Learn how to become a health educator
If you want to make a difference in the world and have a positive impact on others’ health, then a career as a health educator might be a rewarding choice. Health educators work with individuals and groups to share information about healthy habits and choices. They might address training needs of hospital staff, create health education programs, teach in schools and more, meaning health educators can potentially and positively impact many groups of people.
In This Article
Should I become a health educator?
There are many reasons to consider becoming a health educator, and careers for health educators are increasingly common. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that health education specialist support should grow by 4.5% percent through 2034, which is faster growth than the average across all occupations.
As society increasingly promotes healthy behaviors, demand for health educators is likely to grow. Additionally, since health education may help to prevent diseases and medical procedures, reducing governmental and social services expenses, there’s an increased emphasis on health education.
Kim Nerud, PhD, is dean of the American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Post University. Nerud explained that there are several benefits to becoming a health educator. For example, nurse educators are able to ensure their colleagues and nursing staff are confident in their skills and have the knowledge needed to successfully do their jobs. “You have an opportunity to give back to the profession,” Nerud said, “and I find that to be one of the biggest benefits of being a nurse educator. In an academic setting, we’re molding and shaping and helping to support the next round of nurses.”
“You have an opportunity to give back to the profession, and I find that to be one of the biggest benefits of being a nurse educator. In an academic setting, we’re molding and shaping and helping to support the next round of nurses.”
Kimberly Nerud
How do I become a health educator?
Earn an undergraduate degree.
The first step in becoming a health educator is to earn an undergraduate degree. Many health educators pursue bachelor’s degree programs in public health, but it’s possible to take other routes, such as by earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or a bachelor’s in psychology. Earning a bachelor’s degree takes about four years when studying full-time.
Nerud took a different route, starting her career by becoming a licensed practical nurse before earning her associate degree. She later decided to pursue a master’s in nursing, then ultimately went on to get her PhD in nursing. “I wanted to take my educational career further and be able to teach at the doctoral level and get into leadership, as I am in the Dean position now,” she explains.
Consider pursuing a graduate degree.
Earning your master’s degree can help to advance your career, and it can help you qualify for more supervisory or leadership positions. A Master of Public Health (MPH) can give you a solid understanding of community education and resources. Educators who plan to pursue an academia or leadership focus might pursue a degree such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Most master’s degree programs can be completed in about two years on a full-time basis, and programs are also structured so you can balance them with work commitments.
Gain practical experience.
Look for opportunities to get experience in health education. Experiential learning opportunities in your degree programs, like internships, can help you start applying the skills you’re learning in a supervised environment. Internships can also help you to establish valuable network connections.
There are plenty of other opportunities to gain experience, including completing apprenticeships, volunteering at local health organizations and attending conferences and workshops.
Become certified or licensed.
While there is no official requirement to become certified as a health educator, earning a certification can help you to stand out as a job candidate. Additionally, some employers may specifically want to hire a candidate with a certification.
The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing offers a Certified Health Education Specialist exam that you can take to become certified.
After you have worked as a health educator for at least five years, you can apply to take the Master Certified Health Education Specialist examination, which is a more advanced certification.
If you plan to work as a nurse educator, you will need to hold a nursing license. Licensure requirements vary by state, and you will need to be licensed in any state where you plan to work.
Health educator salary: How much do they make?
According to the BLS, health education specialists earned a median annual wage of $63,000. The lowest 10% of health education specialists earned less than $42,210, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $112,900.
