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New York Health Careers

Health Educators

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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