ALLIED CAREER GUIDE

Allied health career guides

30 allied roles — what the work involves, what it pays, and what it takes to qualify.

What is allied health?

Allied health covers the healthcare professions outside nursing, medicine, and dentistry that provide diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services.

The field is broad, so the best place to start is with the work itself: how you want to spend your day, who you want to care for, and how much training you want to pursue.

Patient contact
Some roles are hands-on throughout the day; others focus on imaging, laboratory work, technology, or care planning behind the scenes.
Training and credentials
Compare the degree, clinical training, certification, and state licensure required before committing to a path.
Work setting
Hospitals are only one option. Allied professionals also work in clinics, laboratories, schools, rehabilitation centers, pharmacies, and patients' homes.
Mobility and compensation
Pay, demand, and the ability to travel vary by profession and location, so review the role-specific salary and licensure guides together.

Explore allied health careers

Behavior Analyst

A certified behavior analyst, also known as a board-certified behavior analyst or BCBA, specializes in applying behavior therapies…

Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists are highly trained professionals specializing in diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental, emotional,…

Dietitian

A dietitian is a licensed and registered medical professional who provides nutritional counseling and medical nutrition therapy to…

Dosimetrist

A Dosimetrist is a crucial member of the radiation oncology team, responsible for ensuring accurate radiation doses are given to…

EKG Technician

A Telemetry Tech is an allied health professional who specializes in monitoring the electrical system within the heart using…

Licensed Therapist / Counselor

Both counselors and therapists use treatments that help people find relief from a wide range of problems. They both help people…

Pharmacist

A pharmacist specializes in the science of medications, which is called pharmacology. While doctors prescribe medications,…

Pharmacy Tech

A pharmacy tech is a healthcare professional who assists pharmacists with much of the day-to-day pharmacy work. They are…

Sonographer

A sonographer, or an ultrasound tech, is a medical professional who uses ultrasound imaging equipment to acquire and analyze…

Sterile Processing Technician

Sterile processing technicians, sometimes referred to as SPT's, instrument techs, central sterile techs, or central processing…

Surgical Technician

A surgical technician is a medical professional who is part of an operating room medical team. A profession that originally…

Registered nurse instead? See the nursing specialties guide, or nurse salary by state.