Take a look at health educator salaries by different states:
10%$42,210
25%$49,880
50%$63,000Median
75%$84,460
90%$112,900
Median Hourly Wage$30
Job growth4.5%
Total Employment65,150
| State | Median Salary | Bottom 10% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,110 | $36,310 | $91,220 |
| Alaska | $72,650 | $49,500 | $91,090 |
| Arizona | $58,100 | $40,270 | $97,780 |
| Arkansas | $57,060 | $40,990 | $95,300 |
| California | $60,150 | $46,700 | $110,480 |
| Colorado | $69,890 | $43,320 | $107,700 |
| Connecticut | $71,980 | $41,930 | $124,350 |
| Delaware | $61,800 | $36,660 | $110,580 |
| District of Columbia | $110,620 | $58,390 | $168,290 |
| Florida | $53,460 | $35,900 | $99,430 |
| Georgia | $97,010 | $52,330 | $150,650 |
| Hawaii | $64,580 | $46,340 | $106,400 |
| Idaho | $70,070 | $52,350 | $89,730 |
| Illinois | $58,100 | $41,850 | $138,860 |
| Indiana | $59,950 | $34,780 | $96,900 |
| Iowa | $67,940 | $42,890 | $93,190 |
| Kansas | $66,960 | $37,160 | $94,150 |
| Kentucky | $64,160 | $41,250 | $90,350 |
| Louisiana | $57,150 | $38,100 | $99,400 |
| Maine | $59,460 | $47,860 | $87,450 |
| Maryland | $101,090 | $52,180 | $157,980 |
| Massachusetts | $62,270 | $37,520 | $115,060 |
| Michigan | $52,830 | $32,380 | $88,320 |
| Minnesota | $78,080 | $48,680 | $105,830 |
| Mississippi | $48,100 | $34,870 | $77,350 |
| Missouri | $60,110 | $38,830 | $98,800 |
| Montana | $52,030 | $40,300 | $81,340 |
| Nebraska | $52,260 | $38,300 | $81,310 |
| Nevada | $61,270 | $33,630 | $109,510 |
| New Hampshire | $73,580 | $49,370 | $104,500 |
| New Jersey | $78,400 | $51,560 | $131,500 |
| New Mexico | $61,730 | $39,980 | $96,660 |
| New York | $60,320 | $40,360 | $97,000 |
| North Carolina | $54,720 | $41,380 | $107,920 |
| North Dakota | $58,670 | $46,570 | $84,130 |
| Ohio | $68,370 | $42,210 | $101,490 |
| Oklahoma | $60,980 | $44,300 | $90,800 |
| Oregon | $73,830 | $49,920 | $118,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,020 | $50,270 | $105,790 |
| Rhode Island | $80,390 | $37,360 | $102,160 |
| South Carolina | $59,780 | $42,490 | $95,200 |
| South Dakota | $55,770 | $50,240 | $80,770 |
| Tennessee | $55,970 | $37,120 | $80,600 |
| Texas | $56,210 | $41,100 | $102,530 |
| Utah | $61,660 | $41,230 | $110,410 |
| Vermont | $65,370 | $52,890 | $98,520 |
| Virginia | $68,180 | $40,160 | $138,130 |
| Washington | $72,540 | $56,580 | $91,730 |
| West Virginia | $62,400 | $38,710 | $101,820 |
| Wisconsin | $67,340 | $44,530 | $97,300 |
| Wyoming | $62,390 | $52,240 | $97,420 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2024 median salary; projected job growth through 2034. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
How does a health educator salary compare to similar occupations? Health educator salaries are generally comparable or slightly higher than the salaries of similar occupations:
Factors that impact salary
Several factors impact the salary that you’ll earn as a health educator. Your experience plays a large role; you can expect to earn less as you’re starting out, but as you gain experience and potentially pursue additional education, you can qualify for upper-level positions that have higher salaries.
Income also depends on the setting in which an educator works. The BLS reports that those working in hospitals earned the highest median annual wage. Those working in social assistance earned the lowest median annual wages.
Additionally, salary will vary depending on your location and the cost of living in your area.
Where are health educators most in demand?
With demand for health education specialists growing faster than the national average for all jobs, there is plenty of opportunity for those considering pursuing this career. Demand—and corresponding salaries—for health educators varies by geographic area, so if you’re open to relocating, you may want to consider the cities and states with the greatest opportunities.
Highest paying cities/metros for health educators
According to the BLS, the following cities and metro areas pay the highest annual mean wages for health educators:
Metro areas with highest level of employment
The BLS reports that these cities and metro areas have the highest level of employment for health educators:
What being a health educator is all about
Being a health educator can be highly rewarding, but it’s important to make sure that this career is right for you.
Health educators have many responsibilities and need to manage multiple priorities. They need to be able to communicate effectively, engage with students, work with different audiences and more. Educators may teach in-person, online or even in hybrid environments, so they need to be flexible and able to work with different situations and challenges. As a result, this career is best for individuals who are driven and dedicated, who are willing to overcome difficulties and who find helping others personally rewarding.
