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Job outlook for community educators in the United States
Community educator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected community educator job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 15,200 new jobs for community educators are projected over the next decade.
Community educator salaries have increased 6% for community educators in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,855 community educators currently employed in the United States.
There are 20,854 active community educator job openings in the US.
The average community educator salary is $42,048.
Are community educator jobs in demand?
Community educator job and salary trends over time
Community educator jobs over time
Community educator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,855 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,999 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,046 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,059 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,008 | 0.00% |
Average community educator salary over time
Community educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,048 | $20.22 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $41,095 | $19.76 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $40,351 | $19.40 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $40,143 | $19.30 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $39,495 | $18.99 | +2.1% |
Community educator jobs by state
Most common states for community educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 72 | 10% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 75 | 6% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 37 | 6% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 63 | 5% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 36 | 5% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 258 | 4% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 216 | 4% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 205 | 4% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 129 | 4% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 70 | 4% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 47 | 4% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 40 | 4% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 29 | 4% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 22 | 4% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 351 | 3% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 232 | 3% |
| 17 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 216 | 3% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 189 | 3% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 178 | 3% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 120 | 3% |
Most common cities for community educators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmichael | 1 | 2% | $52,710 |
| 2 | Fargo | 1 | 1% | $49,538 |
| 3 | Union City | 1 | 1% | $53,473 |
| 4 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $46,691 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu | 1 | 0% | $44,723 |
| 6 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $64,827 |
Community Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of community educator experts
Michigan Technological University
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Texas A&M University San Antonio
University of North Florida
University of Akron
University of South Florida
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
University of California - San Diego
Georgia College and State University
Auburn University Main Campus
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
The University of Vermont
King's College
Aultman College
Business Specialist
Washington University in St. Louis
Arizona State University
Bethel University
What general advice would you give to a Community Educator?
Tayler Haapapuro MS: Preventative health measures, educating people on the importance of movement, interpersonal skills and the ability to explain to clients and patients their health. Having a deep understanding of anatomy, physiology, & biomechanics and how it relates to daily health.
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tayler Haapapuro MS: Continuing education, conferences, and certifications. Making sure you are apart of an organization with continuing education (AKA, ACSM, CSCS etc). Staying on top of the ever evolving world of health can give you an edge in many areas of treatment.
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Natalie Stepanian Ph.D., RN: Having a degree in Public Health can provide you many opportunities in the job market. There are a wide variety and levels of jobs that are available depending on the degree or degrees you hold. When you are first starting to look at possible venues you would like to work for start with a good internet search. There are many opportunities within the U.S. Public Health Service which most people are unaware of. You can also look at the Department of Health and Human Services with the federal government where Public Health is under their umbrella. This is a federal agency, there are also state and local Public Health Departments that have a variety of jobs. Some of the categories for jobs are: Epidemiology, Disaster and Emergency Specialists, Natural Science Managers, Public Health Nurses, Water Quality Planner, Healthcare Manager, Public Health Educator, Environmental Health Scientist, Biostatistician, Infection Preventionist, Public Health Consultant, Public Health Nutritionist, Health Policy Analyst, Biomedical Researcher, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Clinical Research Coordinator, Research Assistant, Nonprofit Coordinator, Nonprofit Executive Director, Social and Community Service Manager, just to name a few. Before you jump in see if you can arrange to shadow someone that is in a Public Health job so you can really see what the job will entail before you pursue it.
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shawn Gibbs PhD, MBA, CIH: The field of public health offers so many opportunities. I would recommend that you come into the field with a plan but be willing to adapt that plan when new opportunities or interests present themselves to you. This will allow you to accomplish your goals and set new goals as you learn more about public health and how it relates to your own interests and life goals.
What will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Shawn Gibbs PhD, MBA, CIH: Public Health has a rich history. I think the ability to manage change in the field, including the applicability of new and evolving technologies. Communication is a skillset that always has value, you need to know your audience and be able to meet your audience where they are with your communications.
What will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Stephanie Hooper MPH, HTL: In the next 5 years I think it will be extremely important to have basic computer skills in many areas including Microsoft Office and even data analysis software. No matter what area of public health we work in, data is collected and used to determine population health issues, resources available/lacking, and effectiveness of health or education programs. Therefore, if young professionals are able to utilize the basic data collection and analysis tools, they will be best prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, public speaking skills are essential in this field. Even if you land a job that does not require speaking at a conference, we are always tasked with presenting our public health findings to a wide variety of players including community members and various stakeholders; so, having presentation skills and being comfortable speaking in front of others is very useful. Aside from the aforementioned skills, I also believe that communication skills are necessary in public health. As I mentioned previously, we are interfacing with all sorts of groups, and with large populations of people. Therefore, aside from having the ability to speak publicly, understanding how to create written materials (i.e., fact sheets), and using social media to create health content is invaluable. Being that technology is continually expanding, and along with that means of communication are shifting, it is important to stay on top of trends and familiarize ourselves with new communication platforms as they allow us to reach large audiences in real-time.
