Community Health Workers
Community Health Workers (SOC 21-1094) earn a median $51,850 a year ($24.93 an hour) in the United States, with 61,660 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Hampshire.
What community health workers do
Community health workers promote health in their communities by helping people adopt healthy behaviors and by speaking up for residents' health needs. They act as liaisons and advocates between community residents and health care providers or social service agencies. Typical tasks include advising individuals and community groups on ways to improve general health, such as diet or exercise, identifying and contacting high-risk or targeted populations to offer help and screening, contacting clients in person, by phone, or in writing to confirm that they have completed required appointments or follow-up, and keeping client records with plans, notes, and forms up to date. They also point community members toward the health services they need, distribute informational materials, and attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues and build relationships. The job differs from health education specialists, who design and evaluate programs, from social and human service assistants, who support social workers, and from nurses, who provide clinical care.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Community Health Advisor, Benefits Outreach Specialist, Behavioral Health Advocate, Community Development Coordinator, Apprise Counselor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.66 | $21.94 | $24.93 | $30.07 | $37.11 | $27.01 | 61,660 |
| Annual | $38,810 | $45,640 | $51,850 | $62,540 | $77,180 | $56,180 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where community health workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $20.88 | $25.31 | $32.06 | $32.81 | $37.02 | $29.96 | 200 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $43,430 | $52,640 | $66,680 | $68,250 | $77,010 | $62,320 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $24.52 | $27.52 | $30.05 | $35.98 | $44.75 | $33.08 | 280 | 0.39 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $51,010 | $57,240 | $62,510 | $74,830 | $93,070 | $68,810 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $21.54 | $22.18 | $28.66 | $35.33 | $36.64 | $28.91 | 90 | 0.21 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $44,800 | $46,140 | $59,610 | $73,490 | $76,210 | $60,120 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $21.85 | $23.99 | $28.49 | $30.48 | $36.92 | $28.63 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $45,450 | $49,890 | $59,260 | $63,400 | $76,790 | $59,540 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $18.13 | $23.59 | $28.10 | $31.55 | $40.75 | $28.82 | 240 | 0.38 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $37,700 | $49,060 | $58,450 | $65,630 | $84,750 | $59,940 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.27 | $24.06 | $27.91 | $34.98 | $42.59 | $30.64 | 9,500 | 0.52 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $46,320 | $50,040 | $58,050 | $72,760 | $88,590 | $63,740 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.30 | $24.21 | $27.95 | $33.84 | $42.30 | $29.88 | 5,800 | 0.60 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $44,310 | $50,350 | $58,130 | $70,390 | $87,980 | $62,140 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.43 | $20.97 | $23.42 | $27.93 | $30.91 | $24.21 | 4,210 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $36,250 | $43,620 | $48,720 | $58,090 | $64,290 | $50,350 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $17.40 | $21.56 | $24.30 | $28.94 | $38.12 | $26.50 | 3,030 | 1.10 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $36,190 | $44,850 | $50,550 | $60,200 | $79,290 | $55,120 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $20.63 | $22.73 | $26.71 | $29.58 | $35.98 | $27.38 | 2,970 | 0.82 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $42,910 | $47,280 | $55,560 | $61,520 | $74,840 | $56,940 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Carson City, NV | Hourly | $24.71 | $32.84 | $39.23 | $45.80 | $50.15 | $39.12 | 100 | 3.24 | 8.18 |
