When people think of healthcare, they immediately think of nurses and doctors, but there are many other professionals who work to help patients receive the care they need. Many of those supportive roles fall under the category of allied health positions.
Allied health careers are a great alternative to nursing or medical school for those who pursue something a little different. The field encompasses everything from administrators, to specialists, to technicians, and covers many lucrative, fast-growing career options. This article covers the 10 highest-paying allied health careers by median annual salary, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
1. Physical Therapists: Helping Patients Recover
Physical therapists are healthcare providers who help patients recover and improve their movement after serious injuries or illnesses. They develop care plans using targeted and personalized exercises.
Patients turn to physical therapists after acute injuries, but they also depend on them for ongoing care to help with mobility issues. They can be particularly helpful when dealing with degenerative diseases. The median pay is $97,720 a year.
2. Occupational Therapists: Improving Daily Tasks
Occupational therapists are those who help patients improve their ability to perform daily tasks. They help patients learn to move through their environments and use the right tools to manage activities safely.
An occupational therapist helps patients identify their challenges and create treatment plans that help meet those goals. They work with patients who’ve suffered injuries as well as those with chronic conditions. The median pay for an occupational therapist is $93,180 a year.
3. Genetic Counselor: Assessing For Genetic Conditions
Genetic counselors help identify the risk patients have by assessing their genes. Many prospective parents opt to consult with a genetic counselor in order to understand the risk their potential children may have for inheriting a disorder that runs in the family. A genetic counselor can also offer assistance in understanding conditions and accepting them.
Because they are in particular demand, the median annual pay for a genetic counselor is $89,990.
4. Nuclear Medicine Technician: Preparing Radioactive Drugs
Nuclear medicine technicians are responsible for both the preparation and administration of radioactive medications to patients. These remedies can help with treating illnesses, though they may also be used for diagnostic purposes.
Most nuclear medicine techs work in hospitals, though some may also work in physicians’ offices, imaging clinics, or diagnostic laboratories. Additionally, most nuclear medicine technicians work full-time. They have a median annual salary of $85,300.
5. Speech-Language Pathologist: Assisting With Speaking and Swallowing
A speech-language pathologist offers help to patients of all ages who may struggle to swallow or speak correctly because of an injury, developmental delay, anatomical malformation, or illness. They perform assessments to provide the right diagnosis and plan treatments.
Speech-language pathologists make a median annual salary of $84,140.
6. Sonographer: Working With Ultrasound Equipment
Sonographers use ultrasound equipment to help in the diagnosis of all manner of illnesses and injuries. They’re also able to assist during and after medical procedures.
Because of the high levels of diagnostic input and decisional latitude, sonographers have a high degree of responsibility throughout the diagnostic process. Furthermore, they can branch out into specialties, becoming vascular, cardiac, or obstetric sonographers.
If you don’t want to specialize, you can choose to be a general sonographer. But in any case, the median annual salary of a sonographer is $78,210.
7. Orthotist: Creating Medical Support Devices
An orthotist is someone who designs and creates medical support devices for patients with congenital disabilities or those who have lost their limbs. They can make and fit splints and braces, as well as a variety of other devices, including artificial limbs.
Orthotists generally work in laboratories and healthcare settings, and their median annual salary is $77,070.
8. Respiratory Therapist: Helping Patients Breathe Better
A respiratory therapist is one who works with patients in hospitals and other medical facilities who have difficulty breathing as a result of anatomical abnormalities or illnesses. They assess and perform tests for accurate diagnoses while also administering medications. Along with these tasks, respiratory therapists manage oxygen delivery systems, including ventilators.
Respiratory therapists make an average of $70,540 a year, but the position is growing faster than many others in the healthcare industry.
Perspectives: How to Become a Respiratory Therapist: Training, Certification, and More
9. Radiologic Technologist: Providing Imaging Services
Radiologic technologists (or “rad techs”) perform X-rays, mammography testing, and computed tomography on patients. They’re in charge of positioning patients correctly so that they get the right images while at the same time protecting them from excessive radiation.
Rad techs work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and they earn an average yearly salary of $67,180.
10. Dietician: Preventing and Treating Diseases With Nutrition
Dieticians focus on how nutrition and diet impact patients’ lives as a means of treating and preventing illnesses. They create customized plans that patients can depend on by turning to assessments and laboratory testing.
Becoming a dietitian requires at least a Bachelor’s degree if not a Master’s degree, and it’s likely that you may also need to undergo an internship. Some states require that dieticians have a license.
Nevertheless, the median annual salary of a dietician is $66,450.
Find the perfect allied health job for you
You don’t have to spend years training to be a doctor or nurse if that’s simply not what you want to do. There are plenty of healthcare careers outside of doctoring and nursing that pay exceptionally well, and they are all capable of offering you the satisfaction of helping others.
At Prolink, we’re here to help you find the job that matches your goals. With expert recruiters ready to provide guidance throughout the training, accreditation, and onboarding process, we’re ready to help you find the right job. Contact Prolink today to get started or click below to create your account with us.
