The United States is experiencing a significant shortage of healthcare workers at all levels, from entry-level hospital workers to physicians. These shortages are projected to intensify in the coming years.
Unless we change course, the consequences will be longer wait times for patients, burnout of existing staff, potential declines in quality of care, and worsening health disparities, especially in underserved and rural areas.
So, why aren’t more people joining the healthcare workforce when there is such a clear demand?
A recent survey of our students here at Stepful points to the high cost of education, both in terms of money and time, as a major barrier to pursuing traditional forms of higher education.
That’s why Stepful is dedicated to re-imagining healthcare training for allied health professional jobs. Stepful is an AI-powered learning platform with an accelerated format, lower costs, and job placement support for students, many of whom come from historically underserved communities.
For this study, we surveyed 7,465 current Stepful students to understand what influenced them to pursue a career in healthcare and the perceived roadblocks they thought stood in their way when considering traditional higher education.
Key Findings
- Tuition cost and time commitment of traditional college are the top barriers to entering healthcare. The cost of tuition (63.9% of respondents) and time commitment (53.4%) at other institutions were cited as the main reasons our students thought they could not enter the healthcare field before they learned about Stepful’s programs.
- Student loan debt is much less common for those pursuing alternative forms of education. At Stepful, only 5.0% of students use loans* to cover the cost of our programs, much lower than the 28.6% who take out loans for undergraduate programs. Instead, Stepful students turn to personal savings (43.7%), family support (37.7%), scholarships (25.4%), and employer assistance (8.1%).
- Students need flexibility in learning and a faster path to employment. Students are choosing online, alternative education programs like Stepful’s over traditional 2- and 4-year degree programs. The main reason 75.4% of our students cited was flexibility in learning, with 62.4% citing a faster path to employment.
- Parents and those from underserved communities are likely to turn to alternative forms of higher education. Many of our students are parents (33.4%), and the majority are from underserved communities (81.9%), which includes members of a racial or ethnic minority group, a low-income household, and first-generation students. These students have work and family obligations that require them to find education programs that are flexible and efficient.
- Students are seeking career growth and purpose-driven jobs. The primary motivation for pursuing a career in healthcare for 68.5% of our students was career growth opportunities. Our students also clearly expressed a desire for a meaningful career, with 68.0% choosing “a passion for helping others” as their primary reason for pursuing a career in healthcare.
- TikTok is attracting young people to healthcare careers. Once people see how interesting and meaningful healthcare careers are, they want them. Social media has been a driver of this exposure, with TikTok (69.6% of respondents saying it influenced their perception), Instagram (41.9%), and Facebook (20.0%) leading the way.
*The student loans mentioned in this article are not directly associated with Stepful. We take pride in offering affordable tuition and flexible payment options for our students.
Tuition Costs & Time Are the Biggest Barriers to Entry for Healthcare Careers
For years, we’ve seen that the rising cost of post-secondary education has caused many Americans to doubt whether the benefits are worth the costs. Many healthcare jobs require college and post-graduate education, which can mean years of paying for school while making little to no income.
So, when we asked our students to rank what kept them from entering healthcare before they found Stepful, we weren’t surprised by the answer.
Tuition costs (63.9%) and time commitment (53.4%) were cited by students as the main reasons they thought they could not enter the field of healthcare before they learned about Stepful’s programs.
This tracks with what we’ve seen in the news in the last decade. Rising tuition costs have resulted in sticker shock for the majority of potential college students.
According to the Education Data Initiative, the cost of a public 2-year degree in-district averages $3,598 annually. Out-of-district tuition and fees total $8,622 annually. At private institutions, students can pay as much as $20,019 annually.
The average cost of a 4-year college in America is $38,270 per year, including books, supplies, and living expenses.
This doesn’t account for the post-graduate studies and licensing qualifications required for more advanced healthcare positions like registered nurses.
Besides tuition costs being out of reach, the time commitment for these degrees can be a major hurdle. Working adults, parents, and those who need to start earning quickly see 2, 4, or 6 years in school before earning a decent salary as untenable.
As a result, traditional college paths are often out of reach for people who would otherwise be excellent candidates for healthcare careers.
Those Pursuing Alternative Forms of Higher Education Largely Avoid Loans to Pay for Schooling
Young people today have definitely seen the news about the struggles of the one in four U.S. adults under 40 who have student loan debt. We believe that’s why we see our students going to great lengths to avoid borrowing money for school.
To check this assumption, we asked our students how they are paying for their Stepful education.
Most notably, only 5.0% of Stepful students* use loans to cover their education, much lower than the 28.6% who take out loans for undergraduate programs.
