Physical therapy is one of hundreds of allied health care careers.
Allied health care refers to a cluster of health care professions which makes up as many as 200 different careers. The allied health care industry offers a wide range of career opportunities with varying salaries. Besides the specified health care career, salaries are also affected by additional factors including location, education level, experience, job title and employer type.
Lab Science Salaries
As of March 2010, clinical laboratory scientists or medical technologists have a salary ranging from $53,449 to $63,849, with the top 10 percent earning $68,838 and up. Clinical laboratory technicians or medical laboratory technicians have a salary ranging from $37,046 to $45,303, with the top 10 percent earning $49,389 and up. Cytotechnologists have a salary ranging from $58,514 to $69,058 with the top 10 percent earning $73,788 and up.
Health Technician Salaries
Annual starting salaries for allied health technicians, according to the American Medical Association, are as follows: respiratory therapist earn $41,537; kinesiotherapists earn $32,500; phlebotomists earn $24,315; and orthotists and prosthetists earn $22,000. Ophthalmic technicians have a starting salary of $39,000; dental lab technicians have a starting salary of $31,780; health information technicians have a starting salary of $30,000; pharmacy technicians have a starting salary of $19,000; and the starting salary of an ophthalmic laboratory technician is $15,100. Starting wages for assistants vary as well. Occupation therapy assistants earn $33,000; physical therapist assistants earn $30,000; dental assistants earn $32,780; medical assistants earn $22,650.
Health Therapist and Technologist Salaries
The American Medical Association has reported the starting salaries of therapist and technologist assistants as follows: anesthesiologist assistants earn $95,000; physician assistants earn $71,000; and pathologist assistants earn $55,000. Starting salaries for radiation therapists are $65,429; physical therapist salaries start at $54,000; and occupational therapist salaries start at $46,000. Starting salaries for nuclear medicine technologists are $67,429; cytotechnologist salaries start at $46,000; magnetic resonance technologist salaries start at $44,410; and specialists in blood bank technology have starting salaries of $45,000.
Additional Considerations
Allied health care job salaries vary widely by field or specialization. In addition, the intensity of the education varies by profession, and is reflected in the salaries for different positions. The education of technicians commonly lasts less than two years, while the education of a therapist or technologist is much more intensive and often requiring at least a bachelor's degree plus additional post-graduate education. Thus, people in those professions often earn more money.
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