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Careers · November 12, 2026 · 4 min read

Healthcare Jobs You Can Train for in Under a Year

You don't need years of school to work in healthcare. Below are five jobs you can usually train for in under a year, plus one that often takes a bit longer. Each comes with pay, training, certification rules and outlook, followed by tips on finding affordable training.

Pay and job outlook figures are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pay is the median for May 2025, meaning half of workers earned more and half earned less. Job outlook covers 2025 to 2035.

At a glance: Median yearly pay (May 2025) and training

• Home health or personal care aide: $35,800; short-term on-the-job training
• Nursing assistant (CNA): $42,260; state-approved program, at least 75 hours (more in some states)
• EMT: $44,470; EMT-Basic programs typically under a year
• Phlebotomist: $45,230; programs usually under a year
• Pharmacy technician: $45,750; on-the-job training or a certificate, often a year or less
• Medical assistant: $45,690; programs take about 1 to 2 years

Nursing assistant (CNA)

Nursing assistants provide basic care and help patients with daily activities. The median pay was $42,260 a year in May 2025. BLS projects 3 percent job growth for nursing assistants and orderlies from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average, with about 203,300 openings a year.

To work in a nursing home, you must be on your state's registry. To get listed, you pass a competency exam, usually after a state-approved program at a high school, community college, vocational or technical school, hospital or nursing home.

Federal rules require these programs to include at least 75 hours of training, with at least 16 hours of supervised practical training. States can set a higher bar. Texas, for example, requires at least 100 hours, including 40 hours of hands-on care in a nursing facility.

Home health and personal care aide

These aides monitor the condition of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses and help them with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, in settings that include clients' homes. The median pay was $35,800 a year, or $17.21 an hour, in May 2025.

Aides typically need a high school diploma, though some positions don't require one, and training can happen on the job or through a program. Aides at certified home health or hospice agencies must complete formal training and pass a standardized test, and some states require home health aides to be licensed or certified.

This is the fastest-growing job on this list. BLS projects 18 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average, with about 760,500 openings a year.

Phlebotomist

Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research or blood donations. The median pay was $45,230 a year, or $21.75 an hour, in May 2025. BLS projects 7 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average, with about 18,000 openings a year.

Most start with a certificate from a program at a community college, vocational school or technical school, and these programs usually take less than a year. Many employers look for professional certification, and your state may require an accredited program, a license or certification.

Pharmacy technician

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication. The median pay was $45,750 a year, or $22.00 an hour, in May 2025. BLS projects 6 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average, with about 44,700 openings a year.

Some techs learn on the job, with training that typically lasts less than a year. Others finish a program at a vocational school or community college, and many programs award a certificate in a year or less. Most states regulate pharmacy technicians, which may mean passing an exam or completing training, and some states and employers require certification.

EMT

EMTs assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care and may transport patients to medical facilities. Their median pay was $44,470 a year in May 2025. BLS projects 6 percent growth for EMTs and paramedics from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average, with about 18,200 openings a year.

EMT-Basic programs typically take less than a year at community colleges, technical institutes, universities or emergency care training centers. All states require EMTs to be licensed, requirements vary by state, and employers typically want a driver's license.

Shifts can be long: some EMTs and paramedics work 12, 18 or 24 hours at a time. Paramedics, who typically need EMT experience before their training, earned a median of $60,600 in May 2025.

Takes a bit longer: Medical assistant

Medical assistants handle administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients' vital signs. The median pay was $45,690 a year, or $21.97 an hour, in May 2025. BLS projects 13 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average, with about 109,700 openings a year.

BLS says programs take about 1 or 2 years, so this route usually takes longer than the others here. Some medical assistants learn on the job instead, which may take several months. Most states don't require certification, but employers may prefer or require it.

How to find training

Community colleges, vocational schools and technical schools offer programs for most of these jobs. Before paying tuition, look for ways to cut the cost.

If a nursing home employs you or has offered you a job on the day you start a state-approved CNA program, federal rules say you can't be charged for any part of it, including textbooks.

• If you pay for CNA training and a nursing home hires you or offers you a job within 12 months of finishing, the state must provide for reimbursing your costs, prorated over the time you work as a nurse aide.
• Texas offers the 60-hour classroom part of CNA training as a free online course; you then finish 40 clinical hours with an approved program. Ask your state if it offers anything similar.
• Pharmacy employers may pay for employees to take the certification exam.
• For state licensing details, BLS points readers to CareerOneStop and state licensing agencies.

Before you sign up

Rules differ by job and by state. Before you enroll, check these four things:

1. What your state requires for the job, including training hours, exams and licensing
2. Whether the program is state-approved or accredited for that credential
3. How many hands-on clinical hours are included
4. The full cost, including exam fees, and whether an employer will pay

A short program can be a practical first step into healthcare. When you're ready, you can search healthcare jobs near you on JobMatchUSA.

Sources

1. Nursing Assistants and Orderlies, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. Home Health and Personal Care Aides, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Phlebotomists, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. Pharmacy Technicians, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. EMTs and Paramedics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. Medical Assistants, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
7. 42 CFR 483.152 - Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program — Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
8. Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) — Texas Health and Human Services