Allergists and Immunologists: Career Profile
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent allergic diseases and disease processes affecting the immune system.
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What Do Allergists and Immunologists Take On?
Typical responsibilities of allergists and immunologists include:
- Diagnose or treat allergic or immunologic conditions.
- Educate patients about diagnoses, prognoses, or treatments.
- Order or perform diagnostic tests such as skin pricks and intradermal, patch, or delayed hypersensitivity tests.
- Prescribe medication such as antihistamines, antibiotics, and nasal, oral, topical, or inhaled glucocorticosteroids.
- Interpret diagnostic test results to make appropriate differential diagnoses.
- Document patients' medical histories.
- Develop individualized treatment plans for patients, considering patient preferences, clinical data, or the risks and benefits of therapies.
- Provide therapies, such as allergen immunotherapy or immunoglobin therapy, to treat immune conditions.
Skills and Knowledge
Top allergists and immunologists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Allergists and Immunologists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- APP (Advanced Practice Provider)
- Adult and Pediatric Allergy Partner
- Allergist
- Allergy Immunology Fellow
- Allergy Physician
- Allergy Specialist
- Allergy and Immunology Physician
- Allergy and Immunology Specialist
How Many Allergists and Immunologists Are There?
There are roughly 675,801 allergists and immunologists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Allergists and Immunologists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $110,883 |
| Hourly median | $53.31 |
| 10th percentile | $73,912 |
| 25th percentile | $92,397 |
| 75th percentile | $129,368 |
| 90th percentile | $147,853 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $238,870 |
| New York | $237,710 |
| North Carolina | $236,970 |
| Utah | $232,740 |
| Delaware | $232,180 |
| Ohio | $231,300 |
| Rhode Island | $229,340 |
| West Virginia | $228,680 |
| Connecticut | $227,720 |
| Arizona | $223,680 |
| Illinois | $218,880 |
| Massachusetts | $216,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $211,700 |
| Maryland | $209,370 |
| California | $201,510 |
| Michigan | $197,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,100 |
| Kansas | $140,330 |
| District of Columbia | $74,650 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for allergists and immunologists shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other U.S. Territories | $211,700 | 0.3% | 0.45 |
| Middle Atlantic | $199,012 | 16.6% | 1.24 |
| Great Lakes | $183,977 | 20.6% | 1.57 |
| New England | $181,974 | 5.4% | 1.14 |
| Far Western US | $115,922 | 11.4% | 0.73 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,612 | 2.4% | 0.71 |
| Southeast | $50,284 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $35,517 | 5.4% | 0.91 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Allergists and Immunologists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | NC | $238,520 | 70 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $237,660 | 420 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | TN | $236,970 | 160 |
| Odessa, TX | TX | $234,850 | 40 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $234,800 | 40 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | MI | $234,380 | 310 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | WV | $233,240 | 60 |
| Sandusky, OH | OH | $233,170 | 130 |
Industry Breakdown
Most allergists and immunologists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 258,240 | $235,660 |
| Educational Services | 10,850 | $72,170 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,280 | $221,680 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,670 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,330 | n/a |
| Finance and Insurance | 770 | $227,720 |
| Manufacturing | 220 | $88,370 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 200 | $136,060 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of allergists and immunologists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
How to Become Allergists and Immunologists
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (Supplemental)
- Chiropractors (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Short)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for allergists and immunologists commonly pursue programs in:
60 programs across 15 majors
- Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs
- Allergy and Immunology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Internal Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Orthopedic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Osteopathic Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pathology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pediatrics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Preventive Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Radiation Oncology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1229.01 (Physicians, All Other).