Gerontologist | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Gerontologist via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Capella University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering gerontology courses to train individuals to become top-notch gerontologists, physicians, clinical dietitians, medical staff physicians, internal medicine physicians, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 1,308,380 people employed as life, physical, and social science employees alone in America, and their average annual salary is $65,660. Mental health counselors make on average $41,710 per year and there are about 106,920 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Capella University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Gerontologist
  • nursing home
  • hospital
  • retirement community
  • college
  • job retraining and placement center
  • research organization
  • pharmacy
  • community clinic
  • overseas medical clinic
  • transportation agency
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Gerontologist
  • work with the elderly to make the aging process easier both physically and emotionally
  • work in a variety of medical and academic settings
  • enjoy rewarding careers coupled with excellent benefits and competitive salaries
  • explore many branches within the field of Gerontology
  • enjoy lots of research opportunities
  • work directly with elderly patients and their families
  • no specific level of education needed
  • online and university degree opportunities
  • great job satisfaction
  • diverse team
Potential Drawbacks
  • work with disabled and aging people
  • build trust and friendships with your patients which is often difficult to do
  • know about physical and mental problems from a clinical perspective
  • babysit someone while still treating the person like a competent adult
  • work long hours
  • change diapers
  • become patient when surrounded with stubborn people
  • make house calls
  • become a social worker for elderly people
  • accept a lower salary
Related Professions to Consider
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Gerontology Professor
  • Nurse
  • Certified Nurse Practitioner
  • Doctor
  • Physician
  • Healthcare Manager
  • Applied Gerontologyist
  • Caretaker
  • Physician Assistant
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Gerontologist
  • Where have you worked in the past?
  • What did you study in school?
  • What is your experience with hospice?
  • What made you want to become a gerontologist?
  • Did you study any nursing in school?
  • Where have you volunteered?
  • What kind of things did you do at your last job?
  • How do you answer 'what kind of relevant experience do you have for this job'?
  • How do you answer 'What would your last employer say your strengths are'?
  • Why you choose to apply to the healthcare industry?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • geriatrician
  • doctor
  • dermatologist
  • biologist
  • psychologist
  • anthropologist
  • physical therapist
  • health counselor
  • nurse
  • pharmacist
Gerontologist Training books Gerontologist (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • sports science
  • respiratory therapy
  • radiologic science
  • psychology
  • public health
  • physician assistant
  • physical therapy
  • occupational therapy
  • pharmacy
  • nursing

Gerontologist Salary Information

Category: Mental health counselors

Total # Employed in the US 106,920
Average Hourly Wage: $20.05/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$11.65 $14.38 $18.28 $24.11 $31.06
Average Yearly Salary $41,710
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$24,230 $29,920 $38,010 $50,140 $64,610
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
1.3% 7.3% 10.5% 5.6% 25.0% 45.9% 4.4%
Mental health counselors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Michigan $26.51/hr $55,150
Alaska $25.98/hr $54,030
New York $25.37/hr $52,770
Colorado $24.96/hr $51,910
Tennessee $23.79/hr $49,490
Iowa $23.59/hr $49,060
Florida $23.29/hr $48,440
California $22.75/hr $47,330
District of Columbia $22.7/hr $47,220
Montana $22.41/hr $46,620
Ohio $22.35/hr $46,490
Guam $22.35/hr $46,490
North Dakota $21.99/hr $45,750
South Carolina $20.99/hr $43,650
Kentucky $20.88/hr $43,420
Missouri $20.62/hr $42,890
New Mexico $20.53/hr $42,700
Arkansas $20.14/hr $41,890
South Dakota $20.13/hr $41,880
Idaho $20.02/hr $41,640
Nebraska $19.73/hr $41,050
Delaware $19.67/hr $40,920
Mississippi $19.63/hr $40,840
Connecticut $19.48/hr $40,530
Hawaii $19.46/hr $40,480
Oregon $19.38/hr $40,310
Washington $19.38/hr $40,310
Kansas $19.27/hr $40,080
Maine $19.16/hr $39,850
Indiana $19.13/hr $39,790
Nevada $18.93/hr $39,370
West Virginia $18.93/hr $39,360
Wyoming $18.56/hr $38,610
Puerto Rico $18.51/hr $38,500
North Carolina $18.47/hr $38,420
Alabama $18.19/hr $37,830
Utah $18.14/hr $37,740
Maryland $18.04/hr $37,520
Oklahoma $17.9/hr $37,240
Louisiana $16.84/hr $35,020
New Hampshire $16.28/hr $33,870
Virginia $15.5/hr $32,240
Wisconsin $14.79/hr $30,770
Massachusetts $14.77/hr $30,720
New Jersey $14.42/hr $29,980


