Allied Health Professions

The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions defines allied health professionals as “the segment of the workforce that delivers services involving the identification, evaluation, and prevention of diseases and disorders; dietary and nutrition services; and rehabilitation and health systems management.” Allied health professions are typically either technicians (assistants) or therapists/technologists. These can include dental hygienists, diagnostic medical sonographers, dietitians, medical technologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, radiographers, respiratory therapists, and speech language pathologists.

What is the outlook in allied health? 

Currently, health care in America is facing a crisis. There is a significant shortage of workforce supply in the demand gaps across the United States in acute care, long-term care, and primary care providers. More and more allied health professionals are needed as the demand for healthcare workers will grow twice as fast between now and 2020. In the United States, healthcare makes up about 18% of the economy, which is twice as high as in many other countries. Allied health professionals are essential in providing health services to our communities while filling the gaps in the healthcare workforce that are not filled by traditional providers such as physicians and nurses. The majority of jobs in the healthcare industry are those in allied health.

Rank Occupation
% Growth Expected
1 Medical Assistants 59
3 Physician Assistants 49
4 Social and Human Service Assistants 49
5 Home Health Aides 48
6 Medical Records and Health Information 47
7 Physical Therapist Aides 46
10 Physical Therapist Assistants 45
15 Dental Hygienists 43
16 Occupational Therapist Aides 43
17 Dental Assistants 42
18 Personal and Home Care Aides 40
21 Occupational Therapist Assistants 39
28 Physical Therapists 35
29 Occupational Therapists 35
30 Respiratory Therapists 35

Is a job in allied health right for me? 

There are many professions that fall under allied health. These professions are a great way to obtain paid hands-on clinical experience, to serve as another health career option, or as a temporary job during your gap year(s) after graduation. For those looking for more experience before entering professional school, many allied health professions allow you to work one-on-one with patients. Utilize the following table below to compare the many different allied health professions.

Allied Health Profession Undergraduate Degree Requirement Number of US Schools Years of Training
Medican Income
Cytogenetic Technology Bachelor's Degree 28 1 $61,235
Blood Bank Technology Bachelor's Degree 13 1+ $50,000-75,000
Cardiovascular Technology N/A 59 2+
$27,000-140,000
Dental Assisting N/A 120+ 1+ $27,248
Dental Laboratory Technician N/A 19 1+ $28,498
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) N/A 473 2+ $31,020
Medical Assistant N/A 556 2 $30,550
Physical Therapist Assistant N/A 120+ 2 $45,000
Phlebotomist N/A 66 2 $25,177-30,470
Histotechnologist N/A 37 2 $36,302-68,963
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Scientist N/A 228 2 $45,000-60,000
Anesthesiologist Assistant Bachelor's Degree 10 2
$110,000-120,000
Athletic Training Bachelor's Degree N/A 4 $35,000-75,000
Dental Hygiene N/A 120+ 2 $55,307
Diagnostic Sonography N/A 210 N/A $53,000-75,000
Nuclear Medicine Technology N/A 88 1+ $65,000
Pathologists' Assistant Bachelor's Degree 8 2 $90,000
Radiologic Technologist/Radiographer N/A 735 1+ $62,763
Respiratory Therapy N/A 120+ 2 $57,000
Surgical Technologist N/A 451 1+ $44,420
Dietician or Nutritionist Bachelor's in Dietetics or Nutrition 224 4+ $42,000-55,000
Pharmacy Technician N/A 120+ 1+ $25,625
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) N/A 200+ 1 $31,440
Certified Nursing Assistant/Aide (CNA) N/A 120+ 0 $25,620
Veterinary Technician Min. 2 Year Undergrad 120+ 2 $30,290

This information has beed adapted from UC Davis HPA's information chart