Healthcare Jobs in Atlanta: Where the Opportunities Are and How to Get Hired

Atlanta is one of the Southeast’s biggest healthcare hubs, with major hospital systems, universities, public health agencies, and biotech companies all clustered in and around the city. If you’re searching for healthcare jobs in Atlanta, you’re in a strong market with a wide range of roles—from bedside care and clinic work to research, administration, and health IT.

This guide walks through where the jobs are, what kinds of roles are in demand, how hiring typically works in Atlanta, and where to get local support.

Why Atlanta Is a Major Healthcare Job Market

Atlanta’s healthcare sector is supported by several local strengths:

• Large hospital networks: Emory Healthcare, Grady Health System, Wellstar, Piedmont, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and others.
• Public health presence: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Fulton County Board of Health.
• University and training centers: Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia State University, Atlanta Technical College, and others.
• Growing population: Metro Atlanta’s growth fuels demand for hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, long-term care, and home health.

This combination creates steady demand for clinical and non-clinical workers at different experience and education levels.

Major Types of Healthcare Jobs in Atlanta

Healthcare in Atlanta isn’t just doctors and nurses. Many roles are open to people with certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, or even on-the-job training.

Clinical Roles (Patient-Facing)

Common clinical jobs you’ll see across Atlanta include:

• Registered Nurses (RN) – Hospitals, outpatient clinics, surgery centers, home health.
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN/LVN) – Long-term care, clinics, rehab centers, and some hospital settings.
• Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) – Nursing homes, assisted living, rehab facilities, and hospitals.
• Medical Assistants (MA) – Primary care offices, specialty practices, urgent care.
• Physicians and Physician Assistants (PA) – Hospital departments, private practices, emergency and urgent care, telehealth.
• Nurse Practitioners (NP) – Primary care, specialty clinics, retail health, community clinics.
• Therapists and Rehab Professionals:
  • Physical Therapists (PT) and PT Assistants (PTA)
  • Occupational Therapists (OT) and OT Assistants (COTA)
  • Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP)
• Behavioral Health Roles:
  • Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)
  • Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
  • Psychologists and psychiatrists
  • Mental health technicians and case managers

These roles are in demand across major hospital systems, smaller specialty practices, and behavioral health centers around the metro area.

Non-Clinical Healthcare Jobs

Non-clinical roles keep Atlanta’s healthcare system running and can be good options if you don’t want direct patient care:

• Medical billing and coding specialists
• Health information management / medical records
• Scheduling and patient access representatives
• Practice managers and healthcare administrators
• Front desk and patient service representatives
• Health IT and electronic health record (EHR) support
• Laboratory technicians and phlebotomists
• Public health educators and outreach workers
• Research coordinators and lab support staff (especially near Emory and CDC)

Many of these jobs are found in hospital administrative offices, clinics, diagnostic centers, and public agencies throughout Atlanta.

Where the Healthcare Jobs Are in Atlanta

Major Hospital Systems and Medical Centers

Some of the largest healthcare employers in and around Atlanta include:

• Emory Healthcare
  • Multiple hospitals and clinics, including Emory University Hospital and Emory University Hospital Midtown
  • Main academic campus near Druid Hills and Midtown Atlanta
• Grady Health System
  • Grady Memorial Hospital (downtown Atlanta, near the Georgia State Capitol)
  • Large Level I trauma center and safety-net hospital
• Piedmont Healthcare
  • Piedmont Atlanta Hospital in Buckhead area
  • Additional hospitals throughout metro Atlanta
• Wellstar Health System
  • Facilities such as Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center South and nearby suburban hospitals
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA)
  • Pediatric hospitals including Egleston (near Emory), Scottish Rite (Sandy Springs), and Hughes Spalding (downtown)

These systems employ nurses, allied health professionals, administrative staff, security, housekeeping, food service, and more.

Clinics, Urgent Care, and Outpatient Centers

Around Atlanta’s neighborhoods—Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Sandy Springs, College Park, and others—you’ll find:

• Primary care and family medicine clinics
• Specialty practices (cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, women’s health, etc.)
• Urgent care centers and walk-in clinics
• Imaging centers and diagnostic labs
• Dialysis centers and infusion clinics

Many of these sites look for medical assistants, medical receptionists, LPNs, RNs, imaging techs, and billing staff.

