Health Education Specialist

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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Health education specialists collect and evaluate data to determine the needs of the people they serve.

Communication skills. Health education specialists must be able to clearly convey information in health-related materials and in written proposals for programs and funding.

Instructional skills. Health education specialists lead programs, teach classes, and facilitate discussion with clients and families.

Interpersonal skills. Health education specialists interact with many people from a variety of backgrounds. They must be good listeners and be empathetic in responding to the needs of the people they serve.

Problem-solving skills. Health education specialists must think creatively about improving the health of the community. In addition, they may need to solve problems that arise in planning programs, such as budget constraints or resistance from the community they are serving.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		95%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		93%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		91%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		87%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		85%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		85%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		83%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		82%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		81%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		80%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		79%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		79%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		76%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		76%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		75%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		63%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		56%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		100%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		72%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		67%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		61%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		81%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		72%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		69%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		69%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		60%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		56%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		61%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		59%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		57%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		55%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		54%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		52%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Plan programs to address community health issues.

Provide educational materials to community members.

Develop educational programs.

Train staff members in social services skills.

Maintain social services program records.

Plan programs to address community health issues.

Present social services program information to the public.

Develop working relationships with others to facilitate program activities.

Develop educational policies.

Assess individual or community needs for educational or social services.

Maintain social services program records.

Supervise workers providing client or patient services.

Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or educational programs.

Develop tools to diagnose or assess needs.

Present social services program information to the public.

Advise others on social or educational issues.

Provide educational materials to community members.

Collect information about community health needs.

Develop tools to diagnose or assess needs.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		97%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		94%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		93%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		86%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		82%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		79%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		77%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		73%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		73%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		71%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		70%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		70%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		70%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		65%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
		64%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		64%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		64%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		64%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		63%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		62%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		57%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		52%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		66%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		95%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		93%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		92%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		88%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		88%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		87%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		86%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		86%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		86%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		84%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		84%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		82%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		81%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		80%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		80%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		78%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		78%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		77%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		77%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		76%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		75%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		69%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		66%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		65%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		63%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		63%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		61%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		60%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		56%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		55%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		54%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

What Health Education Specialists Do

Health educators and community health workers educate people about the availability of healthcare services.

Health education specialists teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop strategies to improve the well-being of individuals and communities.

Duties

Health education specialists typically do the following:

Assess the health needs of individuals and communities
Develop programs, materials, and events to teach people about health topics, such as managing existing conditions
Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and educational materials
Help people find health services or information
Provide training programs for community health workers or other healthcare providers
Supervise staff who implement health education programs
Collect and analyze data to learn about a particular community and improve programs and services
Advocate for improved health resources and policies that promote health

Health education specialists have different duties depending on where they work. The following are descriptions of duties for health education specialists, by work setting:

In healthcare facilities, health education specialists may work one-on-one with patients or their families. They teach patients about their diagnoses and treatment options. They also lead efforts to develop and administer surveys for identifying health concerns in the community and to develop programs that meet those needs. For example, they may help to organize blood-pressure screenings or classes on proper installation of car seats. Health education specialists also create programs to train medical staff to interact more effectively with patients.
In nonprofits, health education specialists create programs and materials about health issues in the community they serve. They help organizations obtain funding, such as through grants for promoting health and disease awareness. They also educate policymakers about ways to improve public health. In nonprofits that focus on a particular disease or audience, health education specialists tailor programs to meet those needs.
In public health departments, health education specialists develop public health campaigns on topics such as emergency preparedness, immunizations, or proper nutrition. They also develop materials for use in the community and by public health officials. Some health education specialists collaborate with other workers, such as on statewide or local committees, to create public policies on health and wellness topics. They may also oversee grants and grant-funded programs to improve the public health.

Health education specialists create workplace programs or suggest modifications that focus on wellness. For example, they may develop incentives for employees to adopt healthy behaviors, such as controlling cholesterol, or recommend changes in the workplace to improve employee health, such as creating smoke-free areas.

For information about workers who promote wellness and coordinate care for different populations, see the profile on community health workers. For information about workers who teach health classes in middle and high schools, see the profiles on middle school teachers and high school teachers.

Work Environment

Health education specialists held about 60,400 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of health education specialists were as follows:

Government	26%
Ambulatory healthcare services	17
Hospitals; state, local, and private	17
Social assistance	9
Educational services; state, local, and private	6

Although most health education specialists work in offices, they may spend a lot of time away from their desks to carry out programs or attend meetings.

Work Schedules

Most health education specialists are employed full time. They may need to work nights and weekends to attend programs or meetings.

Getting Started

Education:

62%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

31%

Bachelor's Degree

How to Become a Health Education Specialist

Health educators need at least a bachelor’s degree.

Health education specialists typically need at least bachelor’s degree. Some employers require or prefer that health education specialists be certified.

Education

Health education specialists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in health education or health promotion. Employers may accept a variety of other majors, including business, social science, and healthcare and related fields. Students may gain additional knowledge and skills through an internship.

Some health education specialist positions require candidates to have a master’s or doctoral degree. Graduate program fields of degree may include community health education, school health education, public health education, or health promotion. Applicants to these master’s degree programs generally do not need a specific undergraduate major.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Employers may require or prefer that health education specialists obtain certification, such as the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. or the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential offered by the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education.

Job Outlook

Employment of health education specialists is projected to grow 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 6,600 openings for health education specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

An emphasis on promoting healthy behaviors is expected to increase demand for these specialists over the decade.

Governments, healthcare providers, and social services providers want to find ways to improve the quality of care and health outcomes while reducing costs. This objective should increase demand for health education specialists to teach people about health and wellness, which in turn helps to prevent costly diseases and medical procedures.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about health education specialists, visit

Society for Public Health Education

American Public Health Association

For more information about credentials for health education specialists, visit

Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education

National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of health education specialists.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Dietitians and Nutritionists	Dietitians and nutritionists plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to help people lead healthy lives.	Bachelor's degree	$66,450
Epidemiologists	Epidemiologists are public health workers who investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury.	Master's degree	$78,520
High School Teachers	High school teachers teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.	Bachelor's degree	$62,360
Middle School Teachers	Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grades.	Bachelor's degree	$61,810
Postsecondary Teachers	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level.	See How to Become One	$80,840
School and Career Counselors and Advisors	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. Career counselors and advisors help people choose a path to employment.	Master's degree	$60,140
Social and Human Service Assistants	Social and human service assistants provide client services in a variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work.	High school diploma or equivalent	$38,520
Social Workers	Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.	See How to Become One	$55,350
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors advise people on a range of issues, such as those relating to alcoholism, addictions, or depression.	Bachelor's degree	$49,710
Marriage and Family Therapists	Marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome problems with family and other relationships.	Master's degree	$56,570

Health Education Specialist

What they do: