Healthcare Jobs in Portland, OR
Healthcare is Portland's biggest employer and one of the few sectors still adding jobs, with OHSU, Providence, Legacy and Kaiser among the region's five largest employers. Here are the current openings across hospitals and clinics, followed by who is hiring, what the work pays and how to get started.
Current healthcare Openings in Portland, OR
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Healthcare Work in Portland
The Portland metro added 5,200 health care and social assistance jobs in the year to August 2026 even as total employment fell, which makes health care the steadiest door into work here while tech and manufacturing cut back. OHSU alone counts more than 22,000 employees, and the hospitals are spread across the map: OHSU, Doernbecher Children's, the Portland VA and Shriners on Marquam Hill, Providence Portland on NE Glisan, Providence St. Vincent on the west side, Legacy Emanuel and Randall Children's in North Portland, Legacy Good Samaritan in Northwest, Adventist Health Portland off SE Market Street, and Kaiser Sunnyside in Clackamas.
Healthcare in Portland is heavily unionized and regulated. Oregon's hospital staffing law sets nurse and CNA ratios, union contracts set step pay at most of the big systems, and the jobs cross the Columbia River: PeaceHealth Southwest and Legacy Salmon Creek in Vancouver hire under Washington licensing rules, which differ from Oregon's for nurses and medical assistants.
Top Portland Employers Hiring Healthcare Workers
These health systems are the region's largest healthcare employers and post openings across nursing, support and technical roles:
- OHSU - Oregon's academic health center, with OHSU Hospital and Doernbecher Children's on Marquam Hill and clinics on the South Waterfront.
- Providence - runs Providence Portland Medical Center, Providence St. Vincent, Providence Milwaukie and Willamette Falls in Oregon City.
- Legacy Health - operates Emanuel, Randall Children's, Good Samaritan, Mount Hood in Gresham, Meridian Park in Tualatin and the Unity Center for Behavioral Health.
- Kaiser Permanente - hires for Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, Westside Medical Center in Hillsboro and its Portland-area medical offices.
- VA Portland Health Care System - the Portland VA Medical Center on Marquam Hill, a Vancouver campus and outpatient clinics serving more than 95,000 veterans.
- PeaceHealth - PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver hires nurses and home health staff for the Washington side of the metro.
Healthcare Salaries in Portland
- Entry level: healthcare support jobs average about $24.75 an hour in the Portland metro, and no job can pay under the $16.80 Portland-metro minimum wage.
- Experienced: licensed practical nurses earn about $29 to $43 an hour in Portland postings.
- Senior / licensed professionals: registered nurses earn about $47 to $92 an hour on local scales, and healthcare practitioners and technical workers average about $65.71 an hour.
These are estimates from Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 averages for the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro and from local employers' own postings. Pay moves with the license you hold, the union contract and step you are placed on, night and weekend differentials, and whether you work in Oregon or Washington.
How to Start a Healthcare Career in Portland
Many healthcare jobs start with a short certificate. Portland Community College trains nursing assistants, phlebotomists and pharmacy technicians at its CLIMB Center and medical assistants at its Cascade and Sylvania campuses, and Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham and Clackamas Community College offer similar programs. Licensed roles go through state boards: the Oregon State Board of Nursing licenses RNs and LPNs and certifies CNAs, the Oregon Board of Pharmacy licenses pharmacy technicians, and the Oregon Health Authority licenses EMTs and paramedics. Medical assistants are not licensed in Oregon, though employers usually want a certificate.
What the Job Involves
Healthcare work ranges from bedside care to the front desk and the lab. Nurses and nursing assistants care for patients on hospital units and in long-term care, medical assistants room patients and take vitals in clinics, technicians draw blood, run tests and take images, and office staff schedule, register and bill. Most roles involve shift work, electronic charting and close teamwork.
Skills Employers Look For
- The right Oregon license or certification for the role
- Current BLS / CPR certification
- Electronic health record experience, often Epic
- Compassionate, clear communication with patients
- Attention to detail with medications, specimens and records
- Flexibility for nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
Portland's health systems promote from within. A common ladder starts as a CNA or medical assistant, moves to LPN or an RN degree at PCC, Mt. Hood or Clackamas Community College, and continues to a bachelor's at OHSU or the University of Portland. Hospital RN residencies at Providence, Legacy and OHSU then lead to specialty units, charge nurse and management roles.
Related Careers in Portland
To go deeper into a specific role, start with these Portland guides:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest healthcare employers in Portland?
OHSU, Providence, Legacy Health and Kaiser Permanente are four of the region's five largest employers. The Portland VA, Adventist Health Portland, Shriners Children's and PeaceHealth in Vancouver add thousands more healthcare jobs.
Is healthcare hiring growing in Portland?
Yes. The metro added 5,200 health care and social assistance jobs in the year to August 2026 while total jobs fell, according to the Oregon Employment Department.
What healthcare jobs can I get without a degree in Portland?
Nursing assistant, phlebotomist, pharmacy technician and medical assistant roles usually need a short certificate rather than a degree. PCC, Mt. Hood and Clackamas community colleges all offer entry-level health programs.
Are Portland healthcare jobs unionized?
Many are. Unions represent nurses and other staff at OHSU, Providence and Kaiser, and union contracts set step pay and differentials. Ask about the bargaining unit when you apply.
Do I need a different license to work in Vancouver, WA?
Often, yes. Washington licenses nurses through its own board and credentials medical assistants, which Oregon does not, so check Washington rules before taking a job across the river.
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