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.
What Do Health Educators Earn?
According to the 2018 BLS, the average salary for full time, health educators nationwide was $59,660, varying by specialty and geographic region. Average annual salary also varies greatly across New York State, depending on location. The NYSDOL reports that health educators in New York earned an average annual salary of $57,640, (entry level-$36,960, experienced- $67,980).
Supply and Demand
Between 2016 and 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the total number of health educator jobs in New York will increase by 24.0%, and by 14.5% nationwide.
For more information on the need for the health educators by New York State labor regions, 2014-2024, 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 School 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 |
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| 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 |
| Ithaca College School of Health Sciences and Human Performance 953 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 274-3237 |
Lehman College City University of New York Department of Health Sciences 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West Bronx, NY 10468 (718) 960-8000 |
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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