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Job outlook for community health educators in the United States
Community health educator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected community health educator job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 15,200 new jobs for community health educators are projected over the next decade.
Community health educator salaries have increased 6% for community health educators in the last 5 years.
There are over 20,048 community health educators currently employed in the United States.
There are 66,731 active community health educator job openings in the US.
The average community health educator salary is $43,889.
Are community health educator jobs in demand?
Community health educator job and salary trends over time
Community health educator jobs over time
Community health educator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,048 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 20,798 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 21,039 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 21,107 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 20,841 | 0.01% |
Average community health educator salary over time
Community health educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $43,889 | $21.10 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $42,895 | $20.62 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $42,118 | $20.25 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $41,900 | $20.14 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $41,225 | $19.82 | +2.1% |
Community health educator jobs by state
Most common states for community health educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 192 | 28% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 144 | 23% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,014 | 18% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,191 | 17% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,067 | 16% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 110 | 15% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 443 | 14% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 248 | 14% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 81 | 14% |
| 10 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,503 | 13% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,305 | 13% |
| 12 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 782 | 13% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 764 | 13% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 178 | 13% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 128 | 13% |
| 16 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,232 | 12% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 816 | 12% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 715 | 12% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 356 | 12% |
| 20 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 224 | 12% |
Most common cities for community health educators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookline | 3 | 5% | $43,851 |
| 2 | Amherst | 1 | 3% | $43,870 |
| 3 | New Bedford | 2 | 2% | $43,832 |
| 4 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $34,842 |
| 5 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $35,167 |
Community Health Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of community health educator experts
Michigan Technological University
University of Akron
University of South Florida
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
The University of Vermont
King's College
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Pennsylvania State University
Aultman College
Business Specialist
Washington University in St. Louis
Arizona State University
Bethel University
Cabrini University
Ashland University
YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne
The College of New Jersey
The University of Texas at Dallas
What general advice would you give to a Community Health 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 Health 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 will help Community Health Educators increase their earning potential?
Tayler Haapapuro MS: Take advantage of the connections you've made during your undergraduate degree. Professionals that you've met shadowing, interning, at conferences can all help you and guide you. Don't be afraid to continue your education through certifications and conferences. There is always more to learn and it can make you even more marketable, and will help you expand your connections.
What general advice would you give to a Community Health 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 Community Health Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Melissa Smith MS, CHES, NBC-HWC: Health and wellness coaching skills continue to gain incredible momentum in the health care industry and many other professional fields. Treat every patient/client relationship as a partnership: you are the expert in your field and they are the expert on their life. Behavior change that stems from strength-base approaches that allow the client/patient to take ownership of their plan increases long-term compliance tremendously. Additionally, insurance billing skills may become more important and prevalent in the field as (hopefully) efforts to expand current procedural terminology” or “CPT” codes for Qualified Exercise Professionals (QEPs) are successful.
What will help Community Health 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 Health 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.
What Community Health Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Maureen Chiodini-Rinaldo: Technology is paramount but must also be matched with interpersonal communication skills. There will always be people who want and need personal interaction to achieve their success. Work hard to hone your 'coaching' skills so that you can assist people in achieving their success. Remember, people are created whole and complete with the ability to solve their problems. Often, we lose our innate ability due to experiences. Help people resurrect that innate ability to be healthy. Remember, it is their story, not yours. Additionally, we must be more proactive in using data and analytics. We wear watches that capture so much information, but do we even know whether they are accurate and what to do with the data? Artificial intelligence is coming on strong. How can we use it to enhance people's health? How can we use it to help our businesses?
What will help Community Health Educators increase their earning potential?
Maureen Chiodini-Rinaldo: Success in life is about connections. Who knows you (Not who you know!), and how do they know you? Jobs will come to you once you create and live your passion. People will see you and offer you work. Guide your career based on your values. Your rewards will reflect your values. Owning your own business allows you to be your boss but has many pitfalls and risks. If you think you want to own your own business, interview a few people who have been successful and ask them how they did it. Also, work with and for them to learn about operations and culture. Can you do that lifestyle? Research current salaries in your area, and then talk to people doing what you think you want to do. Ask them about the range of wages you should expect. Does that work for you? Be prepared to negotiate your salary. Know what you should get paid before you start the negotiation meeting. I love working with students on budgets. We start with personal budgets and work to budgeting for the operations of their own business. It can be a remarkable learning process especially once they realize that if they can save $100/month every month for 30 years, they will have close to $100,000. Start small and grow big!
