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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.

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
 
 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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