What you’ll do
Nerud explained that a health educator’s responsibilities will depend on their focus and how they teach. “At the end of the day, as a nurse educator, we have the ability to communicate with students daily, facilitate learning not only in the classroom but also in the clinical setting and hopefully give them life experiences that they can take into their practice,” she said.
Those responsibilities and daily roles might look a little different in other settings. “In a hospital, you’re focused on policies and educating nursing staff to be able to understand policies,” Nerud said. Educators also need to train nurses in how to use new technology to support patient outcomes.
When working out in the community, health educators might evaluate health needs of their audience, develop programs and educational materials, interact with people one-on-one and in groups, help connect people to additional health resources, collect and analyze data to evaluate the program’s effectiveness, train health workers and more. They may provide counseling services to community members on health issues and work to find solutions to challenges the individuals face.
Community members may be referred to or seek out health educators for help managing health conditions, improving their health or learning about community resources. A nurse educator who is well-informed, dedicated to each individual’s success and who can carefully listen to individuals is most likely to form valuable connections and gain that individual’s trust.
The skills (and competencies) you’ll need
Health educators need to have many skills and talents to succeed in this profession:
- Communication skills:
- Health educators need strong education skills, both when communicating with their students and when collaborating with other professionals. Educators need both written and verbal communication skills.
- Understand education strategy:
- “You need to be able to figure out how to facilitate education to the audience you’re teaching,” Nerud said.
- Flexibility:
- Flexibility is also important, since health educators need to be able to work with many different audiences and in different settings.
- Problem-solving:
- Educators need to be able to solve many different problems, including finding new ways to present information to different audiences, and navigating problems that arise when developing programs, such as budgeting limitations.
- Organizational skills:
- Health educators need to be highly detail-oriented and organized, since they often balance multiple priorities, several deadlines and busy schedules.
Tools and technology you’ll likely use
Health educators also use several types of technology. “In an academia setting, whether you’re brick and mortar or hybrid and online, we all use a learning management system,” Nerud said. “Understanding the learning management system that your facility uses is a big part of the technology used.”
Health educators may also use other types of technology, including a computer, its operating software, an email program, a digital calendar and possibly a multi-line phone system. They may use educational platforms to develop curriculums and presentations, as well as tools like projectors to deliver presentations.
“AI is huge,” Nerud added. “We have to know how to educate our students on how to use it as a useful tool, not as a tool that does their assignments for them.”
Where you’ll work: Health educators can work in many different locations, including for government entities, ambulator healthcare services, hospitals, social services, educational organizations and more.
Job titles: Health educators may hold titles including health education specialists, nurse educators, community health educators, health coaches, educational therapists, wellness consultants, school health educators and program coordinators.
Work environments: Health educators might work in clinical settings and interact directly with the general public. They can also work in social services agencies, or they might work in hospitals and educational institutions to help educate healthcare professionals.
How to make yourself stand out as a candidate for a heath educator job
Nerud recommends that new graduates work to develop actual experience in the field or within their specialty area. “That experience will make them a standout candidate,” she said. “Look for opportunities within the facility you’re at to not only be a leader, but a leader who can lead and educate others.”
Professional organizations to join along the way
- The Health Care Education Association hosts an annual conference and maintains an online collection of resources, including webinars and a job board for health educators.
- The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing offers multiple credentialing exams as well as online resources like webinars and continuing education opportunities.
- The Society for Public Health Education hosts conferences and events and provides valuable resources, including a career hub and professional development information.
Frequently asked questions
Do health educators need to be bilingual?
Health educators often work with diverse groups of people. Being bilingual can be helpful, but it isn’t always required and depends on the specifics of the job you’re interested in.
How long does it take to become a health educator?
A health educator needs a bachelor’s degree at a minimum, which takes about four years to earn. If you pursue additional schooling and certification, it might take you six years or more to become a health educator.
Do I need previous education experience to become a health educator?
Not necessarily. While earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree, you will explore education strategies and you can gain education experience during an internship or through volunteer experience.