Despite an uncertain future for President Barack Obama's healthcare law, the sector appears to be creating jobs at a faster rate than most other industries.
The demand for healthcare workers, including those who have attended medical coding and billing schools or those who have had health information technician training, is largely due to the growing number of older Americans and rising medical spending, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
"The first baby boomer just turned 65 last year, so when it comes to healthcare jobs in America, we haven’t seen nothing yet," Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Limited in New York, told the news agency. These jobs "are going to literally explode over the next two decades."
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, approximately 87 million, or one in four, Americans will be 65 or older by 2050.
Economics professor David Card told the news source that the healthcare industry also provides excellent opportunities for women, as well as younger workers who can prepare for the career with postsecondary training.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports job growth for all occupations in the healthcare industry is expected to increase by 22.5 percent through 2018.
