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Health Education Specialists
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.
Other titles employers use
Certified Diabetes Educator · Clinical Instructor · Community Health Consultant · Education Coordinator · Health Education Coordinator · Health Education Specialist · Health Educator · Health Promotion Specialist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.
- Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care.
- Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs.
- Document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted.
- Develop and present health education and promotion programs, such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations.
- Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and the availability of services and to develop goals for meeting needs.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and organizing work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Active Learning
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administrative
- Psychology
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.3 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.7 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A two-year degree 62%
- A four-year degree 31%
- A master's degree 3%
- High school or less 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Presentation software
- Medical software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 10,600
- Job openings each year
- 1,110
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 14.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10,600 | 1,110 | 14.0% |
| Texas | 4,550 | 480 | 15.8% |
| New York | 3,930 | 70 | 22.4% |
| Florida | 3,920 | 410 | 13.0% |
| Georgia | 3,390 | 350 | 6.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,080 | 210 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 1,960 | 200 | 5.4% |
| Maryland | 1,950 | 200 | 6.6% |
| Washington | 1,940 | 220 | 12.1% |
| Minnesota | 1,720 | 180 | 9.6% |
| Indiana | 1,700 | 170 | 6.9% |
| Colorado | 1,550 | 160 | 14.0% |
| Missouri | 1,540 | 160 | 6.9% |
| Illinois | 1,530 | 150 | 4.8% |
| North Carolina | 1,470 | 160 | 16.7% |
| Michigan | 1,370 | 140 | 4.6% |
| Oklahoma | 1,360 | 140 | 8.8% |
| Virginia | 1,300 | 130 | 8.3% |
| Arizona | 1,260 | 130 | 16.7% |
| Tennessee | 1,070 | 120 | 28.9% |
| Wisconsin | 980 | 100 | 7.7% |
| Oregon | 860 | 90 | 14.7% |
| District of Columbia | 800 | 80 | 3.9% |
| Kentucky | 770 | 80 | 8.5% |
| Utah | 760 | 80 | 24.6% |
| New Jersey | 690 | 70 | 9.5% |
| New Mexico | 640 | 70 | 14.3% |
| Iowa | 620 | 70 | 10.7% |
| Massachusetts | 610 | 60 | 7.0% |
| South Carolina | 600 | 60 | 20.0% |
| Kansas | 570 | 60 | 7.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 570 | 60 | 16.3% |
| Connecticut | 560 | 60 | 12.0% |
| Louisiana | 540 | 60 | 8.0% |
| Nebraska | 500 | 50 | 8.7% |
| Alabama | 450 | 50 | 7.1% |
| Maine | 430 | 40 | — |
| Nevada | 410 | 40 | 10.8% |
| Delaware | 400 | 40 | 14.3% |
| Vermont | 390 | 40 | 8.3% |
| Mississippi | 380 | 40 | 5.6% |
| West Virginia | 340 | 40 | 9.7% |
| Idaho | 320 | 30 | 14.3% |
| Alaska | 270 | 30 | 8.0% |
| Montana | 270 | 30 | 12.5% |
| Arkansas | 240 | 20 | 9.1% |
| South Dakota | 220 | 20 | 15.8% |
| Rhode Island | 200 | 20 | 11.1% |
| New Hampshire | 190 | 20 | 11.8% |
| North Dakota | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Wyoming | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Virgin Islands | 20 | 0 | −33.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 618
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college FLUniversity of South Florida
- Degrees each year
- 1,465
- Admit rate
- 41%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college MDUniversity of Maryland-College Park
- Degrees each year
- 416
- Admit rate
- 45%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college TXThe University of Texas at Austin
- Degrees each year
- 800
- Admit rate
- 29%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college CAUniversity of California-Irvine
- Degrees each year
- 392
- Admit rate
- 26%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college NHSouthern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 1,155
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college NJRutgers University-New Brunswick
- Degrees each year
- 398
- Admit rate
- 65%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college CACalifornia State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 378
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college