The median pay for Community Health Workers is $51,850 a year ($24.93/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 12.7% through 2035, with about 7,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 21-1094
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Community Health Worker in four numbers
- Median pay
- $51,850a year, or $24.93/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $77K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +12.7%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+12.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +12.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 7,00064,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202564.7K
- Projected 203572.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 64.7K Projected 2035 72.9K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Health Coordinator, Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Program Coordinator, Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep), Community Health Promoter.
Pay
How much do Community Health Workers make?
Every community health worker in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$51,850
Middle half earn $45,640 to $62,540
- 10th
- $38,810
- 25th
- $45,640
- 75th
- $62,540
- 90th
- $77,180
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,810 |
| 25th | $45,640 |
| Median | $51,850 |
| 75th | $62,540 |
| 90th | $77,180 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $51,850
- Median hourly wage
- $24.93/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $56,180
- People employed
- 61,660
Versus all US occupations
At $51,850, the median for Community Health Workers sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 14% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,180 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,810, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 25% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New Hampshire posts the highest raw median ($66,680), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $67,008 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Community Health Workers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $66,680 | $64,014 | 200 |
| 2District of Columbia | $62,510 | $56,878 | 280 |
| 3North Dakota | $59,610 | $67,008 | 90 |
| 4Colorado | $59,260 | $57,505 | N/A |
| 5Hawaii | $58,450 | $53,160 | 240 |
| 6New York | $58,130 | $53,863 | 5,800 |
| 7California | $58,050 | $52,430 | 9,500 |
| 8Nevada | $57,730 | $57,742 | 670 |
| 9Washington | $57,070 | $53,330 | 2,640 |
| 10Delaware | $55,850 | $55,957 | 280 |
Job outlook
Is Community Health Worker a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +12.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Community Health Workers | +12.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Community Health Workers to change 12.7% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.6× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 8,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 7,000 openings are projected each year, 10.8% of the 64,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Community health workers will continue to be needed to help organizations and government agencies provide people with health-related information, such as how to access medical services.
Individuals diagnosed with chronic diseases, mental health issues, and substance abuse disorders will require community health workers to assist them in finding healthcare professionals and other social assistance providers. Demand for these workers also will stem from their role in implementing public health initiatives, including preventive measures to reduce the spread of disease.
Getting in
How to become a Community Health Worker
To enter the occupation, community health workers typically need at least a high school diploma; some employers prefer to hire candidates who have postsecondary education. To attain competency, they typically complete a brief period of on-the-job training, and some states require certification.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Community Health Worker do?
Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
Community health workers promote wellness by helping people adopt healthy behaviors. They implement programs and advocate for people who may have limited access to health resources and social services.
Day-to-day tasks
- Refer community members to needed health services.
- Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
- Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
- Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to risk or prevention of conditions, such as lead poisoning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prenatal substance abuse, or domestic violence.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most community health workers are employed full time. They may need to work evenings and weekends to attend community events, programs, or meetings.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where community health workers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Ambulatory healthcare services22%
- Social assistance20%
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals18%
- Hospitals; state, local, and private12%
- Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 22% |
| Social assistance | 20% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 18% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 12% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.8
- Learning Strategies3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Service Orientation3.8
- Coordination3.6
- Instructing3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Persuasion3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Time Management3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Persuasion | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Community Health Worker?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Community Health Worker |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Social6.6
- Enterprising3.5
- Investigative3.5
- Conventional3.4
- Artistic2.2
- Realistic2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Community Health Worker
O*NET related occupations
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
$60,280median a year
Most earn $40K to $104K
+10.3%Master's - Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
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Mental Health Counselor
$60,320median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+10.9%Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with community health workers highlighted
- Healthcare Social Worker$67,880
- Geriatric Care Manager$67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270
- Health Education Specialist$64,070
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280
- Community Health Worker$51,850
- Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistant$45,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 |
| Geriatric Care Manager | $67,880 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $66,940 |
| Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist | $66,270 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $60,280 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Community Health Worker appears on
Questions
Community Health Worker: frequently asked questions
How much do Community Health Workers make?
Community Health Workers earn a median of $51,850 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $24.93/hr. The middle half earn between $45,640 and $62,540. The top 10% earn $77,180 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Community Health Worker?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Community Health Workers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Community Health Worker a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 12.7% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 7,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Community Health Worker do?
Community health workers promote wellness by helping people adopt healthy behaviors. A core O*NET task: refer community members to needed health services. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Community Health Workers the most?
The highest state medians for Community Health Workers are New Hampshire ($66,680), District of Columbia ($62,510), North Dakota ($59,610) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $67,008.
What personality type suits a Community Health Worker?
O*NET scores Community Health Workers highest on the Social, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ENFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.