| Annual | $51,400 | $68,310 | $81,600 | $95,260 | $104,310 | $81,360 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $22.52 | $23.29 | $38.60 | $39.67 | $39.67 | $33.62 | 70 | 0.59 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $46,850 | $48,430 | $80,290 | $82,500 | $82,520 | $69,930 | ||||
| Eau Claire, WI | Hourly | $20.49 | $26.41 | $37.54 | $37.54 | $37.54 | $31.71 | 40 | 0.45 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $42,630 | $54,930 | $78,090 | $78,090 | $78,090 | $65,950 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $24.86 | $27.88 | $34.96 | $45.92 | $66.97 | $38.21 | 2,090 | 0.88 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $51,720 | $58,000 | $72,710 | $95,510 | $139,310 | $79,470 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.77 | $29.01 | $33.48 | $36.87 | $42.14 | $34.96 | 430 | 0.38 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $55,680 | $60,350 | $69,630 | $76,680 | $87,660 | $72,730 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.00 | $24.87 | $28.53 | $34.78 | $44.24 | $30.65 | 4,790 | 0.51 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $51,720 | $59,340 | $72,340 | $92,020 | $63,750 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.28 | $24.20 | $26.94 | $29.57 | $35.69 | $28.36 | 3,200 | 0.51 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $46,340 | $50,340 | $56,030 | $61,510 | $74,230 | $58,980 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $24.86 | $27.88 | $34.96 | $45.92 | $66.97 | $38.21 | 2,090 | 0.88 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $51,720 | $58,000 | $72,710 | $95,510 | $139,310 | $79,470 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $21.74 | $24.08 | $27.37 | $30.77 | $37.66 | $28.65 | 1,940 | 0.72 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $45,230 | $50,080 | $56,920 | $64,010 | $78,340 | $59,600 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $18.74 | $23.50 | $28.27 | $33.98 | $42.19 | $29.01 | 1,600 | 0.51 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $38,980 | $48,880 | $58,790 | $70,680 | $87,750 | $60,340 | ||||
Top industries employing community health workers
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 18.7% of community health workers nationally (11,560 jobs) at a median $56,390 a year ($27.11 an hour), followed by Individual and Family Services (16.5%) and Outpatient Care Centers (10.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 11,560 | 18.7% | $56,390 | $27.11 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 10,200 | 16.5% | $51,130 | $24.58 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 6,630 | 10.8% | $48,910 | $23.51 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 6,480 | 10.5% | $58,080 | $27.92 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 4,500 | 7.3% | $48,170 | $23.16 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (61,660). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,590 for community health workers in May 2021 and $51,850 in May 2025, with employment of 61,010 and 61,660.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,590 | $22.40 | 61,010 |
| May 2022 | $46,190 | $22.21 | 61,300 |
| May 2023 | $48,200 | $23.17 | 58,550 |
| May 2024 | $51,030 | $24.54 | 60,730 |
| May 2025 | $51,850 | $24.93 | 61,660 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire profile | $32.06 | $66,680 | $43,430 | $77,010 | 200 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $30.05 | $62,510 | $51,010 | $93,070 | 280 | 0.39 | 0.99 |
| 3 | North Dakota profile | $28.66 | $59,610 | $44,800 | $76,210 | 90 | 0.21 | 0.53 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $28.49 | $59,260 | $45,450 | $76,790 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Hawaii profile | $28.10 | $58,450 | $37,700 | $84,750 | 240 | 0.38 | 0.96 |
| 6 | New York profile | $27.95 | $58,130 | $44,310 | $87,980 | 5,800 | 0.60 | 1.51 |
| 7 | California profile | $27.91 | $58,050 | $46,320 | $88,590 | 9,500 | 0.52 | 1.31 |
| 8 | Nevada profile | $27.76 | $57,730 | $41,980 | $95,200 | 670 | 0.43 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $27.44 | $57,070 | $43,820 | $80,680 | 2,640 | 0.74 | 1.87 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | $26.85 | $55,850 | $35,810 | $74,530 | 280 | 0.57 | 1.43 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $26.82 | $55,790 | $39,640 | $83,600 | 1,330 | 0.31 | 0.78 |
