A Guide to the Best Healthcare Degrees

There is a rising demand for skilled workers in the health care industry – and not just for doctors. If you are interested in a career in health care, City College located in several cities in the state of Florida offers a wide variety of health care programs and educational opportunities. Here is a quick rundown on the some of the most urgently needed, rewarding and well-paying health care skill sets a student can pursue at City College:

Direct patient care

• Nursing – 

  Designed to prepare you for the registered nurse (RN) entrance exam, this program is a great first step in your goal to become a full-fledged nurse. Courses include classroom instruction in subjects like biology, microbiology, pharmacology and anatomy, as well as practical learning in a clinical setting. Nursing takes place in a variety of clinical settings, from hospitals to emergency rooms to adult care facilities. Nurses can earn up to $56,000 per year to start and advanced health care degrees are available to further their career and earning power.

• Surgical Technology –

  For those interested in the more technical side of health care services, becoming a surgical technologist is an appealing option. These skilled technicians assist in the actual operating room, with such duties as preparing and organizing the necessary surgical instruments, bandaging and transporting the patient and finally preparing the operating room for the next surgery. Students of this vital field will directly help save patients’ lives. Surgical technologists can expect to make anywhere from $37,000 to $46,000 to start.

• Anesthesia Technology –

  If you are looking for a bookish, detail-oriented health care degree, you may decide to opt for a career as an anesthesia technologist, as it takes a lot of practical skill with numbers and detail to assist an anesthesiologist. These folks see and learn a lot, as they can work anywhere from a general operating room to an emergency ward to a delivery room. In each of these situations an anesthesiologist tech is qualified to prepare, administer and monitor pain management to patients. Anesthesia technologists can expect to earn anywhere from $25,000 to $35,000.

• Emergency Medical Services – 

  If health care programs that involve excitement are what you’re looking for, consider a job as an emergency medical technician (EMT). These courageous people enter into potentially dangerous situations to render aid and comfort to injured patients. They then transport the injured person to the emergency room while communicating with a doctor and administering appropriate medical care. It is a high-risk, high-reward occupation that pays in more than dollars. Still, EMTs usually start earning around $35,000 per year, and with a little more training, they can boost that to $40,000 by becoming a paramedic.

Paramedic’s Annual Base Salary in Florida:

• Miami: $39,400
• Fort Lauderdale :$38,800
• Orlando:$38,200
• Hollywood: $38,800
• Gainesville: $36,300

• Mental Health Technology – 

  As the average age of the population of the United States continues to increase, this healthcare degree is becomes ever more important. Mental health technologists can work in a variety of environments, including hospitals, psychiatric facilities, psychologist’s offices and even prisons. In MHT healthcare careers, students are trained in a variety of specialized skills, including crisis intervention, substance abuse, psychology and various other patient therapies. Expect to earn between $30,000 to $35,000 per year until you pass your mental health technician certification examination.

• Medical Assisting – 

  The first step to getting this healthcare degree is a comprehensive core class curriculum – anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and phlebotomy, as well as courses in medical terminology and medical insurance. In addition, a specialized practical training course is required that is designed to give medical assisting students a complete understanding of the elements required in multiple areas of health care. While becoming a medical assistant will not land you at the top of the health care hierarchy, it is a relatively quick way to become part of it. After that, the sky is the limit. Medical assistants can expect to earn around $31,000.

• Cardiovascular Sonography – 

  As is often noted, technology – and education – travels at the speed of sound. Nowhere is this saying more appropriate than in the field of cardiovascular sonography healthcare careers. As a certified sonographer (CST), you will help patients with minor to serious heart and vascular abnormalities. It is perfect career for those students who are a little squeamish about the sight of blood, as the technique is completely non-invasive. According to the BLS Registered sonographers should expect a starting salary at around $48,000, but that can rapidly escalate to $65,000 or more as you increase you training and learn more advanced techniques.

Indirect patient care

• Healthcare Administration –

  For some people, direct patient care is a little too hands-on. There are plenty of valuable and rewarding healthcare degrees for people who don’t want to be in an operating room, most notably in administration. For those willing to forego a few years of earning money while earning a B. A. degree, this may be the route to financial independence while still helping the community at large. Administrators do not typically deal with patients in any personal manner, but they are integral to the functioning of the whole health care infrastructure. While the average salary for a healthcare administrator is only $33,000

• Medical Office Administration – 

  Over the last decade, medical office administration is the standard for the way health care facilities, insurance agencies and governmental agencies communicate with each other. As such, specialists who have expertise in medical coding and billing are in great demand. The job is highly specialized and requires little human interaction, so it is perfect for healthcare-minded introverts who value their privacy. Medical Office Administrator ( with a specialization in Medical Coding) can make $35,000 a year, while more experienced ones who progress to a management level can earn up to twice that.

Health care programs at any level not only provide a sense of worth but also benefit the community as a whole. In short, it is a worthwhile occupation for anyone who values the human condition. We applaud you for considering any of these professions. For more information on the health care programs offered by our facilities in your area, please contact us at City College. We can be found online at City College or reached directly at 866-314-5681.