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The differences between lay health advocates and community health navigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a lay health advocate and a community health navigator. Additionally, a community health navigator has an average salary of $40,561, which is higher than the $35,126 average annual salary of a lay health advocate.
The top three skills for a lay health advocate include patients, social work and substance abuse. The most important skills for a community health navigator are patients, social work, and mental health.
| Lay Health Advocate | Community Health Navigator | |
| Yearly salary | $35,126 | $40,561 |
| Hourly rate | $16.89 | $19.50 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 62,717 | 61,439 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A lay health advocate helps the patients prepare for medical appointments, update and organize physicians' information. After the medical appointments, a lay health advocate offers follow-up care services by monitoring patient conditions and ensuring they follow all treatment recommendations. They assist patients in scheduling additional appointments and arrange their medications. These professionals advise patients on the best ways to maintain control over medical care and prevent more medical issues like fall injuries.
Community health navigators are health coordinators that connect people to medical providers and community resources. They help patients in enhancing their mental, physical, and social health as well as assist them in developing a definite care plan. Their duties include assisting in prescribing optimal health care to patients, coordinating patient care from care providers, and negotiating the health care system. Also, they connect patients to community resources such as food, clothing, affordable housing, and transportation.
Lay health advocates and community health navigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lay Health Advocate | Community Health Navigator | |
| Average salary | $35,126 | $40,561 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $44,000 | Between $29,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Johnston, RI | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Nevada |
| Best paying company | NRDC | Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a lay health advocate and a community health navigator in terms of educational background:
| Lay Health Advocate | Community Health Navigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between lay health advocates' and community health navigators' demographics:
| Lay Health Advocate | Community Health Navigator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 5.3% White, 52.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 21% | 21% |