| Occupation | Starting salary | Overall average | Upper ranges |
Year of data |
| Anesthesiologist assistant |
$95,000-$120,000 | $160,000-$180,000 | 2006 | |
| Art therapist | $32,000 | $38,000-$48,000 | $50,000- $80,000 |
2006 |
| Athletic trainer | $35,000 | $45,000 | $55,000-$75,000 | 2005 |
| Audiologist | $52,000 | $65,000 | $78,000 (management) | 2006 |
| Cardiovascular technologist |
$36,000-$45,000 | $50,000-$65,000 | $75,000 plus | 2006 |
| Clinical lab scientist/ med technologist |
$44,500-$52,000 | 2005 | ||
| CLS/MT manager | $69,500-$72,000 | 2005 | ||
| Clinical lab technician/ medical lab technician |
$37,100-$41,000 | 2005 | ||
| Counselor | $23,560 | $42,110 | $67,170 | 2004 |
| Cytotechnologist | $46,000 | $68,645 | $105,600 | 2005 |
| Cytotech supervisor | $48,000 | $70,646 | $100,000 | 2002 |
| Dance/movement therapist | $32,000 | $38,000-$48,000 | $50,000- $80,000 |
2006 |
| Dental assistant | $15.48/hr | 2004 | ||
| Dental hygienist | $30.30/hr | 2004 | ||
| Dental lab technician | $15.40/hr | 2003 | ||
| Dentist | $114,000 | $315,000 | 2004 | |
| Diagnostic medical sonographer | $61,984 | $67,253 | 2005 | |
| Diagnostic molecular scientist | $35,000-$47,000 | $45,000- $82,000 (management) |
2002 | |
| Dietetic technician | $30,000-$40,000* | $38,000- $53,000 |
2007 | |
| Dietitian/nutritionist | $42,000-$55,000* | $60,000- $91,000 |
2007 | |
| Electroneurodiagnostic technologist | $35,610 | $44,621 | $49,192- $52,187 |
2006 |
| Emergency medical technician-paramedic | $16,090 | $25,310 | $43,240 | 2004 |
| Genetic counselor | $40,900 | $59,000 | $150,000 | 2006 |
| Health information administrator | $40,000 | $54,700 | $85,000 | 2003 |
| Health information technician | $30,000 | $39,100 | $50,000 | 2003 |
| Histologic technician | $40,500 | 2005 | ||
| Histotechnologist | $44,970-$49,360 | 2005 | ||
| Kinesiotherapist | $32,500-$38,000 | $48,000 | $60,000 | 2006 |
| Low vision therapist | $44,777 | 2002 | ||
| Magnetic resonance technologist | $44,410 | $66,861 | $78,210 | 2004 |
| Marriage and family counselor/therapist | $57,119 | 1997 | ||
| Massage therapist | $20,000- $49,000 | 2005 | ||
| Medical assistant | $22,650 | $27,951 | $30,000 | 2004 |
| Medical illustrator | $40,000-$45,000 | $45,000-$75,000 | $90,000-$130,000 | 2002 |
| Medical librarian | $41,000 | $58,000 | $158,000 | 2005 |
| Music therapist | $42,364 | 2004 | ||
| Nuclear med technologist | $56,400 | $69,083 | $83,505 | 2007 |
| Nurse | $37,300 | $52,330 | $74,760 | 2004 |
| Occupational therapist | $46,334 | $58,080 | $80,000 | 2006 |
| Occupational therapy assistant | $33,000 | $39,728 | $55,100 | 2006 |
| Ophthalmic assistant | $21,500 | $40,040 | $44,833 | 2005 |
| Ophthalmic dispensing optician | $27,000 | 1997 | ||
| Ophthalmic laboratory technician | $15,100 | $25,000 | 2000 | |
| Ophthalmic medical technologist | $45,000 | $58,481 | $70,400- $125,000 | 2005 |
| Ophthalmic technician | $39,000 | $47,438 | $56,643 | 2005 |
| Optometrist | $105,000 | 2006 | ||
| Orientation and mobility specialist | $46,564 | 2002 | ||
| Orthoptist | $35,000-$42,000 | $45,000-$50,000 | $80,000 | 2000 |
| Orthotist and prosthetist | $22,000-$35,000 | $42,000-$60,000 | 2003 | |
| Pathologists' assistant | $75,000-$85,000 | $85,000-$100,000+ | 2007 | |
| Perfusionist | $60,000-$75,000 | $70,000-$90,000 | $100,000 (manager) | 2006 |
| Pharmacy technician | $19,000 | $27,000 | $35,000 | 2002 |
| Pharmacist | $94,927 | 2006 | ||
| Phlebotomist | $24,315-$29,120 | 2005 | ||
| Physical therapist | $54,000 | $70,000 | $100,000 | 2006 |
| Physical therapist assistant | $30,000 | $37,000 | 2005 | |
| Physician assistant | $71,004 | $84,396 | $111,000- $200,000 |
2006 |
| Psychologist | $32,380 | $54,950 | $92,250 | 2004 |
| Radiographer | $36,918 | $59,735 | $64,580 | 2004 |
| Radiation therapist | $65,381 | $72,300 | $80,067 | 2004 |
| Rehabilitation counselor | $27,500-$51,700 | $34,300-$55,000 | $55,000-$75,000+ | 2006 |
| Respiratory therapist | $41,537 | $56,222 | $74,880 | 2005 |
| Specialist in blood bank technology | $45,000 (bench techs) | $54,000 (supervisors) | $66,000 (managers) | 2006 |
| Speech-language pathologist (schools) |
$40,041 | $52,131-$57,000 | $80,000 (management) | 2006 |
| Speech-language pathologist (health care) |
$52,694 | $60,000 | $72,985 (management) | 2005 |
| Surgical assistant | $250,000 | $25-$27/hour | $55,000 -$80,000 | 2008 |
| Surgical technologist | $34,010 | 2004 | ||
| Teacher of the visually impaired | $47,086 | 2002 | ||
| Therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS) | $30,000 | $39,000 | $60,000- $70,000 |
2004 |
| Veterinarian | $39,020 | $66, 590 | $118,430 | 2004 |
| Veterinary technologist and technician | $8.51/hr | $11.99.hr | $17.12/hr | 2004 |
| Vision rehabilitation therapist | $37,055 | 2002 |
*Data valid for those employed full time in their current primary position for 5 years or less.
Last updated: Oct 2, 2008
Content provided by: Medical Education Products
Content provided by: Medical Education Products