Healthcare jobs grow across NY

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The healthcare sector is growing across New York, including Long Island, officials said Monday.

Healthcare wages on Long Island as well as upstate average higher than those in the private sector as a whole, according to a report released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“Year in and year out, health care has been a growth sector for jobs in New York over the past decade,”  DiNapoli said.

“If the federal government cuts health care spending, it could jeopardize these jobs and hurt an important sector of New York’s economy,” he added.

The health care industry in New York provided nearly $71 billion in wages, with an average annual wage of $57,200 in 2017, according to the report. With 7.2 percent of the total, New York ranked third in the nation for its share of health care jobs.

According to the report, Long Island saw job gains of nearly 25 percent, following New York City, which saw gains of nearly 33 percent.

On Long Island, the healthcare sector makes up nearly 17 percent of jobs. According to the study, there are 85,183 ambulatory service jobs, 64,930 hospital jobs and 34,677 nursing and residential facilities jobs.

On Long Island, the rate of healthcare employment growth was seven times of the private sector, according to the study.

The average salary in 2017 was $70,954 in Nassau County, and $56,251 in Suffolk County, according to the New York State Department of Labor.