| 12 | Utah profile | $26.78 | $55,700 | $35,480 | $74,880 | 580 | 0.34 | 0.85 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $26.71 | $55,560 | $42,910 | $74,840 | 2,970 | 0.82 | 2.06 |
| 14 | New Mexico profile | $26.36 | $54,830 | $38,210 | $73,110 | 610 | 0.70 | 1.77 |
| 15 | Wyoming profile | $25.97 | $54,020 | $39,520 | $79,600 | 140 | 0.48 | 1.22 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $25.75 | $53,560 | $43,120 | $74,120 | 290 | 0.17 | 0.43 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $25.65 | $53,350 | $45,000 | $73,760 | 1,980 | 1.01 | 2.54 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $25.53 | $53,100 | $45,370 | $76,310 | 520 | 1.04 | 2.61 |
| 19 | Idaho profile | $25.02 | $52,050 | $39,500 | $94,280 | 270 | 0.32 | 0.80 |
| 20 | Alaska profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $38,780 | $77,210 | 400 | 1.23 | 3.11 |
| 21 | Nebraska profile | $24.89 | $51,780 | $38,550 | $72,970 | 160 | 0.15 | 0.39 |
| 22 | Vermont profile | $24.76 | $51,500 | $44,010 | $62,320 | 170 | 0.57 | 1.44 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $24.62 | $51,210 | $39,010 | $71,450 | 630 | 0.22 | 0.54 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.38 | $50,710 | $38,960 | $80,830 | 1,970 | 0.33 | 0.82 |
| 25 | Georgia profile | $24.37 | $50,680 | $34,100 | $73,130 | 490 | 0.10 | 0.25 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $24.35 | $50,650 | $35,950 | $75,380 | 1,910 | 0.34 | 0.87 |
| 27 | Maryland profile | $24.30 | $50,550 | $36,190 | $79,290 | 3,030 | 1.10 | 2.76 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $23.93 | $49,780 | $38,470 | $79,580 | 330 | 0.64 | 1.62 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $23.74 | $49,380 | $37,720 | $74,610 | 1,890 | 0.43 | 1.08 |
| 30 | Illinois profile | $23.67 | $49,240 | $39,040 | $65,540 | 2,040 | 0.34 | 0.84 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $23.53 | $48,950 | $39,310 | $75,010 | 1,140 | 0.35 | 0.89 |
| 32 | Virginia profile | $23.52 | $48,910 | $34,440 | $79,990 | 620 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $23.45 | $48,770 | $36,990 | $64,330 | 1,820 | 0.62 | 1.56 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $23.42 | $48,720 | $36,250 | $64,290 | 4,210 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 35 | Maine profile | $23.40 | $48,670 | $41,770 | $61,360 | 360 | 0.57 | 1.43 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $23.19 | $48,230 | $33,310 | $71,980 | 980 | 0.49 | 1.23 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $23.06 | $47,970 | $38,110 | $70,230 | 540 | 0.24 | 0.60 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $23.06 | $47,960 | $38,400 | $68,620 | 1,310 | 0.41 | 1.03 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | $22.97 | $47,780 | $37,690 | $71,360 | 390 | 0.25 | 0.63 |
| 40 | Minnesota profile | $22.87 | $47,560 | $42,610 | $69,160 | 1,260 | 0.43 | 1.08 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | $22.87 | $47,560 | $36,160 | $68,380 | 1,680 | 0.34 | 0.86 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $22.74 | $47,300 | $37,940 | $63,650 | 240 | 0.17 | 0.42 |
| 43 | Louisiana profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $35,360 | $59,440 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.27 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $22.01 | $45,790 | $34,520 | $67,630 | 600 | 0.35 | 0.88 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $21.97 | $45,700 | $39,230 | $60,630 | 270 | 0.58 | 1.47 |
| 46 | Florida profile | $21.84 | $45,420 | $31,350 | $69,630 | 1,220 | 0.12 | 0.31 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $21.58 | $44,890 | $38,680 | $69,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $20.84 | $43,340 | $33,470 | $62,790 | 270 | 0.13 | 0.32 |
| 49 | Tennessee profile | $20.34 | $42,310 | $34,180 | $58,960 | 520 | 0.16 | 0.40 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $19.00 | $39,520 | $30,930 | $70,890 | 410 | 0.35 | 0.88 |
| 51 | West Virginia profile | $18.25 | $37,950 | $29,480 | $56,840 | 310 | 0.45 | 1.13 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1094 Community Health Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1094, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1094.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.