What Do Health Educators Do?
Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness and encourage people to make healthy decisions. Health educators promote and improve individuals’ and community health by identifying disease risk behaviors and developing programs that help people adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. Program development may include collecting and analyzing data to determine the scope of problems and the community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs and campaigns designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. Health educators also serve as a resource to assist other health care professionals and organizations in program development and implementation.
To learn more about health educators, please go to: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm
Where Do Health Educators Work?
Health educators often work for local, state, or federal government agencies. Many others work in hospitals, schools, colleges, workplaces, public health settings, individual and family services agencies, and outpatient care centers.
How Much Do Health Educators Earn?
In 2022, the average annual income reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for health education specialists in the United States was $66,710. The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) reports that, in 2023, health education specialists in New York earned a median annual salary of $63,965 (health education specialists in the 25th percentile made approximately $44,093 while those in the 75th percentile made approximately $77,510).
Supply and Demand
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of jobs for health education specialists and community health workers in the U.S. will increase by 12% between 2021 and 2031. The New York State Department of Labor projects that the number of jobs for health educators in the state will increase by 34% between 2020 and 2030.
For more information on the need for the health educators by New York State labor regions, 2018-2028, click here.
Educational Requirements
Health educators need a bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions. Most health educators hold master’s degrees. There are some formal programs in health education, but many health educators graduate from educational programs in nursing, public health, or related fields. Some employers may require the certified health education specialist credential (see below).
New York Licensure Requirements
New York does not license health educators. Special certification is available for a certified health education specialist (CHES) from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC). A CHES must get recertified every five years based on documentation of participation in 75 hours of approved continuing education activities, with 45 of these credits from preapproved designated providers and the remaining 30 credits from other providers. For more information on the certification exam and process, click here.
Financial Support
The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health manages several regular internship and fellowship programs throughout the year. For more information go to: https://www.aspph.org/study/financing-your-degree/.
Education Programs in New York (subject to change)
| Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy- CUNY 55 W 125th St New York, NY 10021 (646) 364-9600 |
York College- CUNY 94-20 Guy R Brewer Blvd Jamaica, NY 11451 (718) 262-2000 |
| Hofstra University School of Education 125 Health Dome 900 Fulton Avenue Hempstead, NY 11550 (516) 463-6673 |
Teachers College-Columbia University 525 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027-6696 (212) 678-6607 |
| New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice Valhalla, NY 10595 (914) 594-4000 |
Ithaca College School of Health Sciences and Human Performance 953 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 274-3237 |
| Buffalo State- SUNY 1300 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14222 (716) 878-5913 |
SUNY Cortland Moffett Center, P.O. Box 2000 Cortland, NY 13045-0900 (607) 753-4225 |
| Lehman College City University of New York Department of Health Sciences 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West Bronx, NY 10468 (718) 960-8000 |
SUNY Brockport 350 New Campus Drive Brockport, NY 14420 (585) 395-2211 |
| SUNY Stony Brook Program in Public Health 101 Nicolls Road Health Sciences Center Level 3, Room 071 Stony Brook, NY 11794 (631) 444-9396 |
Additional Web Links
For more information on health educators, go to
Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health: http://www.aspph.org/
Society of Public Health Education: http://www.sophe.org/
American Public Health Association: www.apha.org
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