8 Fastest Growing Allied Health Professions

There are many incentives to begin a allied health related career. Well over 13 million workers are already employed in the healthcare field according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and job creation is projected to grow 20% by 2014 – that translates to long-term job security.

The majority of these positions will be in a sector of health care called Allied Health. Reviewing the expected employment growth and average salary of the top 8 allied health careers should help assist in determining which path to choose.

Top Seven Healthcare Careers to Consider Entering

1. Audiology: Audiology professionals help people who have ear defects, diseases and injuries that lead to hearing loss, balance problems and related difficulties. Earning a bachelor’s degree in this field can qualify you as an audiology technician, while becoming an audiologist requires a Master's Degree in Audiology or doctorate.

Average Annual Salary, Audiologist: $40,360 - $98,880*

2. Nursing: Registered nurses (RNs) perform the bulk of day-to-day nursing duties, from evaluating patients to providing front-line care. To become an RN you must earn at least an associate’s degree in nursing and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Those who plan to elevate their careers into administration or advanced nursing practice often complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

Average Annual Salary, Registered Nurse: $43,410 - $92,240*

3. Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapists help patients with injuries, diseases or age-related problems recover or improve their everyday living and working abilities. A Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy is required to practice this profession.

Average Annual Salary, Occupational Therapist: $42,820 - $98,310*

4. Pharmacy: There are two levels of pharmacy work: pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians typically earn pharmacy certificates or associate’s degrees in pharmacy. If you want to become a pharmacist, you will need to first earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a related field – such as biology or chemistry – and then complete a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program.

Average Annual Salary, Pharmacist: $77,390 - $131,440*

5. Physical Therapy: Like occupational therapists, physical therapists treat patients with injuries, diseases or age-related problems. Their goal is usually to help those patients recover normal or close-to-normal use of a damaged physical ability. A Master of Science (MS) in Physical Therapy is required to practice this profession.

Average Annual Salary, Physical Therapist: $50,350 - $104,350*

6. Physician Assistant: Physician assistants (PAs) provide diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic healthcare services as delegated by a medical doctor (MD). They are sometimes the principal care providers in small rural or inner-city clinics where the availability of MDs is limited. PA programs typically take at least two years to complete and require previous healthcare experience, a college degree, or both to enroll.

Average Annual Salary, Physician Assistant: $51,360 - $110,240*

7. Radiologic Technology: Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations, such as x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The education requirements can be met at the certificate, associate's degree or bachelor’s degree level; those with Radiologic Technologist Associate's Degree or higher typically have access to better positions and higher salaries.

Average Annual Salary, Radiologic Technologist: $35,100 - $74,970*

*All salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition

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Allied Health Education and Careers

Allied Health Education Grows

Both allied health workers and training are in great demand. The need for professionals with allied health degrees and certificates is expected to grow significantly over the next ten years.  To help individuals looking for information about these emerging careers and related education programs U.S News University Directory has launched a new section dedicated to the topic. The area highlights some of the most popular degree and certificate categories that are offered on-campus or through allied health distance learning programs. Some of the most in-demand programs that are now available from top schools and colleges include medical transcription training, pharmacy assistant programs and audiology degrees.

The section also contains overviews of a large collection of Allied health careers and job profiles.  Each career page provides a full job description, education requirements, earnings outlook and a video overview for some of the most sought after allied health professions.   

In addition to education and career information there is also allied health news and topical  articles to keep readers informed about the latest trends in allied health care employment and education.

New Education Programs Available

The U.S. News University Directory recently added several new categories to the online education portal. New categories are focused on degree programs that are in demand or projected to be be in demand by employers over the next decade. 

The combination of industries needing educated and skilled workers and the growing numbers of adults looking to advance their education and earning power. Has fueled the creation of many new educational programs in fields like healthcare, business and technology. Many of these new offerings are available partially or totally online. 

A sample of the recent additionas includes:

• Online Finance Degree Programs
• International Business Degrees
• Master's in Nursing Programs
• Social Work Degrees
• Pharmacy Degrees and Programs