The healthcare industry added 58,200 jobs in January, with ambulatory healthcare services seeing the highest job gains, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Healthcare industry adds jobs in January

According to BLS, the 58,200 jobs added in the healthcare industry in January surpassed those added in both December 2022 (54,700) and November 2022 (44,700). According to the Wall Street Journal, "[h]ealthcare organizations snapped up workers last month to fill roles at doctors' offices and outpatient facilities."

Within healthcare, ambulatory healthcare services saw the largest job growth in January, adding 29,900 jobs. Meanwhile, hospitals added 10,900 jobs in January, compared to 15,700 jobs added in December. Nursing and residential care facilities added 17,400 jobs in January, and physician offices added 11,100 jobs.

According to a recent report from Altarum, healthcare wage growth has also remained higher than the economywide average, but has slowed within recent months.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most healthcare areas have seen hiring growth year-to-year. Between 2020 and 2022, the healthcare industry added more than 450,000 jobs. Overall, the healthcare industry averaged 47,000 jobs added each month of 2022, according to BLS data. However, hiring levels at nursing homes and residential care facilities are still significantly short of pre-pandemic levels.

More broadly in the United States, the leisure and hospitality industry saw the largest job growth in January, with restaurants, bars, and hotels hiring at a fast pace. Similarly, professional-and-business services, including jobs in accounting, consulting, and architecture, also hired at a fast pace, according to BLS. (Cambon, Wall Street Journal, 2/3; AHA News, 2/3; Devereaux/Broderick, Modern Healthcare, 2/3; Gooch, Becker's Hospital Review, 2/3)