In Depth Guide to Becoming a Health Educator

What Does a Health Educator Do?

Health educators seek to inform the public about health problems such as diseases and injuries. These specialized educators work with individuals and communities alike, putting together programs, classes, and events designed to help raise awareness, offer support to at-risk communities, and spread knowledge and useful information.

A day in the life of a health educator might involve setting up a community health screening, delivering a speech on responsible alcohol consumption to members of a community college, or working one-on-one with single mothers. Educators spend time creating the materials for public consumption, writing curriculum materials for health education programs and finding speakers or locations for health events.

The career can be stressful at times, as health educators may find themselves working nights or weekends to deliver speeches or seminars. Travel outside the office is common, and some health educators may have to travel more to cover rural communities or at-risk areas. Balancing travel and work stress, health educators enjoy the rewards of informing and improving their community to lead healthier and happier lives.

Formal Training Required to Become a Health Educator

Most entry level positions in health education require a bachelor's degree from a health education program. Some employers prefer potential health educators to have related volunteer or internship experience in addition to their formal education. A master's degree is typically not required for entry level positions, though graduate education is often required for advancement.

In addition to basic requirements in education and health, an aspiring health educator may benefit from becoming Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), a credential offered by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

Typical coursework in a health education degree program includes theories and methods of education in health along with classes in human development and psychology. A growing number of employers appreciate bilingual skills, and a foreign language requirement may be built into many health education programs.

The Typical Career Path of a Health Educator

Over half of all health educators work for health care and social assistance departments, while about 23 percent work for the government. The career typically attracts organized, professional individuals who are interested in mixing their interest in health care topics with communication and community health education development.

Health education specialties vary by location. Some educators may choose to keep their focus broad over an entire community. Those who focus might narrow their scope down to one type of health need, such as HIV testing, or one facet of their community, such as infant health. Mental health education and public health education are popular specialization options for health educators.

With a master's degree and years of work experience, health educators may advance to supervisory and leadership positions, working as executive directors, supervisors, or senior health educators. With a doctoral degree, health educators may work in research positions or as professors of health education in colleges and universities.

Job Outlook and Salary Information for Health Educators

Good news for health education jobs: the rising interest in preventative health care and health education services has made this a career in demand for years to come. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that the availability of health educator jobs is expected to grow 18 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than the average for all occupations.

Health educators earned a median annual wage of $44,340 in 2008, the BLS reports, with a range of variance between individual professions; those working for general medical and surgical hospitals earned $56,520, for example, while those working within individual and family services programs earned $40,750.