Long-Term Care, Rehab, and Home Health

With an aging population in metro Atlanta, there are many opportunities in:

• Skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes
• Assisted living and memory care communities
• Inpatient rehab centers
• Outpatient therapy clinics
• Home health and hospice agencies

These employers regularly hire CNAs, LPNs, RNs, PT/OT/SLP staff, and support personnel.

Public Health and Government-Related Roles

Atlanta stands out for public health jobs, including:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Main campus at 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
• Georgia Department of Public Health – State office downtown (2 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303)
• Fulton County Board of Health
  • Central office: 10 Park Place South SE, Atlanta, GA 30303
• City and county health departments across the metro area

Roles here may involve epidemiology support, program coordination, community outreach, health education, administration, and lab work.

Common Entry Points: Getting Started in Atlanta Healthcare

You don’t need a medical degree to begin working in healthcare in Atlanta. Several roles serve as entry-level starting points, especially if you are early in your career or changing fields.

Entry-Level Roles With Short Training

Many Atlantans start with:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Patient Care Tech (PCT)
• Medical Assistant (MA)
• Phlebotomist
• Medical receptionist / front desk
• Environmental services (EVS) / housekeeping in hospitals
• Food and nutrition services in hospitals or facilities

Training for some of these roles is available at local technical colleges and training centers, including:

• Atlanta Technical College – 1560 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
• Georgia Piedmont Technical College (in nearby Clarkston)
• Chattahoochee Technical College (northwest metro)
• Gwinnett Technical College (northeast metro)

These schools commonly offer CNA, MA, phlebotomy, and allied health programs that are aligned with local employer needs.

Licensing and Certification in Georgia

Many healthcare jobs in Atlanta require Georgia-specific licenses or certifications, such as:

• Georgia Board of Nursing – for RNs and LPNs
• Georgia Composite Medical Board – for physicians, PAs, and certain specialists
• Georgia Board of Pharmacy, Board of Dentistry, etc. – for specialized roles
• Georgia Nurse Aide Registry – for CNAs

Most employers will clearly state licensing requirements in job postings. If you’re moving to Atlanta from another state, license endorsement or transfer may be needed before you can work.

Typical Healthcare Salary Patterns in Atlanta

While exact numbers change over time and depend on experience and employer, some general patterns in the Atlanta area are:

• Hospital-based roles (especially night shift, weekends, or high-acuity units) often pay more than similar roles in smaller clinics.
• Specialty nurses and therapists (ICU, ER, OR, oncology, etc.) may earn more than general practice roles.
• Public health and government positions sometimes offer more predictable schedules and strong benefits, though pay can be different from hospital pay scales.
• Travel and contract roles in metro Atlanta can sometimes offer higher hourly rates but may not include long-term stability.

For current ranges, many job seekers review multiple Atlanta-area postings for the same role to understand the local pay landscape before applying or negotiating.

How Hiring Usually Works for Healthcare Jobs in Atlanta

Most medium and large healthcare employers in Atlanta follow a similar hiring sequence:

1. Online application through the employer’s career site.
2. Screening by HR or a recruiter (phone or email).
3. Interview(s):
   • Initial phone or video interview
   • On-site or panel interviews with managers or team members
4. Skills or behavioral assessments, if required.
5. Background check, drug screening, and reference checks.
6. Offer and onboarding, including orientation and any facility-specific training.

Atlanta’s larger systems often post openings on their own websites first and may also appear on broad job boards. Smaller practices may rely on local postings, word of mouth, or staffing agencies.

Atlanta-Focused Job Search Strategies

1. Use Local Health Systems’ Career Pages

Searching directly on the careers pages of big Atlanta systems (Emory, Grady, Piedmont, Wellstar, CHOA) is often effective. You can filter by:

• City or ZIP code within metro Atlanta
• Job category (nursing, allied health, non-clinical)
• Shift (day, night, weekend)
• Full-time, part-time, or PRN

This method helps you see real-time openings and target specific facilities you can commute to.

