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2026 Residency Programs Degree Guide

A degree in Residency Programs explores Health Professions Residency/fellowship Programs. Programs That Prepare Dentists (Dds, Dmd), Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists (Pharmd), Physician Assistants, And Veterinarians (Dvm) For Certification As Practitioners Of Recognized Specialties In Their Respective Professions. These Programs Are Approved And Accredited By Designated Professional Associations. Residency Or Fellowship Programs That Also Result In The Completion Of An Academic Degree (E.g., Ms, Phd), Should Be Reported Under The Appropriate Cip Code, Rather Than In A Residency Code Located In Series 60. These Cip Codes Are Not Valid For Ipeds Reporting. Read on to learn the important information every residency programs major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering residency programs programs.

Residency Programs Degrees in the United States

2026 Best Colleges for Residency Programs
2026 Overall Best Residency Programs Colleges >

Requirements for Getting a Degree in Residency Programs

Studies in Residency Programs develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations residency programs graduates commonly enter.

Skills You Will Develop

The skill set developed in a residency programs program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

Reading Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5

Active Listening  4.1 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Speaking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Complex Problem Solving  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Based on O*NET data, a residency programs major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

Medicine and Dentistry  4.8 / 5
0
5
Biology  4.4 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.3 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  4.2 / 5
0
5
Psychology  3.9 / 5
0
5

People currently working in careers related to residency programs tend to have obtained the following education levels.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Master’s degree 42.0%
Doctoral degree 40.5%
Post-doctoral training 6.9%
First professional degree 5.4%
Bachelor’s degree 4.2%
High school diploma or equivalent 0.4%
Postsecondary certificate 0.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) 0.2%
Some college courses 0.2%

See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in residency programs careers hold.

Level of education for Residency Programs workers

Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*

Residency Programs Careers

10 Related Occupations
$103,910 Average Median Salary
15.0% Growth Top Job Outlook

Studying residency programs opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to residency programs.

In-Demand Residency Programs Careers

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to residency programs.

Occupation Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Veterinarians 3,199,646 13.9%
Dentists, General 2,950,097 1.1%
Physician Assistants 2,607,247 6.7%
Orthodontists 2,252,613 5.8%
Nurse Practitioners 2,031,912 3.3%
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 1,956,280 13.9%
Prosthodontists 1,802,810 -3.4%
Pharmacists 1,131,161 14.2%

How Much Money Do Residency Programs Grads Make?

Federal data tracks median earnings of residency programs graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.

Median earnings for Residency Programs graduates by years after completion
Years Out Median Earnings
1 year $229,117
4 years $192,703
5 years $242,047

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.

Highest Paid Residency Programs Careers

Salaries for residency programs graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers residency programs grads often go into.

Occupation Median Annual Salary
Dentists, General $157,602
Nurse Practitioners $147,651
Prosthodontists $144,273
Anesthesiologist Assistants $116,229
Orthodontists $108,772
Dentists, All Other Specialists $100,743
Pharmacists $93,686
Physician Assistants $77,320

Getting Your Residency Programs Degree

Use our unbiased residency programs school rankings to find the best fit for you.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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