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OPA People Research Desk

Healthcare workforce statistics for 2026.

A current, source-linked reference for employers, healthcare leaders, writers, and anyone tracking the U.S. healthcare workforce.

At A Glance

The numbers behind healthcare hiring pressure.

These figures combine current employment counts with published projections. Forecasts describe what could happen under each source's stated assumptions, not a guarantee of future hiring conditions.

1.9M

healthcare occupation openings projected each year

The projection covers 2024 through 2034 and includes new jobs plus openings created when people leave the field.

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189,100

registered nurse openings projected each year

BLS projects registered-nurse employment will grow from 3.39 million roles in 2024 to 3.56 million in 2034, a gain of 166,100 jobs.

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23%

projected growth for medical and health services managers

BLS projects 142,900 additional manager roles from 2024 to 2034, with about 62,100 openings each year over the decade.

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35%

projected growth for APRN roles

Nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nurse practitioner employment is projected to grow from 382,700 roles in 2024 to 516,700 in 2034, with about 32,700 annual openings.

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20%

projected growth for physician assistants

BLS projects the physician assistant workforce will rise from 162,700 roles in 2024 to 195,800 in 2034, with about 12,000 annual openings.

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86,000

potential physician shortfall by 2036

The AAMC projects a potential shortage of up to 86,000 physicians across primary and specialty care, depending on future supply and demand conditions.

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Methodology & Sources

How to read these figures.

Employment figures and annual opening estimates come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2024 to 2034 projections. The physician shortfall figure comes from the AAMC's scenario-based 2021 to 2036 projection study.

Cite This Page

Use this reference with a stable link.

OPA People. "Healthcare Workforce Statistics for 2026." Updated August 22, 2026. https://opastaffing.com/resources/healthcare-workforce-statistics

For an individual figure, link directly to the statistic heading and cite the original source listed with it.

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