Instead, they turn to personal savings (43.7%), family support (37.7%), scholarships (25.4%), and employer assistance (8.1%).
Because of the rising costs of traditional higher education, many Americans are doubting the economic value of a college degree. And while student loans make traditional college attainable for some, they can significantly increase the already high cost of college.
In 2023, the median borrower with outstanding student debt owed between $20,000 and $24,999. Among borrowers with a postgraduate degree, the median owed was between $40,000 and $49,999.
These amounts can become a long-term financial burden. Student loans are very difficult to discharge in bankruptcy, meaning borrowers may continue to carry the debt even when they are out of work or struggling financially.
In addition, recent news about the changes to student loan policies has increased aspiring students’ anxiety about borrowing. The dismantling of the Department of Education and changes to the student loan program may limit loan forgiveness programs, income-driven repayment plans, and other cost-reducing factors.
Students looking for education and training without the burden of enormous school loans are attracted to alternative forms of higher education. Programs like Stepful’s are affordable enough that students can complete them with little to no debt accrued.
Learning Flexibility and Faster Paths to Employment Drive People to Pursue Alternative Forms of Higher Education
Many students are choosing online, alternative education programs like Stepful’s over traditional 2- and 4-year degree programs. A study by Gallup found that nearly half of U.S. parents prefer non-college paths for their children, citing affordability and faster routes to employment as key factors.
Stepful’s past research of the educational landscape showed the same, so we designed our program to be flexible and get students into paying jobs as soon as possible.
To see how those factors ranked for our current students, we asked them why they chose our program over traditional 2- and 4-year colleges.
As expected, the number one reason was flexibility in learning, with 75.4% of our students saying this drove their decision to choose Stepful. The second highest response was a faster path to employment, chosen by 62.4% of students surveyed.
While this tracks with trends in the country as a whole, we have a mission to serve underserved communities and believe these factors are particularly important to them. So, we asked a survey question about which communities our students identify with.
A majority of our students come from underserved communities, with 81.9% of students noting they are a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, a low-income household (total annual household income below $15,060 for one person, below $20,440 for two people), or a first-generation college student. In addition, a third of our students are parents (33%).
These students have work and family obligations that require them to find education programs that are flexible and efficient. Online learning allows students to study from any location, eliminating the need for commuting and enabling them to balance education with work and family responsibilities.
These factors also reduce costs. Research by The Education Trust found that a student parent would need to work 52 hours per week, on average, to cover child care and tuition costs at a 4-year public college or university in the U.S.
Stepful’s platform is designed for working and parenting adults. We offer a variety of class times, including morning, evening, and weekend sessions, to accommodate diverse student schedules.
Additionally, the program’s bite-sized, asynchronous, interactive learning modules allow students to manage their studies alongside other commitments, while AI-powered feedback offers personalized support and outreach to ensure students don’t fall behind.
Our survey showed that 26% of our students are first-generation college students. We know from research that these students need specific kinds of support to be successful. Stepful’s instructor-led courses that include live, cohort-based learning sessions and one-on-one coaching add the personal, supportive elements to online learning that many students need.
It’s also no surprise that our students want to start earning a better salary as soon as possible, especially with 32% identifying as coming from low-income households. So, Stepful's programs are designed to be completed quickly. They range from 8 weeks to 4 months compared to 2-year associate's degree programs and 4-year bachelor’s degree programs.
Today’s Healthcare Students Have a Strong Desire for Career Growth & Meaningful Careers
Most entry-level healthcare jobs have considerably higher salaries than non-medical roles with similar education requirements. With just a few months of training, people can increase their earning potential and become eligible to pursue even more advanced healthcare roles.
In addition, research by the World Economic Forum found that young people today are looking for work that is “fair and fulfilling, and which positively influences the growth and well-being of young people and their communities.”
Our next question asked students why they decided to pursue a career in healthcare to see if these aspects were driving factors in their decision.
The primary motivation for pursuing a career in healthcare for 68.5% of our students was career growth opportunities.
Not only do those in entry-level healthcare roles earn more than non-medical jobs with similar education requirements, but the work experience can also make them stronger applicants for medical school and other advanced healthcare programs.
These students are making a smart bet by investing in this first step into a healthcare career. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job openings in healthcare will grow much faster than the average for all occupations in the next decade. As many as 1.9 million openings are projected each year, on average, in the healthcare field.
Our students also clearly expressed a desire for a career that matters, with 68.0% choosing “a passion for helping others” as their primary reason for pursuing a career in healthcare. This response was chosen more often than financial stability (58.7%) and job security (42.9%).
Additionally, 42.3% of students said making a difference in their community was important, with more choosing that than work-life balance (35.3%).
