CLEVELAND, Ohio — For the second consecutive year, nurse practitioner took the No. 1 spot as the best job in the United States and also topped the list of best healthcare jobs, according to the latest U.S. News and World Report 2025 best jobs rankings.

Speech language pathologist and physician assistant also were listed among the best jobs in healthcare, according to U.S. News.

The recently released U.S. News & World Report rankings highlight the best jobs in 17 categories, including healthcare.

U.S. News looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify jobs with the greatest hiring demand. Jobs were scored based on future prospects, wage potential, employment, safety and stability, and work-life balance. More information about the methodology is available here.

These careers are in high demand. The unemployment rates for the top five healthcare jobs ranged from 0.2% at the low end, to a high of 1.9%. All require advanced degrees.

Below are the top five jobs in healthcare, according to U.S. News, along with their median salary, unemployment rates and education needed. Information about job duties came from the Mayo Clinic, Nursing World, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

1. Nurse practitioner

• Median salary: $126,260
• Unemployment rate: 0.6%
• Education required: Master’s
• Description: A nurse practitioner is a type of registered nurse with advanced clinical training. They can do tasks such as ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, prescribing medication, taking patient histories, performing physical exams and more.

2. Physician assistant

• Median salary: $130,020
• Unemployment rate: 1.6%
• Education required: Master’s
• Description: A physician assistant is a licensed medical professional who holds an advanced degree and can provide many of the same services as a primary care doctor. Physician assistant duties include diagnosing and treating common illnesses and performing minor procedures.

3. Speech-language pathologist

• Median salary: $89,290
• Unemployment rate: 1.6%
• Education required: Master’s
• Description: Speech-language pathologists treat many types of communication and swallowing problems, including those involving speech sounds, social communication and voice.

4. Veterinarian

• Median salary: $119,100
• Unemployment rate: 0.2%
• Education required: Doctorate
• Description: Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They can be found in private clinics, laboratories, classrooms or zoos.

5. Nurse anesthetist

• Median salary: $212,650
• Unemployment rate: 1.9%
• Education required: Doctorate
• Description: A nurse anesthetist administers medications to keep patients asleep or pain-free before, during and after surgery and constantly monitor the patient’s body. Nurse anesthetists work with anesthesiologists, doctors, and surgeons to provide anesthetics to patients of all ages. Nurse anesthetists are registered nurses who specialize in anesthesiology with at least one year of critical care experience and, as of 2025, must have at least a doctorate.

Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link.