How to Become a Health Educator: Degrees, Certification & Career Paths

Published on: Jul 21, 2025
Katherine Paul

REVIEWED BY

Katherine Paul, MPH

Reviewed: Aug 17, 2025

How to Become a Health Educator

In 2022, an average of 224 people died each day from opioid overdoses.1 And for many years, Utah had one of the highest rates in the nation. Yet, in less than a decade (2014-2021), Utah dropped from 4th to 42nd in the nation for overdose death rates.2 

What made such a drastic difference? Health educators.

A nonprofit organization and a healthcare system teamed up to distribute naloxone (a medication that reverses overdoses) and educate Utah communities on its use. They also created campaigns and training programs to address the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help. Thanks to their efforts, more than 12,500 lives have been saved.2

If you’re passionate about helping others live healthier lives, a career in public health education may be a good fit for you. Health educators are changemakers who bridge the gap between healthcare systems and the communities they serve. Healthcare education specialists translate complex medical information for the public and create engaging wellness programs that promote healthy behaviors.

This guide provides a comprehensive roadmap to becoming a health educator. We explore educational pathways, professional certifications, and real-world experiences to prepare you for this rewarding career.

What Does a Health Educator Do?

A health educator helps build healthier communities by providing information, support, and resources that promote healthy behaviors and lifestyle changes. They collect data on community health and wellness needs, then plan and implement programs to improve the community’s access to health information and care.

A typical day for health educators often combines behind-the-scenes planning and public-facing outreach. Their responsibilities include:

  • Developing curriculum and educational materials, ranging from flyers to videos to social media content.

  • Leading seminars and workshops on topics like nutrition, stress management, immunizations, and chronic disease prevention.

  • Building partnerships with libraries, churches, businesses, and other organizations to embed health communication into community life.

  • Collecting and analyzing data to determine the efficacy of health education programs.

Health education specialists may work in a variety of settings, including:

  • Schools

  • Government agencies

  • Nonprofit organizations

  • Healthcare facilities

In every setting, they tailor their approach to community health education to ensure the information they share is accessible and resonates with the target audience. In a school, for instance, a health education specialist might lead an STI-prevention campaign using age-appropriate videos, anonymous Q&A sessions, and peer education. 

Health educators also consider the non-medical factors that can create barriers to a community’s health, such as food deserts, economic instability, and discrimination. They may address these social determinants of health by advocating for policy changes or partnering with community organizations to create healthier environments. 

For example, health educators in African American communities across the U.S. have trained local barbers to become health ambassadors. By tapping into the trust between barbers and their clients, health educators have successfully promoted health screenings and disease prevention among Black men.3

Steps to Become a Health Educator

Wondering how to become a health educator? Let’s look at the education and experience you need to enter, advance, and thrive in this field.

  • 1. Earn a Bachelor's Degree in a Health-Related Field

    Your journey to becoming a health educator starts with a bachelor’s degree in public health, health promotion, health education, or community health. These majors build your foundational knowledge in health science, communication strategies, epidemiology, and behavior change theories. Majoring in psychology or biology can also create pathways into health education, especially when combined with relevant electives or experience.

  • 2. Gain Experience Through Internships or Volunteer Work

    While earning your bachelor’s degree, look for opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience. With practical skills and tangible examples of your work, you’ll stand out in a competitive job market.

    Internships and volunteer work with health departments, schools, or organizations like Planned Parenthood allow you to apply what you’ve learned in your classes to real-world situations. You may even find opportunities on campus with student health services, wellness centers, or recreation departments.

  • 3. Consider a Master’s in Public Health or Health Education

    Pursuing your Master’s in Health Education (MHE) or Public Health (MPH) can open doors to leadership roles and higher salaries.4 According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2022,  workers with a master’s degree earned 20% more than those with a bachelor’s degree.5

    MHE and MPH programs will deepen your understanding of public health policy, epidemiology, and program planning and evaluation. Many accredited programs offer flexible online programs, making it easier to continue working full-time while earning your graduate degree.

