Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Clinical Instructor
- Health Education Specialist
- Health Educator
- Public Health Educator
Alternate Job Titles
- Behavioral Health Educator
- BLS Instructor (Basic Life Support Instructor)
- Breastfeeding Educator
- Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
- Certified Breastfeeding Educator (CBE)
- Certified Diabetes Educator
- Certified Health Education Specialist
- Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
- Certified Lactation Educator
- Clinical Educator
- Clinical Instructor
- Clinical Nurse Educator
- Clinical Trial Educator
- Community Educator
- Community Health Consultant
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Develop, conduct, or coordinate health needs assessments and other public health surveys.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administrative
- Psychology
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Active Learning
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Empathy
- Social Orientation
- Cooperation
- Sincerity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Photoshop
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Laptop computers
- Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
- Overhead display projectors
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Photocopying equipment
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $42,210 |
| Median | $63,000 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $112,900 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 65,150
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Community Health Workers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $51,030
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $79,940
Rehabilitation Counselors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $46,110
Health Informatics Specialists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $103,790
Healthcare Social Workers
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $68,090
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.