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH
Director of Marketing and CommunicationWhat will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH: Attached are responses from Claire Brown, MPH, Director for Student Experiences & Alumni Affairs, Rutgers School of Public Health.
What general advice would you give to a Community Educator?
Melissa Smith MS, CHES, NBC-HWC: For new graduates, I would say they now have a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities in the field, but that their learning experiences have just begun! My advice is that they count every experience on the job – good, bad, or ugly – as a learning opportunity to grow their professionalism and expertise. It takes about a year to learn any new job, so give yourselves time and grace along the way. Every experience has the opportunity to make you into a better professional and person.
What will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Melissa Smith MS, CHES, NBC-HWC: There is a two-pronged approach I recommend to maximizing salary potential as a new graduate: 1) expand your professional network and 2) pursue additional certifications in areas of interest. Ways to expand your professional network are to leverage your LinkedIn account to connect to professionals you meet at work and at professional conferences. Volunteer to serve on committees to organize community events related to your work, such as fundraising events put on by the American Heart Association (e.g., Heartwalk) or American Cancer Society (e.g., Relay for Life), or a local health fair. As you discover your strengths in the workplace, pursue additional certifications to enhance your qualifications.
What general advice would you give to a Community Educator?
Maureen Chiodini-Rinaldo: God gave you two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk. Remain open-minded and stay in touch with your mentors. We should always be learning. Find your path and your niche by doing what makes you happy. Don't chase the money. If you are happy and doing what you love and are passionate about, the money will come.
Dr. Wendy Huddleston
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Director, Associate ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Communication Disorders Sciences And Services
What general advice would you give to a Community Educator?
Dr. Wendy Huddleston: Interprofessional teamwork, cultural humility, flexibility, and innovation will be the keys to a successful future in health and wellness. Healthcare in the US is going to change significantly in the next decade. Methods of delivery, including more telehealth/telecommunications, and the use of AI in clinical practice are some examples.
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Wendy Huddleston: Be able to identify what differentiates you from other new graduates. Examples might include being able to speak a second language, being mobile, having flexibility in work hours and/or work locations, or having leadership experience of any kind. You'll want to add skills to your resume, not just experience.
What will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Wendy Huddleston: Treat clients and patients as individuals with unique lived experiences. They can teach you as much or more than what you learned in a classroom. Seek out and volunteer for new experiences. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Recognize the experience of others but know that you bring the value of new knowledge and a fresh perspective.
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Chris Halter: My best advice for any new professional is to find yourself a mentor. Even better, have several mentors. Depending on the areas that you want to grow or excel, there may be a different mentor who could guide you towards those goals. We should also acknowledge that education is a social field. We are in service of others and should always strive to recognize the communities that we serve. Learn, be curious, and understand the values, goals, and strengths that can be found in our communities.
What will help Community Educators increase their earning potential?
Bailey McAlister PhD: I think that any skills rooted in confident experimentation will be increasingly valuable in the near future. For example, you don’t need to be an AI expert, but you should be curious about AI innovations and open to experimenting with AI in your work. Technical knowledge can be learned. But there's real value in being confident to experiment, make mistakes, learn, practice, reflect.
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.
Associate Professor | Program CoordinatorAuburn University Main Campus
Education
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.: Hi Alex, I’d be happy to chat with you — my area is in labor markets for educators—so recruitment, hiring, retention, etc.
Van Whaley DC, EdD
Assistant Professor-in-ResidenceUniversity of Nevada - Las Vegas
Nutrition Sciences
What Community Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Van Whaley DC, EdD: Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) is a vital part of so many healthcare and human-performance fields. Understanding how our bodies work creates better therapists, nurses, doctors, experts, trainers, and more understanding people. We all have friends and family members who face health issues - diabetes, high BP, high cholesterol, autoimmune conditions, hormone/chemical imbalances, arthritis, etc. Learning A&P helps us to help others, including being a health advocate for loved ones.
Dr. Shari DeVeney Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Graduate Program Chair, Department of Special Education & Communication DisordersOmaha
Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Community Educator?
