| Course | HS106 Health Science Profession and Career Planning |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 4 |
| Paper type | Labor market data worksheet |
| Length | About 640 words, 5 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Health Science |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HS106 Unit 4
Twenty-One Percent Against Nine: A Unit 4 Labor Market Data Worksheet for Physician Assistants and Respiratory Therapists
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
HS106: Health Science Profession and Career Planning
Unit 4 Labor Market Data Worksheet
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The student and plans are composite; the figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET and should be rechecked against the current release.
The Data
Physician assistants. Median annual pay was $135,880 in 2025. Over the ten years to 2035 the bureau expects PA jobs to rise by about a fifth, from roughly 168,900 positions, with near 11,500 openings each year. Typical entry education is a master's degree (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026a).
Respiratory therapists. Median annual pay was $82,280 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 9 percent from 2025 to 2035, also faster than average, from about 142,000 jobs. Typical entry education is an associate degree (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026b).
What Each Figure Means
Median pay. Half of workers earn more and half less. The PA median is about $53,600 higher, but a new graduate in either field will usually start below the median, and pay varies by region and setting.
Projected growth. Growth is the percentage change in the number of jobs over ten years. A 21 percent rise means many new positions; 9 percent is slower but still faster than the average across all occupations. Growth does not count jobs that open when people retire or leave, which is why openings per year are worth reading too.
Openings. About 11,500 PA openings a year nationally is a large number for a profession of under 170,000, which suggests strong demand for new graduates.
Entry education. The difference in schooling is the real cost behind the pay difference. A master's program typically lasts more than two years after a bachelor's degree, while an associate program in respiratory therapy takes about two years.
The pay gap is real, but so is the time gap, and the data only tell me the first one directly.
A Rough Comparison of Time
If I finish a bachelor's degree in about three years after separating and then complete a PA program, I would start working as a PA about six years from now. If I enter a respiratory therapy associate program soon after separating, I could be licensed in about two to two and a half years and earning near the RT median for several years before a PA would start. That head start narrows the lifetime earnings gap but does not close it, and it ignores the cost of each program, which I will compare in a later unit.
Local Data Still Needed
National medians may not match Hampton Roads. The bureau's state and metropolitan wage tables and O*NET's local data link give regional figures, and I will add those for the Virginia Beach and Norfolk metropolitan area before the final plan. I will also look at local job postings through the Center for Career Advancement to see which employers hire new graduates.
O*NET Check
O*NET OnLine describes both occupations as having a bright outlook and lists the tasks, skills and work context of each (National Center for O*NET Development, n.d.). Its task lists confirmed what the scope comparison found: PAs diagnose and treat, while RTs set up and adjust respiratory equipment and assess response to treatment.
How the Data Changed My Thinking
Before reading the figures, I assumed the PA path was clearly better because of the pay. The data show that both fields are growing faster than average, so either is a safe bet for employment. The deciding factor will be whether I can manage six years before reaching the PA salary, which depends on my family's finances and on what my education benefits will cover.
References
National Center for O*NET Development. (n.d.). O*NET OnLine. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. https://www.onetonline.org/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026a). Physician assistants. In Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026b). Respiratory therapists. In Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm
Reading the HS 106 Unit 4 instructions
Unit 4 often asks students to interpret labor market data for the careers they are considering. Expect to report median pay, projected growth, openings and entry education from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, often supplemented by O*NET. Instructors look for interpretation, not transcription, so each figure should be explained in plain terms and related to the student's situation. Comparing two careers side by side is common. Many prompts ask for local or state data, since national medians can mislead, and for a note on what the data cannot tell you. The worksheet should end with what the data changed in the student's thinking. Figures must carry their year and source, and students should check that they are using the current release rather than an older copy found elsewhere.
Inside the HS106 Unit 4 example
The worksheet opens with the data for each career, each figure with its year and source. A section then explains median pay, growth, openings and entry education one at a time, with a highlighted line that the data state the pay gap directly but not the time gap. A rough timeline compares when the writer would start working in each career and what the head start means for earnings. A section names the local data still needed, metropolitan wages from the bureau and job postings through the career center. An O*NET check confirms the scope differences found earlier. The worksheet closes by explaining how the data overturned the writer's assumption that higher pay made the PA path clearly better.
Where the points sit in the HS106 Unit 4 rubric
Labor market worksheets are usually graded on accuracy, interpretation and relevance. Figures must be current, sourced and reported with their year. Interpretation earns most of the credit: each number should be explained, and comparisons should account for differences such as schooling. Graders reward attention to what national data miss, such as regional pay. Linking the data to the student's own decision is expected, and a changed assumption shows genuine use. A second source such as O*NET strengthens the analysis. Readers find it easiest when each figure is followed at once by its meaning. Correct APA 7 citations of each federal source complete the rubric for this unit.
Common HS106 Unit 4 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Data worksheets often copy figures from the handbook without saying what they mean. Another frequent problem is using outdated numbers from a secondary website or comparing figures from different years. Some students treat projected growth as a guarantee of a job, or ignore openings from retirements. Comparing pay without considering the years of school each career needs gives a misleading picture. National medians are often presented as local pay. Worksheets that end without a conclusion about the student's choice miss the purpose. Before writing, open the current handbook page for each career and note the release year. A custom worksheet can read the data for your own careers and region.
Get an HS106 Unit 4 example written to your instructions
Share the careers and the worksheet instructions with the rubric. A custom worksheet reads the data and explains what it means for your choice. It arrives within 24-48h; first requests are free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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HS106 Unit 4 questions, answered
Which data source is used?
Most often the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET.
Is national data enough?
State or local data are often more useful, since pay and demand vary by region.
What does projected growth mean?
The expected percentage change in jobs over the projection period, usually ten years.
Where can I find a free HS106 Unit 4 sample paper?
The complete HS106 Unit 4 labor market data worksheet can be read here, interpreting federal pay, growth and education data for physician assistants and respiratory therapists.
How did the data change the writer's thinking in the HS106 Unit 4 sample?
Both careers are growing faster than average, so the deciding factor became whether the family could manage about six years before PA pay, not which job pays more.