Seven High-Paying Healthcare Careers You Can Start in Under Two Years
Several of the highest-paying healthcare careers in the country are open to people with a certificate or an associate-level program — training you can finish in roughly one to two years. And healthcare isn’t a shrinking field. In a city like Chicago, packed with major hospital systems, that demand is right on your doorstep.
What follows are seven of those careers, each with a real national median salary from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — and each one you can train for at our downtown campus. The numbers might surprise you.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Sonographers run the ultrasound machines that let doctors see inside the body without a single incision — scanning hearts, organs, vessels, and pregnancies. It’s consistently one of the best-paid imaging roles you can enter without a bachelor’s degree.
MRI Technologist
MRI techs operate the machines that produce the most detailed images in medicine — the scans that catch tumors, tears, and neurological conditions. A specialized, safety-critical role, and the pay reflects it.
Radiologic Technologist
Rad techs perform the X-rays nearly every ER visit depends on. It’s one of the most versatile credentials in healthcare — strong pay on its own, and a launchpad. Add a specialty like CT or MRI later, and the pay climbs further.
Echocardiography Technologist
Echo techs specialize in imaging the heart — ultrasound of a living, beating organ, used to diagnose everything from valve problems to heart failure. A focused, in-demand specialty, and cardiac care isn’t going anywhere.
Surgical Technologist
Surgical techs prepare the operating room, manage the sterile field, and hand the surgeon the right instrument at the right moment. A high-responsibility role in the middle of the action — and a relatively short program to enter it.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
LPNs provide hands-on patient care across hospitals, clinics, and long-term care. One of the fastest routes into licensed nursing — and for many, the first step toward becoming an RN. Our program is approved by ACCSC, the IBHE, and the IDFPR Board of Nursing.
Medical Assistant (with Phlebotomy)
Medical assistants are the backbone of a clinic — taking vitals, drawing blood, prepping patients, keeping the day running. One of the quickest, most flexible ways into healthcare, and a common starting point for people who specialize later.
The highest earners here are the specialized, hands-on roles. Training is what separates a job from a career — and none of these asked for four years.
A note on the numbers
These are national median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) — the midpoint, meaning half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less. Actual pay depends on experience, employer, shift, certifications, and location. Each figure describes the occupation nationally. It is not a representation of what any Stellar Career College graduate has earned or will earn, and the College does not guarantee employment or any particular wage.
Worried about cost?
Many of these programs qualify for financial aid, grants, WIOA funding, and VA benefits for those who are eligible. Ask us what applies to you — it’s often more than people expect.
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us a little about what you’re looking for. Our Chicago admissions team will reach out with program options, schedules, and the financial aid you may qualify for — no pressure, no obligation.