The U.S. Allied Health Job Market: Demand, Pay, and Career Moves for 2026

Allied health professionals keep healthcare running—often as the clinicians patients see most frequently outside of physician and nursing care. If you’re already in the field (or considering it), it’s worth understanding where the U.S. job market is headed, what’s driving demand, and what career moves tend to pay off.

This post breaks down the allied health job market using the most widely trusted public sources available—especially the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)—and translates that data into practical takeaways you can use.

What counts as "allied health"?

Definitions can vary by organization and country, but a common U.S. framing is that allied health encompasses health professions distinct from medicine and nursing, spanning services like diagnosis, evaluation, prevention, rehabilitation, nutrition, and health systems support.

ASAHP (Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions) notes that allied health covers a broad range of professionals—such as radiographers, respiratory therapists, diagnostic medical sonographers, PT/OT professionals, dietitians, and many more—and that estimates suggest as much as 60% of the U.S. healthcare workforce may be classified as allied health.

That range matters, because the allied health "job market" is really a set of sub-markets:

Clinical support & ambulatory care (medical assistants, phlebotomy, care coordination)
Imaging (radiologic techs, MRI techs, sonographers)
Therapy & rehab (PTAs, OTAs, therapy aides)
Diagnostics & labs (clinical lab technologists/technicians)
Respiratory & cardiopulmonary care
Many specialized disciplines in inpatient and outpatient settings

The big picture: healthcare is a major engine of U.S. job growth

BLS projects the U.S. economy will add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034, bringing total employment to about 175.2 million—an overall growth rate of 3.1% over the decade.

Within that, healthcare and social assistance stands out:

And when BLS looks at growth by occupational group, the groups most aligned with allied health are among the fastest-growing:

Translation: even if some specific roles grow slowly, healthcare as a system is expanding—and allied health sits right in the middle of that expansion.

Why demand is rising: the "three D’s" behind allied health hiring

1) Demographics: more older adults, more care needs

The U.S. population is aging, and older adults tend to use more healthcare services (including imaging, therapy, respiratory support, and lab testing). BLS explicitly calls out the growing elderly population as a key driver of demand for long-term care and therapy services.

2) Disease burden: more chronic conditions to manage

BLS also points to the growing prevalence of chronic conditions as a driver of healthcare sector job growth. Chronic disease management often increases demand for diagnostics, monitoring, rehab, and ongoing outpatient care—work where allied health professionals are central.

3) Delivery shifts: more outpatient, more post-acute, more "care everywhere"

Care delivery continues to spread across settings—hospitals, outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, and home-based care. This doesn’t reduce allied health demand; it often redistributes it across sites and schedules.

If you’re job hunting, it helps to think less in terms of "hospital vs. clinic" and more in terms of:

patient volume (where people are being seen),
acuity (how complex care is),
coverage needs (nights/weekends, float pools, staffing gaps),
and payer mix / reimbursement models (which influence headcount).

What the data says: pay and outlook for key allied health roles

Below is a BLS-based snapshot using the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) figures (wage data shown are medians for May 2024, and projections are for 2024–2034).

Role (BLS OOH)	Typical entry-level education (BLS)	Median annual pay (May 2024)	Projected growth (2024–34)
Medical Assistants	Postsecondary nondegree award	$44,200	12%
Respiratory Therapists	Associate's degree	$80,450	12%
Radiologic & MRI Technologists (overall)	Associate's degree	$78,980	5%
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	Associate's degree	$89,340	13%
Physical Therapist Assistants & Aides (overall)	Varies by role	$60,050	16%
Occupational Therapy Assistants & Aides (overall)	Varies by role	$66,050	18%
Clinical Lab Technologists & Technicians	Bachelor's degree	$61,890	2%

A few role-by-role notes that matter in real job searches

Medical assistants: high-volume hiring, strong entry pathway

Medical assistants are projected to grow 12% from 2024 to 2034, and BLS expects about 112,300 openings per year on average.

If you’re early in your career, MA roles are often one of the fastest "on-ramps" into healthcare—especially in ambulatory care.

Respiratory therapy: strong outlook, licensure requirements

Respiratory therapists are projected to grow 12%, with about 8,800 openings per year.

BLS notes RTs must be licensed in all states except Alaska, though requirements vary by state—important if you're considering relocation or travel work.

Imaging: steady growth, specialization can raise earning power

Radiologic and MRI technologists show 5% projected growth overall.
But within imaging, specialization can matter. BLS reports separate medians for:

BLS also highlights that employers often require or prefer certification, and that many states require radiologic technologists to be licensed or certified.

Sonography: one of the strongest outlooks in this snapshot

Diagnostic medical sonographers are projected to grow 13% (much faster than average), with a median pay of $89,340.

BLS notes typical education includes at least an associate degree or postsecondary certificate, and that some workers need a license or certification.

Therapy support roles: very fast growth, but job scope varies a lot

BLS projects 16% growth for physical therapist assistants and aides overall, and 18% for occupational therapy assistants and aides overall—both much faster than average.

These "combined" categories matter because:

Assistants generally provide hands-on therapy under supervision.
Aides often focus more on setup, transport, clerical support, and patient flow.

