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Health educator vs nutrition educator

The differences between health educators and nutrition educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a health educator and a nutrition educator. Additionally, a health educator has an average salary of $42,570, which is higher than the $34,652 average annual salary of a nutrition educator.

The top three skills for a health educator include public health, patients and community health. The most important skills for a nutrition educator are patients, public health, and food safety.

Health educator vs nutrition educator overview

Health EducatorNutrition Educator
Yearly salary$42,570$34,652
Hourly rate$20.47$16.66
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs61,8328,649
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4346
Years of experience44

What does a health educator do?

A health educator is responsible for promoting a healthy lifestyle and wellness by developing programs and practices to improve an individual's physical, emotional, and mental condition, recommending a various approach to deal with stress and anxiety, and other situations affecting the clients' behaviors. Health educators record the clients' progress, educate them about healthy strategies and approaches, and coordinate with other health specialists and medical professionals on disseminating health information. A health educator must have excellent communication skills, especially during public speaking and seminars for health education programs.

What does a nutrition educator do?

A Nutrition Educator promotes healthy lifestyles through developing and implementing dietary care plans and providing nutritional counseling. They advise patients and clients on nutritional principles, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.

Health educator vs nutrition educator salary

Health educators and nutrition educators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health EducatorNutrition Educator
Average salary$42,570$34,652
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $58,000Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCAnchorage, AK
Highest paying stateOregonOregon
Best paying companyThe New York FoundlingRamsey County
Best paying industryEducationEducation

Differences between health educator and nutrition educator education

There are a few differences between a health educator and a nutrition educator in terms of educational background:

Health EducatorNutrition Educator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorHealth EducationDietetics
Most common collegeUniversity of FloridaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Health educator vs nutrition educator demographics

Here are the differences between health educators' and nutrition educators' demographics:

Health EducatorNutrition Educator
Average age4346
Gender ratioMale, 22.6% Female, 77.4%Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 6.8% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage21%16%

Differences between health educator and nutrition educator duties and responsibilities

Health educator example responsibilities.

  • Manage day-to-day evolving aspects of the HHS Zika virus response.
  • Engage with members' telephonically, using motivational interviewing techniques to assist members' in achieving their health goals.
  • Work with an interdisciplinary staff within HHS and across other federal agencies.
  • Support of Norton patients by telephone providing information for community resources for new mothers and providing medical counseling concerning their prenatal/postnatal condition
  • Recertify in CPR and first aid training
  • Enroll medical entities to receive NYC DOHMH quarterly report/semi-annual report profiling epidemic of HIV/AIDS in NYC.
  • Show more

Nutrition educator example responsibilities.

  • Manage revolving caseload of students with IEP team including initials, transfer placements, manifestation determinations.
  • Administer lectures and individual counseling to residential and out-patient participants regarding weight loss, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.
  • Conduct interviews for applicants to the WIC program.
  • Facilitate the diabetes support group, arrange guest speakers and provide participants with nutritional information and support
  • Develop and implement nutrition plans, prepare education materials for predetermine sub-populations of patients with restrict dietary and religious habits.
  • Write quarterly project newsletters, create tools need to properly assess for obesity causing behaviors and develop educationmaterials as needed.
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Health educator vs nutrition educator skills

Common health educator skills
  • Public Health, 12%
  • Patients, 10%
  • Community Health, 8%
  • Health Promotion, 6%
  • Health Education Programs, 3%
  • Diabetes, 3%
Common nutrition educator skills
  • Patients, 14%
  • Public Health, 12%
  • Food Safety, 6%
  • Nutrition Education, 6%
  • WIC Program, 5%
  • Community Outreach, 5%

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