  • 4. Get Certified

    Some employers may require or give preference to candidates who are certified in health education.6 The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) is for early-career professionals, while the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) is for health education specialists with more education and experience. Both certifications require you to pass a comprehensive exam and recertify every five years.7,8

  • 5. Stay Current: Continuing Education & Specialized Training

    As the field of health education evolves, you must remain committed to lifelong learning. Continuing education equips you to continue delivering effective, evidence-based programs. It also empowers you with specific, in-depth training, such as digital health, sexual health, or chronic disease prevention. 

    Organizations like the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) offer a variety of continuing education for health educators, from webinars to conferences, even full online courses.9

CHES and MCHES Certifications

Becoming a certified health educator signifies your knowledge, skills, and commitment to upholding professional and ethical standards. Depending on your education and experience, you can choose from two national certifications: CHES and MCHES. Both certifications are administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), a nonprofit organization.10

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)

The CHES exam is designed for early-career professionals with less than five years of experience. It ensures you meet entry-level competency in the Eight Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists, including needs assessment, program planning and implementation, advocacy, and communications.11

  • Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university, with either a major in health education or 25 relevant semester credits12

  • Cost: $290 for students, $340 for non-students13

  • Recertification: Complete 75 continuing education contact hours or retake the CHES exam every five years14

Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)

Designed for more experienced health educators, the MCHES can boost your credibility and prepare you for career advancement.15 The exam tests entry-level and advanced competency in the Eight Areas of Responsibility, with a focus on program evaluation and research, leadership, and management.8

  • Eligibility: Five continuous years as a CHES, or five years of experience and a master’s degree in a relevant field16

  • Cost: $355 for current CHES, $405 for non-CHES17

  • Recertification: Complete 75 continuing education contact hours (including 30 hours at the advanced level), or retake the MCHES exam every five years18

Career Paths and Advancement Opportunities

Health education is a dynamic and growing profession, offering a variety of career paths with above-average opportunities for advancement and specialization.19

Entry-level positions like health program assistants and community outreach coordinators give you hands-on experience planning and executing programs and engaging the public. As you gain experience and further education or credentials, you can earn promotions to more advanced health education careers.

A health program director, for example, oversees the strategic planning and management of large-scale health initiatives. Expanded responsibilities include managing budgets, allocating resources, and supervising staff.

If you’re interested in public policy, consider opportunities as a health policy advocate. These professionals engage elected officials and government agencies to pass laws and regulations that improve community health outcomes. They may also organize and mobilize the public to specific health policies.

Want to make an even bigger impact? Global health educators work to eliminate health inequities worldwide, especially in developing nations. Their work may cross borders and combine policymaking, research, and education.

Emerging careers offer hybrid roles that blend traditional health education with modern technology and business practices. Digital health educators, for instance, use apps, social media, and virtual platforms to educate people and promote behavior changes. Workplace wellness strategists work in larger organizations and design employee health programs that support physical and mental well-being.

Further education and certification are the key to unlocking many of these growth opportunities. For mid-career professionals looking for a quick boost, SOPHE offers a ten-hour online course in leadership.20 Adding the widely recognized MCHES credentials to your resume equips you with the skills to succeed in more advanced roles.

With only one in four health educators holding a master’s degree, earning your Master of Public Health will help you stand out with more in-depth training in programming, evaluation, and leadership.21

Salary and Job Outlook for Health Educators

Health educators have a bright future ahead. With governments and health care providers looking to improve health outcomes while reducing costs, demand for health educators is rising. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% increase in employment of health education specialists over the next decade.22

What can you expect to earn as a health education specialist? The median salary is $63,000 per year, while the top 10% of health education specialists earn more than $112,900 annually.23 Public health educators employed by the federal government take home even more, averaging over $116,000 per year.24

Health education specialists with a master’s degree or professional certification often earn more than those without. Those with skills in project management or public speaking earn 7% more on average.4

Resources and Associations for Health Educators

Health educators can stay informed and connected with others in the field through several trusted professional organizations.