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 Health 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 Health 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 Health 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.
Van Whaley DC, EdD
Assistant Professor-in-ResidenceUniversity of Nevada - Las Vegas
Nutrition Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Community Health Educator?
Van Whaley DC, EdD: Specificity in training or certifications definitely can increase someone's salary potential. Also, there is a wide variety of jobs (and pay rates) within most fields. Someone in private practice may make two times more than someone with the same credentials working at a non-profit. However, those two would have very different experiences and demands in their work demands.
What will help Community Health Educators increase their earning potential?
Van Whaley DC, EdD: Integration, cooperation, and critical thinking. Today's top healthcare includes virtual doctor visits, multiple places doing tests, and a centralized location that organizes this data to best help the patient. The days of a lone practitioner treating a community are replaced by a team of healthcare providers taking care of an individual.
What Community Health 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 Health 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.
What will help Community Health Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Shari DeVeney Ph.D., CCC-SLP: For new graduates entering the workforce in health and wellness fields, there are a number of important aspects to be mindful of that could help you find success in your new career. Namely, I would encourage you to commit yourself to continued education. Create good habits early for staying current on the latest research and evidence-based practices in your field by seeking out professional development opportunities (e.g., attending conferences and seminars, participating in organizational workshops, etc.), particularly in content areas relevant to your new position. Further, networking and professional relationship building is key. Making connections to others in your field can provide you with valuable insights, mentorship, and even career advancement opportunities. Finally, be sure to take some time for yourself. Starting a new career is challenging and can feel all-consuming at times. Be sure to make time for activities that allow you to feel recharged. This will help you prevent burnout and maintain your own physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing as you embark on your new professional adventure.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Ellen Baker: In general, employers are interested in the breadth and frequency of authentic field experiences where the candidates have the opportunity to align theory and practice. They also look for extra activities that the candidates have participated in after school, during the summers, and on weekends that enhance their skills and knowledge. These experiences are evidence of initiative and dedication to the profession.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Community Health Educators?
Ellen Baker: Working with technology as an instructional tool as well as record keeping and gathering of data. Candidates need to be able to look at data regarding a student and utilize that data to inform their instruction.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: I find compassion, communication, collaboration, and accountability stand out the most for me on educator resumes.
Corey Hannah
Program Director, Master of Science in Athletic TrainingUniversity of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Department of Kinesiology
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Corey Hannah: Things that stand out to me include didactic and clinical experience, team-based approaches to teaching, collaborative models of pedagogy, innovative practices in the classroom and beyond, and an interprofessional approach to both teaching and learning.
What soft skills should all Community Health Educators possess?
Corey Hannah: Empathy, sensitivity, and confidentiality in a medical environment, confidence, and trust to ensure credibility.
Jessica Clontz
Assistant Teaching Professor, Human Development and Family Studies, Program Coordinator, HDFSPennsylvania State University
Human Development and Family Studies Department
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Jessica Clontz: The skills employers are looking for include teamwork, leadership, creativity, and flexibility. Although many agencies have moved to a remote service delivery model, professionals are still working as a team to meet client needs effectively. Employers want leaders who are not afraid to take on responsibility and communicate assertively. Working in human services requires you to think on your feet... a lot! Being creative will allow you to meet clients where they are instead of where you want them to be. The pandemic has made flexibility a necessary skill for all human service professionals. Schedules and activities can change at a moment's notice; therefore, you must be able to quickly adapt.
What skills will help Community Health Educators earn the most?
Jessica Clontz: The ones you continue to strengthen and grow.
What skills stand out on Community Health 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 skills will help Community Health Educators earn the most?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Soft skills and hard skills are essential in every career. Faculty at Aultman College have a set wage scale unless they have a master's or doctorate. We are always looking for master's and doctorate-prepared faculty, and those who obtain those types of degrees earn higher wages than the nursing support staff.
Thomas Matula Ph.D.
Professor of Business AdministrationBusiness Specialist
Business Administration Department
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The ability to handle the technology and software for remote work. Students who have taken multiple courses online will have an advantage as successful remote learning requires the same skills as successful remote work.
What soft skills should all Community Health Educators possess?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The ability to communicate in a digital setting and the discipline to work remotely. Also, remote work requires a very different mindset. Instead of focusing on inputs, like hours at a desk, the focus shifts to output, the number of completed tasks accomplished each week. This is going to be especially hard for managers who are used to counting inputs and not measuring outputs.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Community Health Educators?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: Understanding the Apps used and being able to use the devices needed for remote work.
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 Health 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 Health Educators earn the most?