Category: Rehabilitation counselors

Total # Employed in the US 112,690
Average Hourly Wage: $16.69/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$9.82 $11.74 $15.01 $19.91 $26.72
Average Yearly Salary $34,710
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20,440 $24,410 $31,210 $41,420 $55,580
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
1.3% 7.3% 10.5% 5.6% 25.0% 45.9% 4.4%
Rehabilitation counselors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Montana $23.25/hr $48,350
Virginia $22.23/hr $46,250
Alaska $21.49/hr $44,700
New York $21.46/hr $44,640
Nebraska $20.7/hr $43,050
Guam $20.54/hr $42,730
South Carolina $19.71/hr $41,000
Tennessee $19.56/hr $40,690
Delaware $18.85/hr $39,210
Iowa $18.71/hr $38,910
Indiana $18.58/hr $38,650
Wyoming $18.2/hr $37,860
Missouri $17.96/hr $37,360
Idaho $17.92/hr $37,280
Kansas $17.74/hr $36,910
California $17.73/hr $36,890
Puerto Rico $17.65/hr $36,710
Colorado $17.36/hr $36,110
Connecticut $17.28/hr $35,950
Maryland $17.24/hr $35,850
North Dakota $17.12/hr $35,610
West Virginia $16.81/hr $34,970
Michigan $16.74/hr $34,820
Hawaii $16.67/hr $34,680
Pennsylvania $16.5/hr $34,310
Alabama $16.34/hr $33,980
Utah $16.06/hr $33,400
Florida $15.96/hr $33,190
Ohio $15.74/hr $32,750
New Hampshire $15.73/hr $32,710
North Carolina $15.72/hr $32,700
Arkansas $15.66/hr $32,560
Oklahoma $15.45/hr $32,140
Nevada $15.36/hr $31,950
New Jersey $15.3/hr $31,820
Oregon $15.29/hr $31,810
Massachusetts $14.59/hr $30,340
New Mexico $14.34/hr $29,830
Washington $14.3/hr $29,750
Louisiana $14.26/hr $29,660
Mississippi $13.81/hr $28,720
Kentucky $13.13/hr $27,320
South Dakota $13.08/hr $27,210
Maine $12.5/hr $26,000
Wisconsin $11.48/hr $23,870


Category: Dietitians and nutritionists

Total # Employed in the US 53,220
Average Hourly Wage: $25.59/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15.98 $20.39 $25.07 $30.51 $35.91
Average Yearly Salary $53,230
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$33,230 $42,400 $52,150 $63,460 $74,690
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
4.7% 15.0% 8.8% 5.4% 36.2% 24.8% 5.1%
Dietitians and nutritionists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Mississippi $31.06/hr $64,600
New York $30.7/hr $63,860
Colorado $30.58/hr $63,610
Indiana $30.17/hr $62,750
Delaware $29.69/hr $61,750
North Dakota $29.62/hr $61,600
Virginia $28.11/hr $58,460
Tennessee $27.6/hr $57,410
Missouri $27.45/hr $57,090
Ohio $27.03/hr $56,230
Oklahoma $26.69/hr $55,520
District of Columbia $26.53/hr $55,170
North Carolina $26.38/hr $54,880
Guam $26.33/hr $54,760
Alaska $26.22/hr $54,540
Hawaii $25.94/hr $53,950
Nebraska $25.75/hr $53,570
Michigan $25.66/hr $53,370
Montana $25.44/hr $52,910
Wyoming $25.19/hr $52,380
South Carolina $24.68/hr $51,340
Puerto Rico $24.66/hr $51,300
Kansas $24.56/hr $51,070
Washington $24.14/hr $50,200
Louisiana $24.07/hr $50,060
Connecticut $24.04/hr $49,990
Maryland $23.77/hr $49,450
Utah $23.7/hr $49,290
Iowa $23.66/hr $49,220
Oregon $23.6/hr $49,100
California $23.57/hr $49,020
West Virginia $23.44/hr $48,750
Wisconsin $23.36/hr $48,590
Maine $23.27/hr $48,410
New Mexico $23.16/hr $48,180
Pennsylvania $23.03/hr $47,910
Kentucky $22.95/hr $47,740
Florida $22.93/hr $47,690
Alabama $22.93/hr $47,700
Arkansas $22.06/hr $45,880
New Jersey $21.77/hr $45,280
Massachusetts $21.43/hr $44,560
New Hampshire $21.27/hr $44,240
South Dakota $20.94/hr $43,550
Nevada $20.71/hr $43,080
Idaho $20.66/hr $42,970


Category: Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other

Total # Employed in the US 32,960
Average Hourly Wage: $37.32/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$17.31 $23.71 $31.36 $45.6 $64.19
Average Yearly Salary $77,630
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$35,990 $49,320 $65,220 $94,850 $133,500
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.8% 3.7% 7.3% 2.6% 14.4% 45.4% 25.9%
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Washington $58.35/hr $121,360
Mississippi $55.83/hr $116,130
Florida $50.67/hr $105,390
Idaho $45.69/hr $95,030
Oklahoma $45.35/hr $94,330
Alaska $45.19/hr $94,000
Nebraska $42.94/hr $89,310
Delaware $41.86/hr $87,080
Louisiana $41.29/hr $85,880
Wyoming $40.84/hr $84,950
North Dakota $40.15/hr $83,510
South Carolina $39.18/hr $81,500
Indiana $38.21/hr $79,470
Connecticut $37.63/hr $78,260
Missouri $37.54/hr $78,080
California $36.73/hr $76,390
Colorado $34.68/hr $72,130
Puerto Rico $34.4/hr $71,560
New Mexico $33.94/hr $70,600
New York $33.47/hr $69,620
Oregon $32.71/hr $68,030
South Dakota $32.24/hr $67,060
Montana $32.13/hr $66,830
North Carolina $30.88/hr $64,230
New Hampshire $29.69/hr $61,760
Hawaii $29.59/hr $61,550
Kansas $29.38/hr $61,120
Guam $28.89/hr $60,100
Nevada $28.74/hr $59,770
Maryland $28.66/hr $59,610
Ohio $28.44/hr $59,160
Wisconsin $28.35/hr $58,970
Virginia $28.09/hr $58,430
Tennessee $27.83/hr $57,890
Michigan $27.76/hr $57,740
Utah $27.72/hr $57,660
Maine $27.41/hr $57,010
Iowa $27.02/hr $56,190
West Virginia $26.41/hr $54,940
Alabama $24.7/hr $51,370
Pennsylvania $24.12/hr $50,170
New Jersey $23.51/hr $48,900
Arkansas $22.85/hr $47,540
Kentucky $21.85/hr $45,450


Gerontology Programs by State & City