Health Education Specialists
Health Education Specialists (SOC 21-1091) earn a median $64,070 a year ($30.80 an hour) in the United States, with 65,690 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maryland.
What health education specialists do
Health education specialists plan, run, and evaluate programs that help individuals, families, and communities adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. They use data to identify what a community needs, then design, carry out, monitor, and assess programs. Typical tasks include preparing and distributing health education materials such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, developing and maintaining working relationships with agencies and organizations that share an interest in health, maintaining databases, mailing lists, and telephone networks to support outreach, and documenting activities by recording figures such as the number of applications completed or people reached. Some supervise professional and technical staff who carry out health programs, and some link health systems, providers, insurers, and patients. The occupation differs from community health workers, who work directly with residents as a bridge to services, and from registered nurses and dietitians, who provide clinical care. They also collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs, and they develop or conduct health needs assessments and other public health surveys.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is an associate degree.
Also called: Certified Health Education Specialist, Certified Diabetes Educator, Breastfeeding Educator, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Certified Breastfeeding Educator (CBE).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.67 | $24.34 | $30.80 | $41.89 | $56.83 | $35.23 | 65,690 |
| Annual | $42,990 | $50,620 | $64,070 | $87,130 | $118,200 | $73,280 | ||
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 health education specialists 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 | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $27.00 | $31.66 | $50.23 | $67.63 | $77.63 | $51.26 | 2,220 | 0.81 | 1.90 |
| Annual | $56,160 | $65,850 | $104,470 | $140,670 | $161,470 | $106,630 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $30.41 | $35.81 | $49.68 | $63.76 | $82.20 | $52.55 | 680 | 0.97 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $63,250 | $74,470 | $103,330 | $132,620 | $170,980 | $109,310 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $24.90 | $32.10 | $47.79 | $64.29 | $73.86 | $49.11 | 3,210 | 0.66 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $51,800 | $66,770 | $99,400 | $133,720 | $153,630 | $102,140 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $21.98 | $28.14 | $38.78 | $47.12 | $58.00 | $39.10 | 2,690 | 0.44 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $45,720 | $58,530 | $80,670 | $98,010 | $120,640 | $81,320 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $21.98 | $28.94 | $37.69 | $47.66 | $51.34 | $37.64 | 1,250 | 0.42 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $45,730 | $60,190 | $78,400 | $99,130 | $106,780 | $78,300 | ||||
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 | $23.57 | $26.37 | $30.58 | $40.87 | $54.41 | $35.92 | 12,520 | 0.69 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $49,020 | $54,850 | $63,610 | $85,000 | $113,170 | $74,720 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $22.01 | $23.16 | $28.53 | $39.12 | $54.00 | $33.47 | 5,320 | 0.38 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $45,790 | $48,180 | $59,340 | $81,370 | $112,320 | $69,630 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.55 | $24.81 | $30.08 | $37.29 | $46.15 | $32.23 | 4,150 | 0.43 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $44,830 | $51,600 | $62,560 | $77,560 | $95,980 | $67,030 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $24.90 | $32.10 | $47.79 | $64.29 | $73.86 | $49.11 | 3,210 | 0.66 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $51,800 | $66,770 | $99,400 | $133,720 | $153,630 | $102,140 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $21.98 | $28.14 | $38.78 | $47.12 | $58.00 | $39.10 | 2,690 | 0.44 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $45,720 | $58,530 | $80,670 | $98,010 | $120,640 | $81,320 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $31.75 | $42.02 | $59.90 | $71.49 | $82.20 | $57.69 | 2,100 | 0.67 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $66,050 | $87,400 | $124,590 | $148,700 | $170,980 | $120,000 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $28.09 | $37.59 | $54.06 | $67.86 | $75.97 | $52.57 | 2,580 | 0.89 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $58,420 | $78,190 | $112,450 | $141,150 | $158,020 | $109,350 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $21.93 | $26.99 | $49.37 | $56.98 | $59.59 | $43.47 | 60 | 0.27 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $45,610 | $56,140 | $102,680 | $118,520 | $123,960 | $90,410 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.58 | $34.16 | $47.72 | $59.60 | $63.98 | $46.99 | 1,850 | 0.78 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $57,370 | $71,050 | $99,260 | $123,960 | $133,070 | $97,750 | ||||
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | Hourly | $32.07 | $35.95 | $45.61 | $53.35 | $59.36 | $46.38 | 60 | 0.38 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $66,710 | $74,770 | $94,870 | $110,970 | $123,460 | $96,470 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.73 | $24.26 | $29.99 | $37.21 | $49.26 | $33.13 | 4,320 | 0.69 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $47,280 | $50,450 | $62,380 | $77,400 | $102,460 | $68,900 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.63 | $26.81 | $30.82 | $39.90 | $59.67 | $36.18 | 3,380 | 0.36 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $47,070 | $55,760 | $64,110 | $82,990 | $124,110 | $75,260 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $28.09 | $37.59 | $54.06 | $67.86 | $75.97 | $52.57 | 2,580 | 0.89 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $58,420 | $78,190 | $112,450 | $141,150 | $158,020 | $109,350 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $31.75 | $42.02 | $59.90 | $71.49 | $82.20 | $57.69 | 2,100 | 0.67 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $66,050 | $87,400 | $124,590 | $148,700 | $170,980 | $120,000 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.58 | $34.16 | $47.72 | $59.60 | $63.98 | $46.99 | 1,850 | 0.78 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $57,370 | $71,050 | $99,260 | $123,960 | $133,070 | $97,750 | ||||
Top industries employing health education specialists
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 16.2% of health education specialists nationally (10,620 jobs) at a median $83,740 a year ($40.26 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (12.0%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (10.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 10,620 | 16.2% | $83,740 | $40.26 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 7,850 | 12.0% | $62,560 | $30.08 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 6,950 | 10.6% | $62,380 | $29.99 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 4,470 | 6.8% | $64,990 | $31.25 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 4,320 | 6.6% | $50,380 | $24.22 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (65,690). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,600 for health education specialists in May 2021 and $64,070 in May 2025, with employment of 55,830 and 65,690.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,600 | $29.13 | 55,830 |
| May 2022 | $59,990 | $28.84 | 56,190 |
| May 2023 | $62,860 | $30.22 | 57,800 |
| May 2024 | $63,000 | $30.29 | 65,150 |
| May 2025 | $64,070 | $30.80 | 65,690 |
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 | Maryland profile | $50.23 | $104,470 | $56,160 | $161,470 | 2,220 | 0.81 | 1.90 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $49.68 | $103,330 | $63,250 | $170,980 | 680 | 0.97 | 2.30 |
| 3 | Georgia profile | $47.79 | $99,400 | $51,800 | $153,630 | 3,210 | 0.66 | 1.55 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania profile | $38.78 | $80,670 | $45,720 | $120,640 | 2,690 | 0.44 | 1.05 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $37.69 | $78,400 | $45,730 | $106,780 | 1,250 | 0.42 | 1.00 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $37.22 | $77,420 | $52,910 | $95,680 | 1,750 | 0.49 | 1.16 |
