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Health Education Specialist

$63,000
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

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

Where you work

Public health offices, schools, clinics

The hours

Full time, regular hours

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$63,000
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~7,900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4%
About average
Working in the U.S.
71,800
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.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in health education.

License or certification

No state license; the voluntary CHES certification can help.

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, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.