Health Education Specialists earn $64,070 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $50,620 and $87,130. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.
Also known as:
Health Education Specialists earn $64,070 nationally, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $50,620 and $87,130. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Near the national median for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The mean wage for this occupation is $73,280, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Health Education Specialists roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
The BLS projects +4.5% employment change for Health Education Specialists through 2034, roughly in line with the national average of +5%. About 7,900 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Health Education Specialists professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $64,070 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 14,650 | $60,150 | -6.1% |
| 2 | Texas | 4,550 | $56,210 | -12.3% |
| 3 | New York | 3,850 | $60,320 | -5.9% |
| 4 | Georgia | 3,260 | $97,010 | +51.4% |
| 5 | Florida | 2,710 | $53,460 | -16.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Health Education Specialists positions require a bachelor's degree to qualify. The 5 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Health | 42,551 | $58,808 | 867 |
| 2 | Health Sciences | 35,887 | $61,296 | 882 |
| 3 | Mental Health Services | 31,550 | $52,119 | 987 |
| 4 | Public Relations | 20,666 | $63,560 | 608 |
| 5 | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | 1,845 | — | 69 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 5 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 6 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
Once you've sized up Health Education Specialists, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Health Education Specialists pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Health Education Specialists shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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