Dr. Shari DeVeney Ph.D., CCC-SLP: There are a number of skills that will become increasingly important in health and wellness fields over the next 3-5 years. One of these is expanding capacity for interdisciplinary collaboration. Efficiently and successfully addressing complex health, wellness, and/or educational issues often requires collaboration across different professional disciplines. Effective communication is essential for these kinds of collaborations. You will need to be able to contribute to a team and work well with others to explain complex concepts specific to your area of the field with clients and colleagues as well as provide complementary - not overlapping or contradictory - clinical services with your professional partners. Additionally, cultural competence -showing respect and understanding of cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and values that differ from your own - will become increasingly important for effective clinical practices within a pluralistic society. Finally, skills related to successful and appropriate remote care delivery are important to cultivate. The rise of tele-medicine, tele-therapy, and remote client monitoring will require health and wellness professionals to adapt their skill sets so they can not only provide high-quality care through in-person interactions, but also through remote formats.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What soft skills should all Community Educators possess?
Ellen Baker: There are many soft skills that we encourage and measure through our Professional Attributes and Dispositions assessment. These are skills like communication (ability to articulate their teaching philosophy and experiences), initiative, collaborative skills, and independence. They also look for candidates who truly enjoy working with ALL students and have a growth mindset and a strengths-based perspective. They believe that all students can learn if the instruction is appropriate to the needs of the students. These often come through in interviews.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Community Educator resumes?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: I find compassion, communication, collaboration, and accountability stand out the most for me on educator resumes.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Community Educators?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: Important hard or technical skills, complementing the aforementioned repertoire, include proficiencies in supporting learning through the creation of authentic and meaningful learning experiences and assessments, the ability to facilitate engaging discussions, and the wherewithal to employ these skills in both face-to-face and online learning environments.
What skills will help Community Educators earn the most?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: In my opinion, demonstrating mastery of the aforementioned skills in flexible and relevant ways will help educators earn the most.
What skills stand out on Community Educator resumes?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: When reviewing resumes, it is always important to view clinical experiences, specialty areas, technical skills (including educational platforms), online teaching, and various course content delivery methods.
What soft skills should all Community Educators possess?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Soft skills are important in every professional career. The soft skills that I find most important and look for are enthusiasm to keep listeners' attention, approachability to help answer questions, confidence, and integrity in their work.
Thomas Matula Ph.D.
Professor of Business AdministrationBusiness Specialist
Business Administration Department
What skills will help Community Educators earn the most?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The skills to be a successful remote worker and to manage a team remotely. This means having familiarity with both the technology and the habits of successful remote workers.
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.
Director and Professor of Global StudiesWashington University in St. Louis
Global Studies
What hard/technical skills are most important for Community Educators?
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.: Demonstrable, marketable skills: critical thinking furthered by interdisciplinary study, intercultural sensitivity and awareness, adaptability and flexibility, etc.
Our grads land in a wide variety of settings such as grad school, many head to policy-oriented jobs in DC or in NGOs here and abroad, consultancies, corporate positions, etc.
What skills will help Community Educators earn the most?
Beverly Johnson: Increased education and certifications, along with time in the profession, will help increase salary potential. Some positions, such as Special Education or administrative positions within education, may pay more.
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What experience really stands out on Community Educator resumes?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: Resume advice can be challenging because a resume review and hiring committee evaluation can be so subjective. Experience in grant writing is always considered valuable, as is (evidenced) ability to analyze data and research and develop data-driven recommendations critically. However, documenting this experience in a compelling and interpretable way is also necessary, which reiterates the importance of researching the hiring organization, role, stakeholders, and perhaps even the search committee members - so that the applicant is best able to translate their experiences into a relevant context.
Further, stand-out experiences will significantly differ, based on their role and context. For example, Dr. Ayrn Baxter, a professor in our program and also an administrator from the University of Idaho and Arizona State University, reminds us about the importance of understanding the shared challenges and contributions/potential synergies between domestic equity and diversity work in higher education and the creation of international educators facilitating internationalization and global engagement.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Community Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: Based on domestic and international student data patterns and employment trend lines, I think we will continue to see growth in online and hybrid learning modalities, degree offerings, remote work arrangements, and virtual exchanges. We are so learning management systems, customer engagement software, work tools, and platforms. But again, while the technology will be critical, it will also continually evolve and be used effectively. So the ability to learn new (and old) technology systems and take advantage of the functionality will be necessary. Further, the practices around how technology is managed and used - the personal, interactive, and human elements, will also need to be prioritized