These results align with a broader trend of young people seeking jobs with a higher purpose that make a difference in people’s lives.
TikTok & Other Social Media Platforms Attract Students to Healthcare Jobs
Social media has experienced a remarkable evolution in recent years, becoming a tool that is used for far more than social connection. Notably, young people are using it not only for entertainment but also as a resource for learning and career exploration.
For instance, TikTok has become a hub for educational content, with young people using it as a search engine. It also serves as a tool for career insights, with trends like #corporatelife offering glimpses into various professions and workplace cultures.
At Stepful, we knew social media was driving interest in healthcare careers, so we asked our students exactly how social media influenced their decision to start a Stepful program and which platforms gave them the most exposure to healthcare careers.
Social media content showing the day-to-day lives of healthcare professionals has made the industry feel relatable, with 50.1% of respondents saying it influenced them.
Another 41.9% of students said they were motivated by healthcare professionals’ success stories and career progression.
So, which social media platforms are influencing those interested in healthcare careers the most? That’s what our next question asked.
TikTok, in particular, influenced our students positively when it comes to healthcare careers, with 69.6% of students choosing it as their primary source of exposure. Instagram was, by far, the second most popular at 41.9%, followed by Facebook (20.0%) and YouTube (13.8%).
These results underscore the positive role social media can play in attracting young people to careers in healthcare.
Full Survey Results
1. What is the highest level of education you completed?
- High School Graduate (47.4%)
- Some College (33.8%)
- College Graduate (11.1%)
- Trade/Technical School (6.5%)
- Postgraduate (1.1%)
2. What is your gender?
- Female (94.3%)
- Male (4.8%)
- Prefer not to say (0.5%)
- Non-binary (0.4%)
3. Do you identify with any of the following groups?
- Parent (33.4%)
- Low-income household: total annual household income below $15,060 for one person, below $20,440 for two people (32.0%)
- None of the above (29.0%)
- First-generation college student (26.1%)
- Member of a racial or ethnic minority group (23.8%)
- Military spouse (2.2%)
4. Are you currently an undergraduate student at a college or university on track to pursue an advanced career in healthcare?
- No (66.8%)
- Yes (33.2%)
5. What are your primary reasons for pursuing a healthcare career?
- Career growth opportunities (68.5%)
- Passion for helping others (68.0%)
- Financial stability (58.7%)
- Job security (42.9%)
- Making a difference in my community (42.3%)
- Personal/family health experiences (37.8%)
- Work-life balance (35.3%)
- Other (1.0%)
6. What influenced your decision to choose Stepful over a traditional two- or four-year college degree program?
- Flexibility in learning (75.4%)
- Faster path to employment (62.4%)
- Lower cost (49.6%)
- Focus on practical skills (32.7%)
- Relevance to today’s job market (18.0%)
- I am also pursuing a traditional two- or four-year college degree program (17.5%)
- I don’t meet the criteria to start a traditional two- or four-year college degree program (4.1%)
7. Before joining Stepful, which of these were a perceived barrier to entering healthcare?
- Tuition costs (63.9%)
- Time (53.4%)
- Not knowing how to enter the field (30.9%)
- The classes would be too challenging (25.4%)
- Pre-requisites (23.6%)
- Location (20.2%)
- Other (2.4%)
8. What financial support helped you pursue healthcare education at Stepful?
- Personal savings (43.7%)
- Family support (37.7%)
- Scholarships (25.4%)
- Other (please specify) (15.7%)
- Employer assistance (8.1%)
- Loans (5.0%)
9. How did social media influence your decision to pursue a healthcare career?
- Showed the day-to-day life of healthcare professionals, making the career feel relatable (50.1%)
- Motivated me through healthcare professionals’ success stories and career progression (41.9%)
- Provided information on different educational and training programs (40.5%)
- Highlighted the steps and various paths to land healthcare roles (31.1%)
- Demonstrated the positive impact healthcare professionals have on their communities (30.2%)
- Showed how healthcare professionals balance work-life demands effectively (29.5%)
- Other (4.7%)
10. Which social media platforms have influenced your perception of healthcare careers?
- TikTok (69.6%)
- Instagram (41.9%)
- Facebook (20.0%)
- YouTube (13.8%)
- Twitter/X (1.7%)
- Other (2.4%)
Methodology
The data from this study come from a 10-question online survey of 7,465 current Stepful students conducted via Typeform from February 27, 2025, to March 20, 2025. All questions were “select all that apply” except Questions 1, 2, and 4, which were single select. Stepful's programs include Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Surgical Tech, Medical Administrative Assistant, and Patient Care Technician.
