Life As a Health Educator
Career Description Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May serve as a resource to assist individuals, other healthcare workers, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.
A Day in the Life of a Health Educator
- Develop and present health education and promotion programs, such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations.
- Develop and maintain health education libraries to provide resources for staff and community agencies.
- Provide program information to the public by preparing and presenting press releases, conducting media campaigns, or maintaining program-related Web sites.
- Document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted.
- Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.
- Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and the availability of services and to develop goals for meeting needs.
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Qualities of a Health Educator
These are the skills Health Educators say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Certified Health Education Specialist
- Community Health Education Coordinator
- Community Health Educator
- Lactation Specialist
- Program Manager for Family and Community Health Education
Health Educator Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 61,000 jobs for Health Educator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,900 new jobs for Health Educator by 2026. The BLS estimates 8,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Health Educator are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maryland, Illinois, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Health Educator
The average yearly salary of a Health Educator ranges between $32,030 and $98,530.
Health Educators who work in District of Columbia, Georgia, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Health Educators in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,060 |
| Alaska | $62,800 |
| Arizona | $53,630 |
| Arkansas | $49,270 |
| California | $65,000 |
| Colorado | $56,800 |
| Connecticut | $71,940 |
| Delaware | $67,310 |
| District of Columbia | $88,060 |
| Florida | $54,520 |
| Georgia | $85,440 |
| Hawaii | $74,230 |
| Idaho | $54,110 |
| Illinois | $58,610 |
| Indiana | $55,130 |
| Iowa | $54,650 |
| Kansas | $52,480 |
| Kentucky | $49,280 |
| Louisiana | $55,930 |
| Maine | $49,510 |
| Maryland | $77,820 |
| Massachusetts | $63,270 |
| Michigan | $52,470 |
| Minnesota | $57,740 |
| Mississippi | $43,140 |
| Missouri | $46,470 |
| Montana | $45,370 |
| Nebraska | $46,610 |
| Nevada | $60,090 |
| New Hampshire | $59,100 |
| New Jersey | $61,110 |
| New Mexico | $54,240 |
| New York | $57,010 |
| North Carolina | $57,300 |
| North Dakota | $56,410 |
| Ohio | $55,730 |
| Oklahoma | $55,490 |
| Oregon | $56,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,220 |
| Rhode Island | $78,680 |
| South Carolina | $60,060 |
| South Dakota | $49,060 |
| Tennessee | $40,700 |
| Texas | $54,580 |
| Utah | $52,630 |
| Vermont | $58,430 |
| Virginia | $55,880 |
| Washington | $60,780 |
| West Virginia | $48,870 |
| Wisconsin | $55,800 |
| Wyoming | $48,590 |
What Tools do Health Educators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Health Educators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Publisher
- MEDITECH software
- Blackboard
- Blackbaud The Raiser’s Edge
- Blogging software
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epi Info
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC WONDER
- Wiki software
How to Become a Health Educator
What education is needed to be a Health Educator?
What work experience do I need to become a Health Educator?
Who Employs Health Educators?
Below are examples of industries where Health Educators work:
Related Careers
Are you already one of the many Health Educator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
- Coaches and Scouts
- Athletic Trainers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School
References:
Image Credit: Article 25 Flickr via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
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