Michigan’s Healthcare Workforce Loses Momentum as Growth Slows and Shortages Persist
- Ana Hornburg
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
New Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index finds weaker growth across all 36 occupations; dentists remain “healthiest” profession, while pharmacy technicians rank “least healthy”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ana Hornburg
Michigan Health Council
(517) 908-8229
OKEMOS, Mich.—(August 24, 2026)—Michigan’s healthcare workforce is losing momentum as slower job growth, elevated turnover, and persistent shortages place pressure on healthcare occupations across the state, according to the newly released 2026 Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index from Michigan Health Council (MHC).
“Slower workforce growth is a serious concern as Michigan’s aging population is expected to require more care than the projected workforce can provide,” said Karalyn Kiessling, director of data and research at MHC. “Without meaningful action, the gap between workforce capacity and future care needs will continue to widen.”
The annual report ranks the relative workforce “health” of 36 healthcare occupations using four workforce indicators: projected employment growth over the next decade, wage growth from 2014 to 2024, turnover rate in the past year, and projected shortage or surplus in the next decade. According to the report, slower job growth is due to more healthcare workers approaching retirement, requiring new workers to replace those leaving rather than further expanding the workforce.
Dentists hold the top spot for the second year in a row due to high rankings in wage growth, shortage, and turnover. Recent American Dental Association (ADA) data shows that the profession is growing and getting younger, indicating sustained interest in dentistry among students. Pharmacy technicians rank last overall, placing last in growth and near the bottom in both shortage and turnover.
Key findings include:
All 36 occupations show lower projected growth compared to the 2025 Index.
Nearly all occupations are projected to face a workforce shortage by 2035.
Home health and personal care aides (HHAs) face the most severe projected shortage, with 146,619 additional HHAs needed in the next decade to meet projected patient demand.
An aging workforce and aging population have significant impacts on projected shortages, especially in occupations that care for older adults.
Healthcare support occupations, such as HHAs and nursing assistants, have consistently ranked low in the Index. The data shows this is driven by high turnover, anticipated shortages, and challenges with wage growth.
While eight Index occupations are projected to experience a surplus, regional distribution remains a challenge, particularly for rural Michigan.
The behavioral health workforce needs to be strengthened to meet population health needs. However, challenges persist as findings indicate low wage growth relative to other healthcare occupations.
“Michigan cannot solve its healthcare workforce challenges effectively without a clear understanding of where the greatest pressures are and what is driving them,” said Craig Donahue, president and CEO of MHC. “The Index gives employers, educators, policymakers, funders, and workforce partners a shared set of facts to help distinguish between challenges related to recruitment, retention, wages, and education pipelines. That understanding is essential if we want to prioritize solutions and investments that will have the greatest impact on access to care.”
The 2026 Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index draws on 2024 and 2025 data from Lightcast in addition to supplemental data from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Download the 2026 Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index at mhc.org/index.
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About Michigan Health Council
Michigan Health Council is a solutions-oriented nonprofit organization on a mission to ensure the future of the healthcare workforce. Through MHC Insight, the organization provides data, analysis, and labor market intelligence to help healthcare employers, educators, policymakers, and other partners align investments and strengthen workforce capacity. Learn more at mhc.org.
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