illnesses and diseases.
With that said, you should have a passion for technology for these health science careers and medicine.
You might also require several tech-related courses before applying for any biotech positions.
Research Careers
The last most common option for students with a health sciences degree is to become researchers.
Researchers can have several jobs, whether working in a lab with organisms or taking surveys from the general public.
Either way, the primary responsibility of this career is to find trends in human health to find correlations to illnesses.
The data or information gathered would be helpful in developing or improving health guidelines, therapeutic approaches, and more.
For example, you might conduct assessments to see if vaping is as detrimental to human health as some agencies suggest.
These positions are more science-based than other research positions, so you’ll need key interests in the scientific method.
How Much Money Can You Make With a Health Science Degree?
When you graduate, you must find a job in your specialty that also pays well.
There are several fantastic job opportunities for adequate income that can be incredibly fulfilling.
To answer, “What jobs can you get with a health science degree?” here are some of the most common options.
- Claims Reviewer: $64,690
- Health Educator: $45,360
- Medical Devices Sales Representative: $78,980
- Medical Technician: $51,770
- Biomedical Engineer: $88,040
- Dietician and Nutritionist: $59,410
- Radiologic and MRI Technologist: $60,070
- Physician Assistant: $104,860
- Occupational Therapist: $83,200
- Physical Therapist: $86,850
- Chiropractor: $68,640
- Podiatrist: $127,740
- Epidemiologist: $69,660
What Is the Highest Paying Job in Health Science?
What can you do with a health science degree? To put it simply, plenty of interesting and high-paying jobs.
However, it’s also vital to ensure you choose a career field that will adequately compensate you for your efforts.
Let’s explore the answer to, “What jobs can you get with a health science degree?” including their average salaries.
Health Director: $100,000 to $300,000
Health directors are one of the most important job titles in the healthcare industry.
In this position, you’ll report directly to the Board of Directors in your area.
Often, you’ll be responsible for organizing and managing relationships between hospitals, doctors, and patients.
You’ll need a clear understanding of all healthcare activities carried out in the community.
For example, knowing the implementation, development, and administration of healthcare practices.
It’s also common for these professionals to manage staff in hospital environments while managing fiscal responsibilities.
With such a high-earning job position, you can guarantee your responsibilities will be pretty extensive.
The salary can also vary significantly depending on where you live, with some positions paying upwards of $300,000.
Health directors can also find positions in government agencies, managing global healthcare.
There are plenty of prestigious opportunities with this degree under your belt.
Physician: $187,200
Another top-paying position compared to other health science major jobs is a physician.
Like a dentist, you’ll have the primary responsibility for your patient’s overall health and care.
You’ll have to diagnose illnesses, treat injuries, diseases, and provide regular examinations.
Physicians are required to order specific tests, review test results, perform diagnostic tests, and more.
With that said, you have to consider further education after acquiring your undergraduate degree for this career.
On average, physicians can make upwards of $187,200 depending on location and practice.
Dentist: $149,310
Dentists have plenty of responsibilities when it comes to the oral health and hygiene of patients.
You’ll be expected to assist your patients with their teeth and gums by providing counseling and diagnoses.
It’s common to work with children and adults, so you need an understanding of oral health for all ages.
On average, dentists can expect to make a median salary of $149,310, depending on the practice.
If you open your practice, your earnings could be even higher than expected.
Pharmacist: $116,670
A pharmacist is a promising career if you enjoy the idea of assisting patients with managing their diseases and illnesses.
It’s one of the most popular health science major jobs that require limited patient contact.
As a pharmacist, you’re responsible for dispensing prescriptions and providing instructions for safe use.
Depending on where you work, you could also be responsible for allocating immunizations.
It’s also common for pharmacists to conduct regular wellness screenings outside of doctors.
Like most health science careers, pharmacists’ salaries can vary significantly, with a median of $116,670.
Occupational Therapist: $75,400
Similar to a physical therapist, occupational therapists have a significant job. Their career revolves around assisting disabled, ill, and injured patients.
You have to evaluate their injuries, develop treatment plans, and provide treatment.
This career is unique because you use everyday activities to help your patients get back to good health.
It’s one of the best therapeutic positions for any demographic.
Occupational therapist salaries can vary, but the median is approximately $75,400.
Health Science Degree Jobs: Final Thoughts
When exploring the world of health science degree jobs, there’s plenty to consider.
Although it’s one of the more strenuous areas of study, the benefits are well worth your post-secondary investments.
From physical therapists to dental assistants, there are several well-paying careers to consider.
