Community Health Workers: Career Profile
Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
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What Tasks Do Community Health Workers Do?
Typical responsibilities of community health workers span:
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
- Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
- Refer community members to needed health services.
- Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
Skills and Knowledge
Top community health workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Apprise Counselor
- Behavioral Health Advocate
- Behavioral Health Worker (BHW)
- Benefits Outreach Specialist
- Community Development Coordinator
- Community Health Advisor
- Community Health Advocate
- Community Health Agent
Job Outlook
There are about 265,047 community health workers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +13.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Community Health Workers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $73,901 |
| Hourly median | $35.53 |
| 10th percentile | $48,155 |
| 25th percentile | $61,028 |
| 75th percentile | $86,775 |
| 90th percentile | $99,648 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Community Health Workers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $71,550 |
| New Mexico | $71,210 |
| Connecticut | $59,480 |
| North Dakota | $57,840 |
| California | $57,560 |
| Nevada | $57,380 |
| Colorado | $57,100 |
| New York | $56,950 |
| Rhode Island | $56,760 |
| Washington | $56,460 |
| Utah | $55,520 |
| Oregon | $55,510 |
| Montana | $54,950 |
| Ohio | $54,240 |
| Massachusetts | $54,160 |
| Hawaii | $53,480 |
| Wyoming | $52,310 |
| Wisconsin | $52,050 |
| Virginia | $51,990 |
| Nebraska | $51,900 |
| New Jersey | $51,710 |
| Maryland | $51,520 |
| Alaska | $50,970 |
| New Hampshire | $50,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,350 |
| Vermont | $49,330 |
| Kansas | $49,040 |
| Kentucky | $48,960 |
| Iowa | $48,920 |
| Georgia | $48,650 |
| Maine | $48,400 |
| Arizona | $48,050 |
| Minnesota | $47,830 |
| Idaho | $47,820 |
| Illinois | $47,610 |
| Texas | $47,440 |
| Missouri | $47,410 |
| South Dakota | $47,300 |
| Michigan | $47,290 |
| North Carolina | $46,930 |
| Delaware | $46,890 |
| Oklahoma | $46,070 |
| Indiana | $45,980 |
| South Carolina | $45,580 |
| Florida | $45,300 |
| Arkansas | $44,850 |
| Alabama | $43,950 |
| West Virginia | $40,470 |
| Louisiana | $40,080 |
| Mississippi | $37,790 |
| Tennessee | $37,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,540 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for community health workers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $56,844 | 24.3% | 1.52 |
| New England | $54,692 | 6.2% | 1.42 |
| Middle Atlantic | $54,520 | 21.7% | 1.54 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,948 | 2.3% | 1.07 |
| Southwest | $50,509 | 11.9% | 1.09 |
| Great Lakes | $49,618 | 12.0% | 0.85 |
| Plains States | $48,263 | 6.3% | 1.07 |
| Southeast | $45,733 | 14.3% | 0.74 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City, NV | NV | $75,090 | 130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $73,310 | 420 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $72,030 | 1,770 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $66,910 | 160 |
| Eau Claire, WI | WI | $66,140 | 60 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $65,610 | 60 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $65,420 | 70 |
| Columbus, OH | OH | $64,440 | 650 |
Top Industries Employing Community Health Workers
Most community health workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 34,810 | $49,550 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4,180 | $50,220 |
| Educational Services | 2,380 | $46,000 |
| Finance and Insurance | 2,360 | $60,300 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,750 | $51,190 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,110 | $55,710 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 840 | $68,490 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 200 | $38,540 |
Community Health Workers work in the following industries:
Software Community Health Workers Use
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of community health workers reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level community health workers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Social and Community Service Managers (Primary-Long)
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinators (Primary-Long)
- Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Mental Health Counselors (Primary-Long)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Primary-Short)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Primary-Short)
- Healthcare Social Workers (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future community health workers typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
8 programs across 4 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 21-1094.00 (Community Health Workers).
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