Healthcare & Medical Jobs in Tulsa, OK

Tulsa's healthcare economy runs on three hospital systems, anchored by the 1,112-bed Saint Francis Hospital on South Yale Avenue, with Hillcrest and Ascension St. John a mile apart on Utica. The guides below cover healthcare and medical roles in Tulsa, who is hiring and what each job pays.

Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in Tulsa

Tulsa has three full hospital systems competing for the same nurses and technicians. Saint Francis Health System, based in Tulsa, anchors south Tulsa with its main campus at 61st and Yale, which includes Saint Francis Children's Hospital, and Saint Francis Hospital South on East 91st Street. Hillcrest HealthCare System runs Hillcrest Medical Center on South Utica and Hillcrest South near US-169, along with Bailey Medical in Owasso, Oklahoma Heart Institute, Tulsa Spine & Specialty and the Utica Park Clinic network. Ascension St. John operates its medical center on South Utica plus hospitals in Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso and Sapulpa. For job seekers, that means real choice: the same license can be shopped across three employers within a short drive.

The second layer is community and public health. The Indian Health Care Resource Center on South Peoria serves the city's American Indian community with its own nursing and clinic staff, the Tulsa Health Department employs about 45 public health nurses on a weekday schedule, and OSU Medicine runs 27 outpatient clinics across Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare practitioners and technical workers made up 6.6 percent of Tulsa-area jobs in May 2025, above the 6.3 percent national share, and healthcare support workers made up another 4.0 percent.

Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in Tulsa

These Tulsa employers hire across nursing, allied health and clinic support:

• Saint Francis Health System - the Tulsa-based system hires nurse techs, CNAs, LPNs, RNs, allied health and support staff, and runs its own Nurse Tech and CNA training program.
• Hillcrest HealthCare System - Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest South hire nursing, lab, pharmacy, imaging, therapy, behavioral health and surgical staff.
• Ascension St. John - the Utica Avenue medical center and its suburban hospitals recruit nursing, nursing support, imaging and surgical services staff.
• Indian Health Care Resource Center - the downtown clinic hires LPNs and RNs for pediatrics, women's health and patient care coordination.
• Tulsa Health Department - the county health department hires LPNs, RNs and APRNs for weekday public health work.
• OSU Medicine - OSU Center for Health Sciences staffs 27 outpatient clinics with physicians and clinic staff.

Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in Tulsa

• Nursing - Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse. This is the biggest ladder in Tulsa healthcare, and each step builds on the last: Tulsa Tech requires a CNA certificate before practical nursing, and Tulsa Community College bridges LPNs into its RN program.
• Clinical and technical - roles such as Patient Care Technician, Phlebotomist, Medical Laboratory Technician, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Technologist and Respiratory Therapist, which staff the hospital labs, imaging and operating rooms.
• Clinic and office - Medical Assistant, Medical Receptionist, Medical Biller and Coder and Pharmacy Technician, the roles that keep OSU Medicine, Utica Park Clinic and the other outpatient practices running.
• Industry overview - the Healthcare guide, which maps the whole Tulsa market for anyone deciding where to start.

How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in Tulsa

• Nurse aide certification - tested through the Health Certification Project at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and listed on the Oklahoma State Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry. Tulsa Tech offers a one-semester Nursing Assistant program, and Saint Francis trains its own nurse techs and CNAs.
• Tulsa Tech Practical Nursing - 12-month day or 15-month evening program at the Health Sciences Center, Lemley Memorial Campus, 3638 South Memorial Drive. Leads to the NCLEX-PN.
• Tulsa Community College nursing - five-semester Associate Degree of Applied Science in Nursing at the Metro Campus, 909 South Boston, ACEN-accredited, plus an LPN and paramedic to RN mobility track.
• Oral Roberts University Anna Vaughn School of Nursing - BSN on campus at 7777 South Lewis Avenue, with MSN and DNP online.
• Oklahoma Board of Nursing license - required for every RN and LPN, after the NCLEX and a fingerprint background check with the OSBI and FBI. Oklahoma is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.

A nursing license from the Oklahoma Board of Nursing is legally required to work as an RN or LPN, and nurse aides must be certified and on the state registry to work in regulated settings such as long-term care. BLS certification, specialty credentials and a BSN are usually employer requirements rather than legal ones.

Healthcare & Medical Salaries in Tulsa

• Entry - about $15 to $19 per hour for nurse aides, patient care techs and front-office roles. Tulsa healthcare support jobs averaged $18.09 an hour in May 2025.
• Mid - roughly $23 to $30 per hour for licensed practical nurses and experienced technicians; the Tulsa LPN median was about $28.76.
• Senior - $38 to $52 per hour and up for registered nurses and other licensed practitioners; the Tulsa RN median was about $40.76, and practitioners overall averaged $46.56.

These are estimates from Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the Tulsa metro, and most Tulsa healthcare pay runs below the national average. Hospital jobs pay differentials for nights, weekends and specialty units, while the Tulsa Health Department and clinic employers trade some pay for weekday hours. Hillcrest's 12-month nurse residency at Hillcrest South and Saint Francis's in-house CNA and lab science programs are worth weighing alongside the hourly rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest healthcare employers in Tulsa?

Saint Francis Health System, Hillcrest HealthCare System and Ascension St. John run the major hospitals. The Indian Health Care Resource Center, the Tulsa Health Department and OSU Medicine are large clinic and public health employers.

What healthcare job can I start without a degree in Tulsa?

Nurse aide and nurse tech roles are the most common starting points. You can train in Tulsa Tech's one-semester Nursing Assistant program or through Saint Francis's own Nurse Tech and CNA program, then test for certification.

How long does it take to become a nurse in Tulsa?

Tulsa Tech's practical nursing program takes 12 to 15 months after you earn a CNA certificate. Tulsa Community College's RN associate degree takes five semesters, and a BSN at Oral Roberts University takes about four years.

How much do healthcare jobs pay in Tulsa?

Healthcare support workers in Tulsa averaged $18.09 an hour in May 2025, while healthcare practitioners averaged $46.56 an hour. Registered nurses had a median near $40.76 and LPNs near $28.76, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Are there healthcare jobs in Tulsa with weekday hours?

Yes. The Tulsa Health Department's nurses work Monday through Friday, 8 to 5, with most weekends and holidays off.

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