The median pay for Health Education Specialists is $64,070 a year ($30.80/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% through 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 21-1091
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Health Education Specialist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $64,070a year, or $30.80/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $118K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,90070,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202570.4K
- Projected 203574.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 70.4K Projected 2035 74.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school2.6%
- Associate's62.2%
- Bachelor's30.9%
- Master's3.4%
- Doctorate0.9%
Highest education held by health education specialists Segment Value High school 2.6% Associate's 62.2% Bachelor's 30.9% Master's 3.4% Doctorate 0.9%
Also advertised as: Certified Diabetes Educator, Clinical Instructor, Community Health Consultant, Education Coordinator, Health Education Coordinator, Health Education Specialist.
Pay
How much do Health Education Specialists make?
Every health education specialist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$64,070
Middle half earn $50,620 to $87,130
- 10th
- $42,990
- 25th
- $50,620
- 75th
- $87,130
- 90th
- $118,200
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,990 |
| 25th | $50,620 |
| Median | $64,070 |
| 75th | $87,130 |
| 90th | $118,200 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $64,070
- Median hourly wage
- $30.80/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $73,280
- People employed
- 65,690
Versus all US occupations
At $64,070, Health Education Specialists earn 26% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,090 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 6% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,990, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 39% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maryland posts the highest raw median ($104,470), but once local prices are taken into account Georgia leads at $103,227 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Health Education Specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $104,470 | $99,534 | 2,220 |
| 2District of Columbia | $103,330 | $94,021 | 680 |
| 3Georgia | $99,400 | $103,227 | 3,210 |
| 4Pennsylvania | $80,670 | $82,677 | 2,690 |
| 5Minnesota | $78,400 | $79,496 | 1,250 |
| 6Washington | $77,420 | $72,346 | 1,750 |
| 7Iowa | $75,750 | $86,313 | 540 |
| 8Oregon | $75,500 | $73,045 | 840 |
| 9Rhode Island | $75,360 | $73,680 | 150 |
| 10Colorado | $74,150 | $71,954 | 750 |
Job outlook
Is Health Education Specialist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists | +5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Health Education Specialists to change 5.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,900 openings are projected each year, 9.8% of the 70,400 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.
An emphasis on promoting healthy behaviors is expected to sustain demand for these specialists over the decade.
Governments, healthcare providers, and social services providers want to find ways to improve the quality of care and to achieve better health outcomes while reducing costs. This objective may increase demand for health education specialists to teach people about health and wellness, which may help to prevent costly diseases and medical procedures.
Getting in
How to become a Health Education Specialist
Health education specialists typically need at least bachelor’s degree. Some employers require or prefer that health education specialists be certified.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as health education specialists.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree62.2%
- Bachelor's Degree30.9%
- Master's Degree3.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)2.6%
- Doctoral Degree0.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 62.2% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 30.9% |
| Master's Degree | 3.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 2.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Health Education Specialist do?
Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.
Health education specialists teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop strategies to improve the well-being of individuals and communities.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care.
- Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.
- Develop operational plans and policies necessary to achieve health education objectives and services.
- Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and the availability of services and to develop goals for meeting needs.
- Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs.
- Design and administer training programs for new employees and continuing education for existing employees.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most health education specialists are employed full time. They may need to work nights and weekends to attend programs or meetings.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors 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 important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
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 health education specialists work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals24%
- Ambulatory healthcare services18%
- Hospitals; state, local, and private16%
- Educational services; state, local, and private14%
- Social assistance7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 24% |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 18% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 16% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 14% |
| Social assistance | 7% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.1
- Writing4.1
- Speaking4.1
- Learning Strategies4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Monitoring3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Coordination3.6
- Instructing3.4
- Time Management3.4
- Service Orientation3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Persuasion3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Service Orientation | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 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
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Computer based training 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 Health Education Specialist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Health Education Specialist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
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 investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social6.2
- Investigative5.3
- Conventional4.0
- Enterprising3.2
- Artistic2.5
- Realistic1.7
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 Health Education Specialist
O*NET related occupations
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More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with health education specialists 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
Specialty careers within health education specialist
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Health Education Specialist appears on
Questions
Health Education Specialist: frequently asked questions
How much do Health Education Specialists make?
Health Education Specialists earn a median of $64,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 26% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $30.80/hr. The middle half earn between $50,620 and $87,130. The top 10% earn $118,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Health Education Specialist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Health Education Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 62.2% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is Health Education Specialist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Health Education Specialist do?
Health education specialists teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. A core O*NET task: document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Graphics or photo imaging software.
Which states pay Health Education Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Health Education Specialists are Maryland ($104,470), District of Columbia ($103,330), Georgia ($99,400) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Georgia moves to the top at $103,227.
What personality type suits a Health Education Specialist?
O*NET scores Health Education Specialists highest on the Social, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, INFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.