  • The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) provides networking opportunities and access to the latest research in health promotion. Their Center for Online Resources and Education offers professional development that accrues continuing education contact hours for CHES/MCHES certification. Membership costs $205 annually, with discounts for students, new professionals, and multi-year memberships.25

  • The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) administers the CHES and MCHES certifications and offers continuing education seminars, conferences, workshops, academic courses, and self-study programs. NCHEC also hosts an online community where health educators can connect and share advice.

  • The American Public Health Association (APHA) has advocated for public health policy for more than 150 years. They also publish the American Journal of Public Health, offer professional development and networking opportunities, and host a job board for public health jobs nationally and globally. Membership costs $230 per year, with discounts for students and early-career professionals.26

Launch Your Health Education Career

If you’re passionate about the power of education to transform people’s lives, consider becoming a health educator. These professionals are at the frontline of community wellness—preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fighting health disparities.

The journey to become a health educator begins with academics. Explore bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in public health to find the right option for you. If you have the education, start gaining hands-on experience or review your eligibility for certification. Each step will bring you closer to a meaningful career and the opportunity to build healthier communities.

Sources:

1https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/understanding-the-opioid-overdose-epidemic.html 

2https://news.intermountainhealth.org/intermountain-health-distributes-record-number-of-naloxone-kits-helping-to-reduce-opioid-deaths-in-the-community/ 

 3https://www.blackbarbershop.org/post/empowering-health-and-how-black-barbershops-are-changing-lives 

4https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Public_Health_Educator/Salary 

5https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cba/annual-earnings

6https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/health-sciences/become-certified-health-education-specialist/

7https://www.nchec.org/ches-exam 

8https://www.nchec.org/mches-exam 

9https://www.sophe.org/professional-development 

10https://www.nchec.org/ 

11https://www.nchec.org/assets/2993/hespa_competencies_and_sub-competencies_052020.pdf 

12 https://www.nchec.org/ches-exam-eligibility 

13https://www.nchec.org/ches-schedule-fees 

14https://www.nchec.org/ches-recertification 

15https://www.nchec.org/news/posts/what-are-the-benefits-of-mchesr-certification 

16https://www.nchec.org/mches-exam-eligibility 

17https://www.nchec.org/mches-schedule--fees 

18https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2993/policy_and_procedure_handbook_rev_062024.pdf 

19https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/health-educator 

20https://www.sophe.org/uplifts-leadership-course-health-education/ 

21https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Health%20Education%20Specialists&location=US&onetcode=21-1091.00

22https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm

23https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm#tab-5

24https://www.federalpay.org/employees/occupations/public-health-educator 

25https://www.sophe.org/membership/join-sophe/ 

26https://www.apha.org/membership/membership-categories 

About the Authors

Written by:

Editorial Contributor

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Editorial Contributor

Reviewed by:

Katherine Paul , MPH

Katherine Paul, MPH is a senior project manager at a leading medical communications and publications organization. She supports multidisciplinary teams handling large-scale accounts, the deliverables of which improve health outcomes and patient well-being. Ms. Paul holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Health Promotion from Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health and passed the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) shortly after graduation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Dickinson College.

Ms. Paul previously worked at a public health non-profit where she managed all aspects of diverse health-related projects, including the implementation of a randomized controlled clinical trial on sexual health for teens with developmental disabilities, as well as the evaluation of a statewide tobacco cessation program with more than 20,000 annual cases. She has developed and delivered posters and presentations at national conferences including the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting. 

Opinions and information published by the author here on MastersPublicHealth.com are of my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of my employer or other organizations for my designated roles.

Katherine Paul

Katherine Paul , MPH

Editorial Lead

Education: Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health

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