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Your Community’s Quality of Life Starts With You

Optimal health outcomes don’t begin and end in a doctor’s office. They often start with lifestyle, including nutrition and fitness, and involve several specialists who support the diagnostic process and guide therapeutic and rehabilitative treatments.

Along the way, a wide range of wellness, administrative and allied health professionals help clients and patients access their best lives — from counselors and certified trainers to nurses and technicians to office workers and tech support. And to enter many of these rewarding career paths, sometimes a certificate is all it takes.

Are you caring? Driven to do good? Head to your local Western New York Works college to pursue your calling and get real, job-ready experience helping others.

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Healthcare Careers at a Glance

24.5%

Growth across all healthcare occupations in Western New York through 2030.

New York Department of Labor

$81,345

Median salary for healthcare professionals in Western New York.

New York Department of Labor

$51K-$565K+

Lifetime return on investment for various Western New York Works healthcare training programs.

The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity

How Do I Become a…?

A growing aging population and an understanding that exercise and mental health support function as preventative care continue to fuel already-rising demand for health and wellness professionals in Western New York and across the country. Explore the diverse career paths available and the credentials needed to get your foot in the door.

Patient Care and Support

Registered Nurse

You’re the core of a patient’s care team. You know what to monitor, what medications to administer and all the vitals that need checking.

Salary range, NY: $66,064–$99,287*
*New York Department of Labor

Participating Colleges and Programs

Respiratory Therapist

For Respiratory Therapists, it’s all about the breath. Learn to analyze the performance of patients’ lungs to develop treatment plans and assist the diagnostic process.

Salary range, NY: $62,544–$83,631*
*New York Department of Labor

Two respiratory therapy students, one male and one female, practice monitoring patient breathing in a simulated environment at a Western New York Works college.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Physical Therapy Assistant

You’re ready to support the rehabilitation process, helping patients through their prescribed exercises, guiding treatments and recording any changes.

Salary range, NY: $44,530–$63,373*
*New York Department of Labor

Two physical therapy assistant students plus an instructor practice patient exercises in a training space at a Western New York Works college

Participating Colleges and Programs

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Monitor and support patients through a number of lifestyle transitions — returning to work after an accident, recovering from a major injury or adapting to age-related changes.

Salary range, NY: $42,148–$58,355*
*New York Department of Labor

An occupational therapy assistant student at a Western New York Works college sits at a table with two patients who are reaching for potato chips and whipped cream.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Ultrasound Technician/Sonographer

You monitor the waves — the sound waves, that is, as they bounce back and create pictures of the body’s various internal structures for a detailed diagnosis.

Salary range, NY: $65,183–$86,792*
*New York Department of Labor

A sonography student practices using ultrasound equipment in a training space at a Western New York Works college

Participating Colleges and Programs

Radiology Technologist

You’re the imaging expert — ready to oversee and guide patients during X-rays, MRIs and CT scans and prepare the results for doctors.

Salary range, NY: $57,597–$80,190*
*New York Department of Labor

A radiology technologist student practices operating imaging equipment in a training space at a Western New York Works college

Participating Colleges and Programs

Phlebotomist

No matter if a patient is calm and collected or squeamish, you know the best way to draw blood every time.

Salary range, NY: $33,458–$45,316*
*New York Department of Labor

A phlebotomy student at a Western New York Works college wears gloves to practice finding a vein on another student.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Veterinary Assistant

You round out the team of veterinary professionals who assess and treat all types of animals — from common household pets to livestock.

Salary range, NY: $31,122–$39,792*
*New York Department of Labor

Three students in a Western New York Works vet tech program practice monitoring a dog in a simulation environment.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Medical Administrative or Office Assistant/Coding and Reimbursement Specialist

From front-of-office tasks to blood tests and vitals in the back, your mix of clinical and administrative skills supports the day-to-day operations of general practitioners and specialists.

Salary range, NY: $34,605–$45,527*
*New York Department of Labor

A male student in scrubs reviews imaging results in a class for a medical administrative and office assistant training program at a Western New York Works college

Participating Colleges and Programs

Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)

When it’s one day at a time, you help each client establish and work toward gradual goals during the recovery process. Counseling often requires advanced degrees.

Salary range, NY: $34,157–$58,405*
*New York Department of Labor

A CASAC worker meets with a group of four students at a Western New York Works college.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Fitness and Wellness

Personal Trainer

Help each client get to the finish line of their personal fitness goals by supporting their journey through exercise, diet and lifestyle recommendations.

Salary range, NY: $30,762–$56,654*
*New York Department of Labor

A strength and conditioning training facility for fitness and wellness students at a Western New York Works college.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Administrative and Public Health

Health Information Technician

Have a mind for records, coding and informatics? As doctors’ offices go digital, these professionals defend patient information from intruders and uphold HIPAA compliance.

Salary range, NY: $43,448–$68,769*
*Salary.com

A student wearing a stethoscope looks at a watch while taking another student's pulse in a health information technician class at a Western New York Works college.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Public Health Worker or Community Health Worker

Become the bridge between population health research and the people scientists serve, conducting campaigns and educational outreach designed to improve awareness and care access.

Salary range, NY: $33,624–$53,937*
*New York Department of Labor

A student wearing a lab coat operates a microscope in a public health class at a Western New York Works college.

Participating Colleges and Programs

Healthcare Career Development

From Simulations to Real-World Experience

From nursing simulation and human performance labs outfitted with industry equipment to clinical assignments at local hospitals and clinics, healthcare students see where their community needs them and get a hands-on perspective of what they’ll do on the job.

A male student in scrubs practices taking vitals on a simulated patient at a Western New York Works college.
A nursing student wearing scrubs and a name tag stands in a simulated patient care space at a Western New York Works college.

Come Back for Your Bachelor’s or Additional Training

Your story’s just beginning. While a certificate or associate degree qualifies you for a license, a bachelor’s gives you leverage when you’re looking ahead toward leadership. When you’re ready to return and make your next move, your local Western New York Works college is ready to help you.