Some of the Index occupations with the highest projected growth, including PTs, PTAs, OTs, OTAs, and HHAs, indicate an increasing need for these professionals as the population ages. According to BLS data, these occupations are all significantly employed by nursing care facilities, continuing care retirement communities/assisted living facilities for the elderly, or home health care services. These occupations, while growing, are also projected to face shortages. HHAs rank last in Shortage on the Index. CNAs rank second-to-last in Shortage and are primarily employed by skilled nursing facilities. These settings all primarily provide healthcare to aging adults, signaling an urgent need for retention and professional development efforts to bolster occupations that are particularly critical for sustaining long-term care.

Further straining the healthcare workforce—beyond the aging population that needs care—are retirements and reduced hours among the aging workforce providing care. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of healthcare workers in Michigan are 55 and older. The Dentist Group, the Physician Group, HHAs, the Psychologist Group, and Nurse Anesthetists are the “oldest” occupations, with 34.7, 29.9, 28.0, 28.0, and 26.0 percent aged 55 and older, respectively (see below). In the 2025 Michigan Survey of Nurses, 36.6 percent of RNs and 36.3 percent of LPNs reported planning to leave nursing within ten years, citing retirement as their main reason. There is also some evidence that certain healthcare workers, including Physicians, are retiring earlier. This may particularly impact rural areas, where Physicians already tend to be older.

Demographics

While the Michigan labor force is evenly split by sex, females comprise a significantly higher percentage of healthcare occupations, representing 81.4 percent of the industry. Some healthcare occupations with higher earnings, like Optometrists and Pharmacists, are split relatively evenly by sex, while males make up a larger percentage of some of those occupations, including some Physician specialties and dentistry. In Michigan, 41 percent of active Physicians are female. Conversely, in medical schools, female students constitute a larger proportion of total enrollment than males. In the 2024-2025 academic year, active medical residents were split 50-50 between males and females, the first time males were not a larger proportion of residents. The majority of lower-earning occupations have a significantly higher percentage of females.