Even within PT support roles, BLS separates pay:

Clinical lab roles: slower growth, but persistent replacement needs

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians show 2% projected growth (slower than average), but BLS still projects about 22,600 openings per year on average—largely due to turnover and retirements.

This is a great example of why "slow growth" doesn’t always mean "few opportunities."

"Hotspots" aren’t just geography—they’re also settings and shortages

When people ask "where are the jobs," they often mean one of three things:

Where is the most hiring happening right now?
Where do clinicians have the most negotiating power?
Where do shortages translate into faster offers or better incentives?

1) The setting hotspot: long-term care + therapy needs

BLS explicitly ties healthcare growth to aging and increased need for long-term care and therapy services.

In practice, this often shows up as sustained demand in:

rehab clinics,
outpatient therapy networks,
post-acute and skilled nursing environments,
home-based and community settings.

2) The shortage hotspot: what HRSA expects by 2037

HRSA's National Center for Health Workforce Analysis released projections for 2022–2037 and flags projected shortages in 2037 for many key allied health occupations (expressed in full-time equivalents).

Examples HRSA lists include projected shortages of:

Even if you don’t work in those exact roles, this matters because shortages in one area often ripple into staffing needs across care teams.

3) The geographic hotspot: how to identify it (without guessing)

Because "best market" depends on your profession, license, and willingness to relocate, a reliable way to find hotspots is to use public dashboards and state/area data rather than social media trends.

Two high-quality starting points:

A practical tip: when you’re comparing regions, normalize by cost-of-living and your constraints (shift preferences, commute, call requirements, productivity expectations, and benefits), not just top-line pay.

What employers are signaling: credentials, upskilling, and retention are front and center

Job market "tightness" isn’t only about patient demand—it’s also about hiring and retention dynamics.

A 2025 allied health industry outlook from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) highlights a few employer-reported trends:

70% of employers require certifications for allied health hires
71% of employers increased pay for certified workers
83% of employers offer internal training programs
Many employers view certification and development as retention tools (NHA reports 73% say certification is important for retention).

This aligns with what many clinicians see firsthand: skills portability (credentials + documented competencies) is increasingly valuable, especially when you’re switching settings or negotiating.

Career strategy: how to position yourself in today’s allied health market

Here are career moves that tend to work across multiple allied health disciplines—because they align with what employers and systems actually need.

1) Pick a "signal" and make it obvious

Hiring managers are sorting fast. Make your top signal unmistakable:

your core specialty (e.g., outpatient ortho, inpatient acute, pediatrics),
your modality (CT, MRI, vascular, echo),
your pace/setting comfort (high-volume clinic, critical care, SNF),
and your key certifications/licensure status.

BLS profiles and HRSA shortage projections make it clear that healthcare demand is structurally strong; your advantage comes from clearly communicating fit.

2) Build "range," not just tenure

In many allied health roles, cross-coverage and setting versatility matter:

outpatient + inpatient familiarity,
experience with different EMRs,
comfort with different patient populations,
ability to float across units (where appropriate).

Even modest range can turn you from "one of many applicants" into "the obvious pick."

3) Use data to negotiate smarter

Instead of negotiating only on hourly pay, look at the full package:

guaranteed hours vs. variable scheduling,
productivity expectations,
shift differentials,
CE support,
tuition reimbursement,
relocation assistance,
benefits start date and premium share,
and the schedule that actually protects your energy.

BLS wage medians are a helpful anchor, but your "best deal" is often the role that matches your preferred setting and schedule.

4) Treat licensing and credentialing like a pipeline

Licensure and credentialing delays are real friction points in allied health hiring (especially across states). If you anticipate moving, start early:

collect verification documents,
track CE requirements,
keep immunizations and background checks current.

BLS highlights state-linked licensure requirements in several allied health professions (e.g., respiratory therapy licensing across states).

A quick "if you’re deciding what to pursue" guide

If you’re aspiring to enter allied health, the market is strongest when you choose a path that matches:

your tolerance for patient-facing intensity,
your interest in tech-driven vs. hands-on care,
your willingness to work nights/weekends,
and your desired time-to-entry.

A few examples, purely from a market/trajectory lens:

Faster on-ramps with large hiring volume: roles like medical assistants (strong projected growth and many annual openings).
High pay + strong growth, more technical training: sonography, respiratory therapy.
Therapy support with very fast growth: PTA/OTA pathways (and be sure you understand assistant vs. aide scope).

Where Matcha Health fits in (and how to use it if you’re exploring)

If there’s one consistent theme in the data, it’s that healthcare demand is structurally strong—but finding the right role is often about matching your preferences (setting, schedule, geography, specialty, comp model) to what employers need.

That’s exactly the problem we built Matcha Health to solve.

If you’re an allied health professional (or aspiring one) looking for your next step, Matcha Health’s app helps you:

sign up and share your preferences,
complete a brief AI discovery interview to capture what you actually want,
get matched to relevant roles in our placement network,
and, if you want to move forward, get introduced directly to the hiring manager.

And if you know someone else looking, our referral program shares value back to the community when a referral leads to a successful hire.

If you’re considering a change in 2026—or just want to understand your options—this kind of structured matching can save you time and help you focus your energy on roles that truly fit.