2. Explore Community and Public Health Opportunities

For jobs aligned with community health, education, and outreach, search:

• Fulton County Board of Health postings
• Georgia Department of Public Health opportunities anchored in Atlanta
• Nonprofit community clinics and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) serving neighborhoods like Southwest Atlanta, Clarkston, and others

Roles often focus on health education, case management, outreach, and support services.

3. Tap Into Atlanta’s Career Centers and Workforce Programs

Several Atlanta-area resources help residents prepare for and find healthcare work:

WorkSource Atlanta

• Main office: often referenced in city resources; programs can change, so checking current city information is helpful.
• Offers job readiness workshops, training referrals, and potential support for certifications.

Goodwill of North Georgia Career Centers (multiple Atlanta locations)

• Provide resume help, job search support, and sometimes healthcare-related training partnerships.

Local colleges and universities often have career services offices open to students and recent graduates, with connections to Atlanta hospitals and clinics.

4. Networking in the Atlanta Healthcare Community

In Atlanta, many people find healthcare jobs through networking:

• Attend local job fairs hosted by large health systems or local colleges.
• Join professional associations or meetups that have Atlanta chapters (for nurses, therapists, coders, etc.).
• Connect with former classmates or coworkers who already work in Atlanta hospitals or clinics.

Even a brief conversation with someone inside an Atlanta health system may help you understand which units are hiring, what managers look for, and how to strengthen your application.

Education and Training Options in the Atlanta Area

Major Universities With Health Programs

• Emory University (Atlanta) – Nursing, medicine, public health, and allied health.
• Georgia State University (downtown Atlanta) – Nursing, health sciences, public health, and social work.
• Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta) – Medicine, public health, and research-focused programs.
• Clark Atlanta University & other HBCUs – May offer pre-health and related programs.

Graduates often complete clinical rotations or internships at Atlanta hospitals, clinics, and labs, which can lead directly to job offers.

Technical and Community Colleges

If you’re aiming for a certificate or associate degree:

• Atlanta Technical College – Allied health, nursing programs, and short-term credentials.
• Georgia Piedmont, Chattahoochee, Gwinnett Technical Colleges – Nursing, medical assisting, imaging, and other health programs across the metro area.

These schools typically coordinate with local employers to ensure training aligns with Atlanta’s job needs.

Balancing Commute, Shift, and Lifestyle in Atlanta

Metro Atlanta’s traffic and geography can strongly affect your job choice.

Considering Location and Commute

When you look at job postings, pay attention to:

• Facility location – Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Sandy Springs, South Atlanta, etc.
• Proximity to MARTA stations or bus lines if you use public transit.
• Travel time during your likely shift change (especially for 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. shifts).

Many healthcare workers in Atlanta aim for jobs aligned with their home area to avoid long commutes after 12-hour shifts.

Shift Types Common in Atlanta Healthcare

You’ll frequently see:

• 12-hour shifts (e.g., 7 a.m.–7 p.m. or 7 p.m.–7 a.m.) in hospitals.
• 8- or 10-hour shifts in clinics and outpatient centers.
• Monday–Friday daytime schedules in administrative and public health roles.
• Weekend-only or PRN positions for those seeking flexibility.

Choosing the right shift is important in Atlanta, especially if you rely on MARTA hours, have family obligations, or prefer lighter traffic times.

Quick Reference: Key Atlanta Healthcare Job Pathways

Practical Tips for Standing Out in Atlanta’s Healthcare Job Market

• Tailor your resume to each job, highlighting Atlanta-relevant experience (local clinical rotations, volunteer work, or previous roles in metro facilities).
• Emphasize soft skills that Atlanta employers value: communication with diverse populations, teamwork in fast-paced settings, and reliability.
• If you’re new to the city, learn basic information about major Atlanta health systems before interviews so you can speak to why you want to work there.
• For bedside roles, be clear about shift, unit type, and location preferences—many systems have numerous facilities across the metro.
• Keep all licenses and certifications updated in Georgia, and bring documentation to interviews or onboarding.

By focusing your search on Atlanta’s major health systems, community clinics, public health agencies, and training pathways, you can find healthcare jobs that match your skills, schedule, and career goals within the city and surrounding metro area.