Top certifications and emerging roles 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
 
        
  
        
  
                                  
                
                
  
  
  
  
  
    
      
        
          Candidates with in-demand certifications like those listed below can often command higher starting salaries, notably in sectors experiencing active hiring and strong demand for specialized skills.
Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP)
Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC)
Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare
                
      
    
  
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
      
        
          Below are a few nonclinical healthcare positions gaining traction in 2026. As these and other new roles evolve and grow in demand, setting competitive salaries can be challenging—prompting 39% of leaders to turn to recruiters for guidance.
Clinical documentation improvement analyst: Uses natural language processing to enhance accuracy and completeness of clinical documentation
Conversational AI designer: Designs and trains healthcare chatbots and voice assistants to provide accurate responses to patient queries
Healthcare AI trainer: Teaches AI models using medical documentation or billing data to improve accuracy