Non-clinical healthcare hiring trends, hot jobs & top salaries: 2026 Workforce Planning Guide
The healthcare industry remains strong, even as the overall job market lags.
Innovations in medicine and technology, staffing gaps, and an aging population are driving continued growth in both clinical and non-clinical roles.1 Recent shifts in federal funding and tariffs, and anticipated reimbursement delays and cost surges in 20262, are prompting employers to ramp up, while others take a ‘wait and see’ approach. Meanwhile, candidates, wary of job security, are approaching new opportunities cautiously.
Hospitals continue to experience more layoffs due to financial pressures and efforts to improve operational efficiencies. Yet, some hospitals are rehiring administrative staff after realizing that technology, while powerful, can’t replace the human element in patient care. At the same time, specialty groups like sports medicine and orthopedics continue to grow, opening up roles for experienced revenue cycle management professionals, coders, and EMR analysts.3
While some organizations are taking pause, many others are recruiting strategic healthcare professionals who are best equipped to prepare for and navigate the changes that will take effect next year and into 2027.”
Lauren Badonski, Sr. Vice President, Healthcare, Addison Group
Beyond degrees: drivers of demand
Healthcare employers are increasingly prioritizing skills over degrees, signaling a shift in what drives demand for critical roles in a traditionally education-focused sector. As a result, healthcare organizations are conducting more assessments to determine competence, especially with data analytics skills.
Turnover remains a challenge across all healthcare roles, but executives are feeling it the most — 46% of healthcare executives report plans to exit in the next year.4 That leaves a gap in leaders who can excel within different EMR systems and clearly communicate with clinical and administrative team members. With the major push to improve the patient experience and mitigate reimbursement challenges, customer/patient service roles are also in demand.
Regulatory changes like CMS updates, Medicare Advantage growth and the No Surprises Act are reshaping revenue cycle openings while mergers and acquisitions and EMR consolidations drive demand for scalable revenue cycle management talent.5
Beyond back-end billing, front-end roles in patient access, prior authorization, and self-pay are critical as high-deductible plans rise.6
Thriving through workforce change
The coming year will require both candidates and employers to adapt to a changing landscape. While executive-level professionals may see modest opportunities for higher compensation, salary growth overall is expected to remain moderate, with an anticipated 3.5% increase reflecting economic and cost management considerations.7
Organizations that seek strategic leaders will need to align their offerings with evolving expectations, such as expertise in advanced data analytics and flexible work arrangements, to attract and retain top talent. Meanwhile, employees are prioritizing work-life balance and professional development, encouraging companies to rethink how roles and career paths are structured.
Simultaneously, healthcare organizations are addressing burnout and turnover through upskilling, cross-training, and adopting AI and other technologies that require skilled oversight. Addison Group has found that with compliance requirements, cybersecurity risks, and regional workforce constraints rising, organizations need collaborative solutions and skilled professionals more than ever.8
“As we look ahead to 2026, we are doubling down on strategic workforce planning. We’re not just filling roles—we’re cultivating talent pipelines that align with emerging technologies, regulatory shifts, and the growing demand for patient-centered care. Our goal is to stay ahead of the curve, not react to it.”
William Borrego, Vice President of Revenue Cycle Operations, PAM Health
Healthcare’s tech future
From Electronic Health Records and telemedicine to wearables and the integration of AI, healthcare technology is taking a central role in reshaping operations and redefining in-demand skills. AI and automation are streamlining non-clinical tasks such as claims processing, payment posting, and reconciliation, improving efficiency and enhancing accuracy. Even with automation, complex work like coding, audit review, and revenue cycle management still requires human expertise, keeping these roles central to healthcare operations.
Meanwhile, the surge in patient data is leading to both opportunities and risks, including a spike in cyberattacks, with 92% of healthcare systems reporting an attack in the last year.9 With IT security teams often stretched thin, organizations are turning to specialized recruiting partners with strong cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive candidate data and workforce processes.
Ultimately, technology is not replacing people — it’s amplifying the need for skilled professionals who can bridge innovation and patient care.
In-demand healthcare roles
- Revenue Cycle Leadership
- Revenue Integrity Analyst
- Coding Auditor
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
- Denials Management Specialist
Highest-paid Healthcare salaries
| Titles | National averages |
| VP of Revenue Cycle Management | $174,994 |
| Revenue Cycle Director | $145,004 |
| Inpatient Services Director | $137,183 |
| Operations Director | $130,866 |
| Clinical Appeals Reviewer | $129,554 |
| Practice Administrator | $126,477 |
| Clinical Director | $124,245 |
| Nurse Manager | $119,856 |
| Outpatient Services Director | $119,557 |
| Health Information Management Director | $119,205 |
For more valuable insights and national averages of salaries across hundreds of roles in administrative, digital marketing, finance, accounting, healthcare, human resources, and information technology, download your free copy today.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10998868/
- https://www.hfma.org/fast-finance/employers-anticipate-2026-to-see-biggest-healthcare-cost-increase-in-over-a-decade/
- https://resources.healthgrades.com/pro/fastest-growing-medical-specialties#:~:text=Takeaway,critical%20care%20medicine
- https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/ceo/3-workforce-trends-impacting-hospital-ceos
- https://www.simbo.ai/blog/assessing-the-effects-of-the-no-surprises-act-on-revenue-cycle-management-and-patient-care-challenges-and-solutions-1138130/#:~:text=How%20has%20the%20No%20Surprises,outsourcing%20benefit%20revenue%20cycle%20compliance?
- https://www.techtarget.com/patientengagement/feature/How-do-high-deductible-health-plans-affect-patient experience#:~:text=A%20separate%20study%2C%20which%20also,more%20invasive%20for%20the%20patient.
- https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-compensation/employer-salary-increase-predictions-2026#:~:text=July%2021%2C%202025%20%7C%20Kathryn%20Mayer,projecting%20higher%20salary%20increase%20budgets.
- Addison Group, 2026
- https://www.proofpoint.com/us/resources/threat-reports/ponemon-healthcare-cybersecurity-report
