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Health Education Specialist

$64,070
median / year
$42,990 – $118,200
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Develop programs and materials that teach people how to improve their health and prevent disease.

You may also see this posted as: Clinical Instructor, Health Educator, Public Health Educator, Certified Diabetes Educator, Community Health Consultant, Education Coordinator.

Where you work

Public health offices, schools, clinics

The hours

Full time, regular hours

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.
  • Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care.
  • Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs.
  • Document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted.
  • Develop and present health education and promotion programs, such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations.

Good fit if you like…

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

DependabilityEmpathySocial OrientationCooperation

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointAdobe PhotoshopFacebook

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$64,070
per year
Hourly median
$30.80
per hour
What most earn
$42,990–$118,200
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~7,900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4.5%
About average
Working in the U.S.
65,690
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 0.6% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in health education.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No state license; the voluntary CHES certification can help.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

TeachingProgram planningCommunicationResearch

The honest take

Teaches communities how to stay healthy and plans programs that aim to prevent illness.

Standard Occupational Classification 21-1091. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.