| 7 | Iowa profile | $36.42 | $75,750 | $46,450 | $95,750 | 540 | 0.34 | 0.81 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $36.30 | $75,500 | $54,430 | $111,860 | 840 | 0.43 | 1.01 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | $36.23 | $75,360 | $38,660 | $110,780 | 150 | 0.30 | 0.72 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $35.65 | $74,150 | $41,710 | $117,170 | 750 | 0.26 | 0.61 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $35.60 | $74,040 | $50,710 | $96,940 | 900 | 0.31 | 0.73 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $35.45 | $73,740 | $46,250 | $130,100 | 1,420 | 0.33 | 0.78 |
| 13 | Alaska profile | $34.59 | $71,940 | $49,980 | $100,760 | 310 | 0.95 | 2.26 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $46,550 | $108,210 | 250 | 0.37 | 0.87 |
| 15 | Vermont profile | $32.76 | $68,140 | $56,080 | $97,430 | 180 | 0.58 | 1.38 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $32.15 | $66,870 | $47,800 | $115,540 | 400 | 0.24 | 0.56 |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $31.43 | $65,370 | $44,610 | $98,030 | 760 | 0.38 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Alabama profile | $31.35 | $65,210 | $40,580 | $97,180 | 540 | 0.26 | 0.61 |
| 19 | Ohio profile | $31.18 | $64,860 | $40,690 | $98,110 | 1,970 | 0.35 | 0.84 |
| 20 | South Carolina profile | $31.11 | $64,720 | $44,050 | $99,290 | 470 | 0.21 | 0.49 |
| 21 | Virginia profile | $30.79 | $64,040 | $42,640 | $137,980 | 690 | 0.17 | 0.40 |
| 22 | Hawaii profile | $30.64 | $63,740 | $35,500 | $99,130 | 190 | 0.30 | 0.71 |
| 23 | California profile | $30.58 | $63,610 | $49,020 | $113,170 | 12,520 | 0.69 | 1.63 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $30.47 | $63,390 | $42,770 | $134,630 | 1,140 | 0.35 | 0.83 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $30.43 | $63,300 | $37,400 | $99,360 | 340 | 0.71 | 1.67 |
| 26 | Kansas profile | $30.28 | $62,990 | $36,790 | $97,430 | 520 | 0.36 | 0.85 |
| 27 | West Virginia profile | $30.17 | $62,760 | $41,580 | $106,710 | 400 | 0.57 | 1.36 |
| 28 | Wyoming profile | $30.17 | $62,750 | $56,430 | $97,980 | 90 | 0.32 | 0.76 |
| 29 | New York profile | $30.08 | $62,560 | $44,830 | $95,980 | 4,150 | 0.43 | 1.01 |
| 30 | Oklahoma profile | $30.02 | $62,440 | $39,270 | $103,780 | 820 | 0.48 | 1.14 |
| 31 | Arkansas profile | $29.94 | $62,270 | $38,230 | $96,780 | 200 | 0.15 | 0.36 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $29.86 | $62,120 | $33,830 | $111,840 | 270 | 0.17 | 0.41 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $29.49 | $61,330 | $43,930 | $90,120 | 370 | 0.43 | 1.03 |
| 34 | Illinois profile | $28.90 | $60,120 | $41,480 | $105,660 | 1,010 | 0.17 | 0.39 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $28.74 | $59,790 | $48,290 | $110,430 | 490 | 0.28 | 0.66 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | $28.68 | $59,650 | $47,410 | $90,660 | 200 | 0.46 | 1.08 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $28.53 | $59,340 | $45,790 | $112,320 | 5,320 | 0.38 | 0.89 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $28.03 | $58,300 | $45,290 | $82,490 | 490 | 0.76 | 1.80 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $27.97 | $58,170 | $36,130 | $96,010 | 1,380 | 0.43 | 1.02 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $27.92 | $58,080 | $44,410 | $99,140 | 2,110 | 0.43 | 1.01 |
| 41 | New Mexico profile | $27.88 | $57,990 | $39,730 | $94,220 | 660 | 0.75 | 1.78 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $27.81 | $57,840 | $40,020 | $91,490 | 470 | 0.24 | 0.58 |
| 43 | Massachusetts profile | $27.65 | $57,510 | $37,460 | $142,860 | 2,420 | 0.67 | 1.58 |
| 44 | South Dakota profile | $27.58 | $57,370 | $46,400 | $78,360 | 190 | 0.41 | 0.97 |
| 45 | Missouri profile | $27.43 | $57,050 | $42,960 | $97,800 | ** | ** | ** |
| 46 | Nebraska profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $38,570 | $83,520 | 230 | 0.23 | 0.54 |
| 47 | Michigan profile | $27.09 | $56,360 | $37,750 | $89,050 | 1,480 | 0.34 | 0.79 |
| 48 | Montana profile | $24.62 | $51,200 | $35,230 | $82,990 | 240 | 0.47 | 1.11 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $24.53 | $51,020 | $35,860 | $76,490 | 410 | 0.35 | 0.83 |
| 50 | Tennessee profile | $23.86 | $49,630 | $39,130 | $110,450 | 490 | 0.15 | 0.36 |
| 51 | Florida profile | $22.29 | $46,360 | $29,990 | $94,040 | ** | ** | ** |
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 21-1091 Health Education Specialists.
**- 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 21-1091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1091.00, 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.