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Community health representative education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a community health representative. Community health representatives usually study business, psychology, or communication. 61% of community health representatives hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,711 real community health representative resumes to see exactly what community health representative education sections show.

The most common colleges for community health representatives are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online community health representative courses to help get the education required to be a community health representative.

There are certain community health representative certifications that you should consider. These community health representative certifications include Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).

What education do you need to become a community health representative?

What degree do you need to be a community health representative?

The most common degree for community health representatives is bachelor's degree, with 61% of community health representatives earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 61%
  • Associate, 16%
  • Master's, 9%
  • High School Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a community health representative?

You should major in business to become a community health representative. 20% of community health representatives major in business. Other common majors for a community health representative include psychology and communication.

Most common colleges for community health representatives

Community health representatives often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of California - Davis, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for community health representatives in the US based on their resumes.
Community health representative common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix18.47%
University of California - Davis8.01%
Florida State University6.62%
California State University - San Bernardino6.62%
Monroe College5.23%

Best majors for community health representatives

RankMajorPercentages
1Business20.3%
2Psychology9.9%
3Communication8.5%
4Nursing6.7%
5Health Care Administration5.7%

Best colleges for community health representatives

The best colleges for community health representatives are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A community health representative with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for community health representatives. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become community health representatives.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Enrollment

13,871

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

20 best online courses for community health representatives

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1. Foundational Skills for Communicating About Health

coursera

Effective communication is a core skill that nearly every health professional will need and use during their careers. Yet, few health professionals receive even basic training in how to design communications to be clear and successful. As “foundational skills,” the content in this course can be applied to both oral and written communication, within and beyond health. Learners will develop the skills to: analyze and tailor a communication effort for different audiences, develop clear messages,...

2. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

coursera

This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

3. Health Data 101

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4.4
(1,787)

An Introduction to Health Data for data analysts...

4. Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist

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4.4
(811)

Health Information Technology HIT...

5. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

6. Population Health: Governance

coursera

How can we organise care in such a way that we optimize experience, quality and costs? What type of governance is needed? And how should healthcare organisations collaborate? These are central questions in this course. In answering them, we depart from a recognition of the impact of three crucial global shifts in health care governance: 1) the change in focus from cure to population health, 2) the increased attention to social determinants of health, and 3) the stronger involvement of...

7. Communication Skills Masterclass - Your Communication Guide

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4.5
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Communication Skill For Business Communication & Effective Communication In Workplace & Relationships...

8. Mental Health Ambassador Certificate

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4.6
(1,115)

Be a leader in improving society's mental health and learn to provide mental health first aid...

9. The Business of Health Care

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This Specialization was designed to help you keep pace with the rapidly changing world of health and health care. Through partnership with Wharton and Penn Medicine, you’ll learn from experts in business acumen, health care management, and health care policy to develop the skills you’ll need to successfully navigate the quickly evolving landscape of this fast-growing field.* By the end of this specialization, you will have a strong foundational understanding of the American health care system,...

10. CVS Health Call Center Customer Service

coursera

The demand for call center customer service representatives is huge, there are thousands of open job roles in the US alone. If you are someone that enjoys talking to people and solving problems and are ready for new experiences, then this program is right for you. Customer service in a call center is an exciting career where every day is a new day and a new adventure. If you're considering a career in retail customer service and you're someone who is passionate about providing exceptional...

11. Health Coaching Certification Holistic Wellness Health Coach

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4.4
(3,299)

Health Coaching Practitioner Course Graduates Prepared Health Coaching Specialists in Holistic Wellness Health Coaching...

12. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Health & Wellness

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4.7
(594)

Learn about holistic health, wellness, key biomarkers, good sleep and ways to optimize your health...

13. Health Informatics

coursera

This Specialization is intended for health professionals, administrators, health IT staff, vendors, startups, and patients who need or want to participate in the health IT/informatics process. Throughout the five courses of this Specialization, you will learn about the social and technical context of health informatics problems, how to successfully implement health informatics interventions, how to design a health informatics solution for decision support, and how to answer a health informatics...

14. Social Determinants of Health

coursera

This is an introductory course on social determinants of population health with a focus on the United States. The course will introduce you to, or reinforce your knowledge of, issues related to health that consider behavioral, psychological and structural factors in population health beyond the healthcare system. We will examine social, economic, and political factors that contribute to health inequalities and suggest innovative ways to reduce disparities in health when the goal is to achieve...

15. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers

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4.4
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Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...

16. Winning Communication Skills for Telephone, Conference Calls

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4.3
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Improve Communication Skills - Use the Telephone Effectively! Avoid Phone Etiquette Blunders that Annoy...

17. Foundations of Health Equity Research

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Introduces students to the core principles of health equity research. Covers topics such as defining health equity, engaging community and policy stakeholders, patient-centeredness, cultural competence, and dissemination of research findings. Content will recognize different geographic, cultural, and social contexts where health inequities occur...

18. Social Determinants of Health: Data to Action

coursera

This five course specialization explores dimensions of applied knowledge related to the social determinants of health. This specialization will utilize the Data-to-Action Hourglass Model to support thinking about multiple perspectives as a way to filter, frame, and focus data-driven action related to social determinants of health.\n\nCourse 1: Introduction to the Social Determinants of Health, provides an overview of definitions and theoretical perspectives that will form the foundation of this...

19. Health Equity Research & Practice: Local & Global Lessons

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This course introduces students to the local and global lessons in health equity research and practice, covering topics such as the effects of structural drivers and systems of power on health equity and inequities in reproductive health and immigrant health. This course then goes on to apply these lessons to health equity research projects in settings around the world. Through exploration of global interventions, learners will be prepared to take on health disparities in their local...

20. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff

coursera

Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...

Top 10 most affordable universities for community health representatives

The most affordable schools for community health representatives are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - fullerton.

If the best universities for community health representatives are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for community health representatives.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

10. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for community health representatives

The hardest universities for community health representatives to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for community health representatives are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for community health representatives based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for community health representatives

The easiest schools for community health representatives to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a community health representative without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for community health representatives.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average community health representative salary by education level

Community health representatives with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $41,029 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, community health representatives earn a median annual income of $35,921 compared to $31,880 for community health representatives with an Associate degree.
Community health representative education levelCommunity health representative salary
Master's Degree$41,029
High School Diploma or Less$31,139
Bachelor's Degree$35,921
Some College/ Associate Degree$31,880

Community health representative education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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