Aging Trends

National Age Cohort Composition for 9 Allied Health Occupations From 2011 to 2021

This dashboard allows for comparison of age distributions within select health care occupations using data from the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020 American Community Survey. To provide context, we also included 2019 and 2021 data for comparison.You may look at age distributions by percentage of workers within 5-year age increments and total workers in each age increment. Click on the information icon to the left to learn how to navigate the dashboard. To learn more about the data and the Workforce Dashboards more broadly, please read our FAQ page.

The following are a few example interpretations of the workforce data on select occupations including allied health from the Aging Trends Dashboard. To learn more about the data and the Workforce Dashboards more broadly, please read our FAQ page.

Example 1: Consistent age distribution of the health care workforce

Line graph showing medical assistants have a consistent age distribution over the years of included data.
Here we see that medical assistants have a consistent age distribution over the years of included data. In addition, each year cohort shows a general pattern of a lower percentage of workers in each successive age category.

Example 2: Changing age distribution of the health care workforce

Line graph showing speech language pathologists (SLPs) are shown to have an increasingly younger workforce, with the 2021 cohort (dark blue line) showing a higher percentage of SLPs in the younger age groups compared with 2011 (medium blue line).
In this graph, speech language pathologists (SLPs) are shown to have an increasingly younger workforce, with the 2021 cohort (dark blue line) showing a higher percentage of SLPs in the younger age groups compared with 2011 (medium blue line). This pattern can also be seen for physical therapists.

Example 3: Bimodal age distribution of the health care workforce

Line graph showing where clinical lab technologists and technicians show more than one dominant age group in the 2011 and 2014 cohorts (highlighted), and the subsequent cohorts seems to be leveling off.
Here is a pattern where clinical lab technologists and technicians show more than one dominant age group in the 2011 and 2014 cohorts (highlighted), and the subsequent cohorts seems to be leveling off.

Example 4: Growing number of health care workers

Line graph showing diagnostic lab technologists and technicians are shown to have an increasing number of workers in each age category by cohort – the number of diagnostic lab technologists and technicians is higher for almost all age groups in 2021 (dark blue line) compared with all previous years. Similarly, 2020 is higher than previous years for almost all age groups, etc.
In this graph, diagnostic lab technologists and technicians are shown to have an increasing number of workers in each age category by cohort – the number of diagnostic lab technologists and technicians is higher for almost all age groups in 2021 (dark blue line) compared with all previous years. Similarly, 2020 is higher than previous years for almost all age groups, etc.

Suggested Citation:

Stubbs BA, Dahal A, Frogner BK, Skillman SM. Aging Trends. UW Center for Health Workforce Studies. First posted October, 2022. Updated March 18, 2025. [Accessed date]. https://familymedicine.uw.edu/chws/resources/leveraging-data/aging-trends/