Health Education Career Paths: How CHES Opens Doors

The demand for health education specialists continues to grow. As healthcare systems, public agencies, and employers place greater emphasis on prevention, behavior change, and community well-being, the need for professionals trained to plan, deliver, and evaluate health education programs is expanding across nearly every sector.

Earning CHES certification does more than validate your knowledge. It positions you within a recognized professional framework that employers understand and value. If you are weighing whether to pursue the credential, understanding where it leads in terms of actual job roles, work settings, and compensation can help you make a more informed decision.

For a full overview of what the certification involves, start with our CHES certification guide.

Common Job Titles for CHES-Certified Professionals

One of the distinguishing features of health education as a field is the variety of titles it encompasses. The work of a health education specialist looks different depending on the setting, the population served, and the organization's mission. However, certain job titles appear consistently in postings that list CHES as preferred or required.

Health Education Specialist. This is the most direct title associated with the credential. Health education specialists design and deliver programs that help individuals and communities adopt healthier behaviors. The role typically involves needs assessment, curriculum development, program facilitation, and evaluation.

Community Health Worker or Community Health Educator. These roles focus on connecting underserved populations with health resources and information. Community-facing positions often require strong interpersonal skills and cultural competence, in addition to the technical skills the CHES credential validates.

Wellness Coordinator. Found in corporate, university, and healthcare settings, wellness coordinators develop initiatives that promote employee or student health. Responsibilities often include organizing screenings, managing wellness challenges, and tracking participation and outcomes.

Health Promotion Specialist. These professionals focus on upstream interventions that encourage healthy behaviors before problems develop. Roles may involve social marketing campaigns, policy advocacy, or environmental change strategies.

Program Coordinator or Program Manager. Many CHES holders work in roles that involve managing the logistics and operations of health programs. This can include grant management, stakeholder coordination, data reporting, and staff supervision.

Patient Education Coordinator. In clinical settings, these professionals develop educational materials and programs that help patients understand their conditions, treatment plans, and self-management strategies.

Pro Tip: When searching for positions, do not limit yourself to the exact title "health educator." Use keywords like "health promotion," "community outreach," "wellness," "prevention," and "patient education" to uncover a broader range of relevant opportunities.

Work Settings

CHES-certified professionals work across a wide range of environments. The diversity of settings is one of the field's strengths, allowing you to align your career with the populations and missions that matter most to you.

Government agencies. Local, state, and federal public health departments employ health educators to develop population-level prevention programs, respond to emerging health threats, manage grant-funded initiatives, and communicate health information to the public.

Hospitals and health systems. Clinical organizations hire health educators for patient education, chronic disease management programs, community benefit initiatives, and compliance with health literacy standards.

Nonprofit organizations. Community-based organizations and national nonprofits focused on specific health issues such as diabetes, cancer, substance use, or mental health employ health educators to design and deliver programs that serve their mission populations.

Schools and universities. K-12 school districts hire health educators for classroom instruction, and colleges and universities employ them in student health services, wellness offices, and academic departments.

Corporate and worksite wellness. Employers increasingly invest in employee wellness programs, creating roles for health educators who can design, implement, and evaluate worksite health promotion initiatives.

Insurance and managed care. Health plans employ educators to develop member education programs, support chronic condition management, and reduce healthcare utilization through prevention.

Salary Expectations

Compensation for health education specialists varies based on geographic location, employer type, years of experience, and level of education. However, the overall salary picture is encouraging and improving.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for health education specialists falls in the range of approximately $49,000 to $62,000, with the top quartile earning $70,000 or more. Several factors influence where you fall within that range:

Education level. Professionals with a master's degree, particularly an MPH, tend to earn more than those with a bachelor's degree alone.

Certification status. Holding CHES or MCHES certification can increase your earning potential, especially in government and healthcare settings where credential-based pay scales are common.

Geographic location. Salaries vary significantly by region. Urban areas and states with higher costs of living generally offer higher compensation, though this may be offset by those costs.

Work setting. Government positions often offer strong benefits packages and salary progression structures. Hospitals and corporate settings may offer higher base salaries. Nonprofit roles tend to offer lower compensation but may provide other rewards such as mission alignment and flexible schedules.

Experience. As with most professions, earnings increase with years of experience and progressive responsibility.

Pro Tip: If salary data seems low for your area, look beyond base pay. Government and hospital positions often include retirement contributions, tuition reimbursement, and generous leave policies that significantly increase total compensation.

How Certification Impacts Hiring

In a competitive job market, certification can be the factor that separates otherwise similar candidates. Here is how CHES credentials influence hiring decisions:

Job posting requirements. A growing number of employers list CHES or MCHES as a preferred or required qualification. In government positions especially, credentialing can determine eligibility for specific pay grades or classification levels.

Demonstrated commitment. Certification tells employers that you invested time and effort in meeting a national standard, not just completing a degree program. It signals professional seriousness and a commitment to the field.

Standardized competency. Because CHES is built on the Eight Areas of Responsibility, employers who hire CHES-certified professionals can be confident those individuals possess a defined set of competencies. This reduces uncertainty in hiring and onboarding.

Career mobility. Certification is portable across states and employers. Unlike licensure requirements that vary by jurisdiction, CHES is a national credential recognized throughout the United States.

Pathway to leadership. Employers looking to fill supervisory or management positions often prefer or require MCHES. Starting with CHES and building toward MCHES creates a clear trajectory for upward mobility within an organization.

Building Your Career Path

Career development in health education is rarely a straight line, and that is one of the field's advantages. The competencies you build through CHES preparation and practice are transferable across settings, populations, and health topics. Here is how to think about building your path:

Start where you can contribute. Your first role does not need to be your dream job. Entry-level positions in community health, patient education, or program coordination give you the hands-on experience that strengthens both your practice and your resume.

Pursue continuing education intentionally. The continuing education hours required to maintain your CHES credential are an opportunity to develop expertise in areas that interest you, whether that is data analysis, health communication, grant writing, or policy advocacy.

Build toward specialization or leadership. As you accumulate experience, you can specialize in a particular health topic, population, or methodology, or you can move toward management and leadership roles. The MCHES credential supports the latter path by validating advanced competencies.

Stay connected to the profession. Professional organizations, conferences, and peer networks keep you informed about emerging opportunities and evolving best practices. Certification connects you to this community from the start.

The health education profession needs skilled, credentialed specialists across every sector. CHES certification is the entry point, and from there, the paths are as varied as the communities you will serve. If you are considering a career change into health education, the credential offers a structured and recognized way to make that transition.

This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCHEC. CHES and MCHES are registered trademarks of NCHEC.