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Hospitals & Health Systems
Kaiser Permanente, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic
Health Education Specialists
Health education specialists turn public health goals into classes, campaigns, handouts, and training that people can actually use. The job is distinct because it mixes teaching, community organizing, and program evaluation, so you have to persuade people while also proving the program worked. The tradeoff is clear: the work is meaningful and varied, but success depends on cooperation from other organizations and the pay is only moderate.
Also known as Health EducatorHealth Promotion SpecialistPublic Health EducatorCommunity Health EducatorWellness Educator
Median Salary
$63,000
Mean $71,700
U.S. Workforce
~65K
7.9K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.5%
71.8K to 75K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Health Education Specialists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~65K workers, with a median annual pay of $63,000 and roughly 7.9K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 71.8 K in 2024 to 75K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Associate's degree in health education, public health, or human services, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Health Education Assistant and can progress toward Public Health Program Manager. High-value skills usually include Program Evaluation, Needs Assessment & Survey Design, Curriculum Development, Workshop Facilitation & Training Design, and Health Communication Campaigns (Canva, Mailchimp & WordPress), paired with soft skills such as Active listening, Speaking, and Writing.
Core Responsibilities
- Check whether health classes, outreach events, and campaigns are reaching the people they were meant to help and what needs to change.
- Work with clinics, schools, nonprofits, and local agencies to coordinate health outreach and share resources.
- Create handouts, web pages, and reference materials that staff and community members can use for health information.
- Share program news with the public through press releases, media outreach, and presentations.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Check whether health classes, outreach events, and campaigns are reaching the people they were meant to help and what needs to change.
02 Work with clinics, schools, nonprofits, and local agencies to coordinate health outreach and share resources.
03 Create handouts, web pages, and reference materials that staff and community members can use for health information.
04 Share program news with the public through press releases, media outreach, and presentations.
05 Train new staff and help guide the day-to-day work of the team when programs need supervision.
06 Meet with health professionals and community groups to identify local needs and plan workshops, classes, and other education sessions.
Industries That Hire
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Public Health Agencies
CDC, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Texas Department of State Health Services
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Nonprofits & Community Organizations
American Heart Association, YMCA, American Cancer Society
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Universities & School Systems
Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, Stanford University
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Health Insurance & Benefits
UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, Humana
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is solid for a public-health role: the median is $63,000 and the mean is $71,700, which is respectable for a job that usually does not require experience or on-the-job training.
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There are about 7.9K annual openings, so hiring is steady even though the field is not exploding.
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The work is varied, mixing teaching, writing, public speaking, and program evaluation instead of one narrow routine.
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You can work in hospitals, schools, nonprofits, or government, which gives you several different job markets to choose from.
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The role is accessible: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry point, with no work experience and no on-the-job training required.
Challenges
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Growth is only 4.5% from 2024 to 2034, so this is a slower-moving field rather than a high-growth career.
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The pay ceiling is fairly modest unless you move into management, and the middle of the market sits around the $63,000 median.
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A lot of the job depends on other people agreeing to participate, so even a well-designed program can fall flat if schools, clinics, or residents do not engage.
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Many positions depend on grants, public budgets, or nonprofit funding, which can shrink quickly when priorities change.
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The career ladder can narrow out at the specialist level; moving up often means shifting into coordination or management instead of staying in a pure education role.
Career Progression
Health Education Assistant
0-2 years
$40K-$52K
Supports outreach events, prepares materials, tracks attendance, and helps with basic community education work.
Health Education Specialist
2-5 years
$53K-$72K
Runs classes, builds partnerships, and evaluates whether programs are reaching the right audience and changing behavior.
Senior Health Education Specialist THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$73K-$90K
Leads multiple programs, handles harder community issues, mentors junior staff, and may manage reporting or grant requirements.
Public Health Program Manager
8+ years
$91K-$115K
Oversees budgets, staffing, and strategy across several health initiatives and is accountable for results at a broader level.
Education Paths
Associate's degree in health education, public health, or human services
The most common route, held by 62.17% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree in public health, health education, or a related field
A major entry path for the occupation, held by 30.93% of workers, and the level BLS lists as the typical entry requirement.
Master's degree in public health or health promotion
An advanced option used by 3.44% of workers, often for jobs with more responsibility, specialized populations, or management duties.
Bachelor's degree plus Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential
A bachelor's degree is still the core starting point, and 30.93% of workers report that level; the CHES credential can help you stand out when applying for health education jobs.
Key Skills
Technical
Program Evaluation, Needs Assessment & Survey Design 78%
Curriculum Development, Workshop Facilitation & Training Design 78%
Health Communication Campaigns (Canva, Mailchimp & WordPress) 78%
Survey Tools (Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey) & Excel Reporting 75%
Data Analysis with Excel, SPSS & Tableau 72%
Community Resource Mapping & Referral Tracking 69%
Soft Skills
Active listeningSpeakingWritingLearning strategiesSocial perceptivenessCritical thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+4.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
7.9K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 71.8K to 75 K over the next decade, representing 4.5% growth. Around 7.9 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.