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.: Specific hard skills such as data analysis and computer science will initially produce the largest jump in incomes. Over time, the analytical and intercultural skills often provide our students with the greatest ability to adapt, be flexible, and respond to changing circumstances.
What soft skills should all Community Health Educators possess?
Beverly Johnson: Communication, teamwork, enthusiasm & creativity. Be thoughtful about how to incorporate these into a resume. Again, listing them in a skills section is less impactful than demonstrating them in the experiences.
What skills will help Community Health 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 Health 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 Community Health Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: Dr. Marta Shaw, a professor and administrator in our program is also a professor at Jagiellonian University and lives in Poland. She promotes a skill highlighted by UNESCO, which they refer to as "futures literacy." Their Global Futures Literacy Design Forum was an exciting event dedicated to this concept. More generally, and perhaps a more challenging skill to enhance, would be that of systems thinking. The global pandemic is illuminating the inadequacy of linear cause-and-effect models.
Additionally, collaboration is a crucial skill, so any experience working at the intersections of local and global issues would be valuable.
Amber Gentile
Graduate Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Middle Level Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Teacher EducationCabrini University
Teacher Education Program
What Community Health Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amber Gentile: It is recommended that graduates continuously look to enhance their inter and intrapersonal skill sets. It is when we "push ourselves" beyond our "comfort zones" that growth is maximized. Graduates should get involved in something that matters to them and challenges them. Being passionate about something experienced and of interest helps a teacher candidate to stand out. Volunteering in schools and organizations that are mission-oriented in improving children's lives is very beneficial for both personal and professional growth.
Being involved in experiences interacting with and supporting children's holistic development can help build a skill set to guide future work. Social, emotional, and relationship-building skills are critical in the classroom. The key is knowing how to help students develop these skills. It is also an excellent idea to enhance one's comfort with, and knowledge of, technology and how it can increase engagement and student learning. This enhanced skillset can be accomplished through formal courses, webinars, and personal exploration.
Essential skills include data-driven decision-making, lessons to support kids' social and emotional needs, community building, culturally relevant and sustaining education practices, understanding of trauma-informed practices and instruction, and current best practices in literacy and math instruction are essential.
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian
Assistant Professor of Leadership StudiesAshland University
Dwight Schar College of Education
What skills stand out on Community Health Educator resumes?
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian: Schools and other organizations are looking for flexibility, diversity of experiences, and technological expertise in their educators. Educational organizations have gone through a trial by fire over the past couple of years, requiring them to repeatedly make sudden, drastic changes to how they operate. These changes have relied on folks willing to blaze new paths, venture beyond their comfort zones, and use new resources as they become available. A resume that demonstrates those abilities will stand out.
Nicole Hansen
Director of Mission AdvancementYMCA of Greater Fort Wayne
What type of skills will young Community Health Educators need?
Nicole Hansen: Along with a four-year degree, new graduates will need to demonstrate good interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, and the ability to be cross-trained into more than one department. People who become "utility players" are more valuable because they can pitch in when the need arises. Graduating with a four-year degree communicates that the student is disciplined, responsible, and mature and manages time. Soft skills are also very important because no one wants to work with someone who isn't friendly or cooperative. Being reliable and dependable is also important, especially when beginning a new job. Employers want to know that you can be counted on to arrive on time and to meet deadlines without constant reminders about the expectations. A successful, newly-graduated employee will be known for stepping up and taking on new assignments with eagerness and confidence. The future is unclear, and we are all looking for the type of person who is ready for the challenges ahead.
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Community Health Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely, and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Community Health Educators in the next 5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: I think an increase, though not dramatic. WGSS majors graduate with a capacity to analyze and strategize about a wide range of social justice issues, including racial justice, LGBTQ rights, immigration rights, and disability rights, in addition to gender equity. Very few employers require a degree specifically in WGSS. Still, many employers value the skills students gain through their major, and I would expect social justice skills to be increasingly in demand, across employment sectors, in the coming years. Most WGSS majors take second majors as well, and their combined majors give them an edge in a broad range of fields--including mental health, public health, law, education, politics, business, and government.
Dr. Kimberly Hill Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorThe University of Texas at Dallas
School of Arts and Humanities
What Community Health Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kimberly Hill Ph.D.: A gap year is an excellent opportunity to develop skills relevant to working within an increasingly diverse population. I recommend studying at least one additional language and practicing through volunteer work or travel. Volunteer work will also help graduates practice active listening and cultural sensitivity skills that will be advantageous as they apply for jobs.