Are you interested in health, fitness, and nutrition? Perhaps you are interested in mental health or disease prevention. If your interests lie in any of these areas, there are a wide variety of career opportunities.
A health and wellness degree will provide you with an education in physical, biological, and social sciences. You’ll also learn some of the specific skills needed for the health-related career of your choosing.
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What Type of Health and Wellness Degree Should You Pursue?
There are various levels of degrees to pursue depending on the career and level of position you seek.
A bachelor’s degree will typically provide the education necessary for you to get started with entry-level jobs in health and wellness. This might be within the community health field or corporate wellness.
More advanced degrees — such as specific professional degrees, a Master’s, or a Doctorate — will offer more advanced job and career opportunities.
Education toward a health and wellness degree can be achieved in person and/or online. Median salaries for those with advanced degrees in health and wellness can range between $75,332 to $208,000 per year.
What Kind of Courses Are Required in Health and Wellness?
Some of the most common health-related courses for degree programs include classes in anatomy, physiology, nutrition, pathology, public health, and statistics. You’ll also likely study ethics, communication, and integrative health.
What specific courses are required to obtain your health and wellness degree will be defined by the major of your choosing.
State Licensing for Health and Wellness Careers
Beyond earning your health and wellness degree, professional and/or state licensing may also be required depending on your choice of careers.
Make sure to check with the licensing requirements in the state you plan to work in. State licensing for the same career may have varying requirements from state to state.
7 Careers You Can Pursue with a Health and Wellness Degree
The following seven health and wellness careers are only a sampling of the many job and career opportunities available. Here is a broad overview of seven “niches” within the field.
1. Pre-Professional Job Paths
Median salary range: Varies
Expected job growth: Varies
Pre-professional healthcare and wellness jobs are available in hospitals, dental offices, doctors’ offices, chiropractic offices, mental health practices, and other healthcare facilities.
Pre-professional job paths are those that provide a good-paying job, while also giving you valuable experience. These jobs can give you the necessary experience while you work toward a professional career, such as a doctor, dentist, nurse, physical therapist, or other healthcare professional position.
These job positions include various types of licensed positions, technician positions, and more.
2. Corporate Wellness
Median salary: $48,140 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 17%
There are many jobs in health and wellness within the corporate environment. This includes various types of coaches, specialists, and directors. These professionals help employees improve their well-being and health. This also includes boosting employee morale and corporate culture.
Typical health techniques include stress relief, meditation, illness prevention, exercise routine, and improving diet.
3. Community Health
Median salary range: $28,010 to $42,000 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 17%
Community health workers act as advocates for health and wellness access and resources for local communities.
Duties for community health workers include meeting with providers and organizations. They provide education on health and wellness topics to local communities. They also conduct outreach programs. Some may also offer limited health services.
4. Health Education
Median salary range: $33,720 to more than $101,890 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 17%
Health education specialists evaluate the health and wellness needs of individuals and communities. They also develop programs and materials to help people learn about health-related topics. These educators also assist individuals with finding health information or health services. They advocate for policies to promote health and wellness.
Health education specialists may work for healthcare facilities, such as doctors’ offices or hospitals. Others also work for public health departments or nonprofit organizations.
5. Health Coaching
Median salary: $48,140 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 17%
Health coaches motivate individuals to improve their health and well-being. They act as guides to help people learn ways to achieve better health and wellness.
Coaches might help individuals with adopting an exercise routine, changing their diet, or making specific lifestyle changes to improve their health. For some people, this includes managing chronic conditions or other health issues.
Health coaches may work for hospitals, private practices, corporations, schools, or other organizations.
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6. Nutrition
Median salary range: $34,368 to more than $90,000 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 11%
The nutrition field offers a variety of positions such as nutritionist, nutrition aid, dietitian, registered dietetic technician, nutrition therapist, animal nutritionist, sports nutrition, nutrition writer, and more.
Those in the nutrition field educate individuals on healthy eating. They promote healthy lifestyle choices through nutrition. These nutrition experts evaluate the nutritional needs of individuals and track the progress of their nutrition plans.
Those in the nutrition field can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, outpatient care centers, government agencies, and more.
7. Health Services Manager
Median salary: $59,980 to more than $195,630 per year
Expected job growth through 2030: 32%
Health service managers plan and coordinate the health services for a department or facility. They identify ways to improve the delivery of healthcare services to patients. They develop objectives for their department and/or the facility.
Managers also have the responsibility of recruiting and supervising staff, managing financing, repairing budgets, and maintaining patient records. They must ensure compliance with laws and regulations. They may also attend meetings of boards or investors as a representative of the facility.