How to Become a Maternal and Child Health Specialist

Published on: Jun 17, 2025
taneia surles

WRITTEN BY

Taneia Surles
Kerra Henkin headshot

REVIEWED BY

Kerra Henkin, MPH, ML

Key Takeaways

  • Maternal and child health specialists improve community health by focusing on mothers, infants, and families.

  • Most positions require an MPH with an MCH concentration and relevant field experience.

  • Certification is optional but boosts employability and salary potential.

  • Common roles include public health program coordination, advocacy, and research.

  • Salaries typically range from $60,000–$85,000 and grow with advanced credentials.

  • Career growth can lead to leadership in public health policy and nonprofit sectors.

A maternal and child health specialist (MCH specialist) is a public health professional responsible for improving the health and well-being of mothers, infants, and young children. In 2023, the United States reported a maternal mortality rate of 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births—nearly three times higher than other high-income, developed countries.1

In addition to high maternal mortality rates, racial disparities persist in maternal care, with Black mothers experiencing significantly higher death rates than White or Hispanic mothers.2 These alarming statistics underscore the need for maternal health professionals who can make strides towards reducing these rates and improving health equity. 

MCHS specialists play a large role in lowering infant mortality rates, enhancing outcomes in maternal-fetal medicine, and promoting healthy family systems. Their work spans from grassroots community programs to shaping state, federal, and global policies, including initiatives led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

A maternal child specialist is one of many public health careers that can lead to meaningful change. Keep reading to learn more about the MCH specialist career and what you can do to join this profession.

What Does a Maternal Child Health Specialist Do?

A maternal and child health specialist designs, implements, and manages programs that promote maternal wellness, infant care, and early childhood development. These professionals can work on various projects, such as creating a prenatal care program in a rural clinic, analyzing vaccination rates across counties, or engaging in policy work by advocating for legislation for mothers and children. 

Maternal and child health jobs can be found in a variety of settings, such as:

  • Local and state health departments

  • Nonprofit organizations (such as Save the Children)

  • Government organizations

  • Universities

  • Research institutions

  • Hospitals 

These public health professionals often work directly within underserved communities to address the social determinants of health (SDOH) and close maternal and child health care gaps.

Specializations within the MCH field include perinatal care, child nutrition, reproductive health education, and child advocacy. Whether working in a community health clinic or a government agency, a maternal and child health specialist’s role is both a hands-on and systems-oriented profession that combines care, data, and policy work to improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Educational Pathways

A good starting point to becoming a maternal and child health specialist is pursuing a public health degree program or a closely related one. You can also seek mentorship from professionals working as MCH specialists, nurses, or other healthcare providers during your studies.

Bachelor’s Degree

For those pursuing a career as an MCH specialist, a bachelor’s degree in public health, nursing, human services, health sciences, or social work can set the foundation for this path. These programs help students gain knowledge in areas like health education and promotion, epidemiology, and community engagement. 

Master’s Degree

Many MCH specialist roles require or prefer applicants to have a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration or focus in Maternal and Child Health. These specialized public health graduate programs dive deeper into public health principles and maternal-child-specific topics that can make you a well-rounded professional. You can expect courses to cover health promotion, disease prevention, reproductive epidemiology, child growth and development, family health policy, program planning, and grant writing. 

In addition to coursework, graduate maternal and child health degrees may require you to complete a field practicum or internship. These opportunities allow you to get hands-on experience with real-world challenges to better prepare you for a role in maternal and child health services.

Interested in pursuing an MPH in maternal and child health? Here are the top programs to look into:

Certification and Licensing

A license or certification in maternal and child health isn’t necessarily required for an MCH specialist career; however, a formal continuing accreditation can help you build upon the skills and knowledge gained during your graduate program.

Below are two public health certifications to consider when pursuing a career as a maternal and child health specialist:

There are also specialty certifications for niche roles, such as:

Certifications aren’t just a resume booster—they can open doors to leadership positions, funding opportunities, and build deeper trust within the communities you serve.

Because maternal and child health care is constantly changing, continuing education is essential. You’ll want to stay up-to-date with the latest research and emerging maternal health problems by attending conferences, webinars, and enrolling in short courses.

Skills Needed for Success

To succeed as a maternal health and child specialist, there are a few skills you’ll want to develop to support the health of pregnant women, infants, and adolescents. MCH professionals can thrive with a mixture of technical know-how and people-centered skills. 

Here are some maternal health skills to keep in mind:

Hard skills:

  • Epidemiological data analysis

  • Program evaluation

  • Grant writing and fundraising

  • Knowledge of reproductive and fetal development (e.g., reproductive health, family planning, and pregnancy-related care, like pregnancy loss and gestational diabetes)

  • Medical terminology

  • Computer proficiency 

Soft skills:

  • Cultural competence

  • Communication

  • Community engagement and outreach

  • Critical thinking

  • Teamwork

  • Organizational skills

  • Empathy

Here’s an example of what these skills can look like:

As an MCH specialist, you could lead prenatal education classes for Spanish-speaking parents (being bilingual is a plus in this field). By combining cultural understanding with technical education, you could help improve a community’s health literacy and promote health equity, leading to better maternal and child health outcomes.

Having program evaluation expertise and public health advocacy skills can position you to serve and create a lasting impact in communities.

Salary Expectations and Job Outlook

A career as a maternal and child health specialist can be rewarding and offer excellent salary earning potential. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for health education specialists, including MCH specialists, is $69,790, with the highest earners making $107,920.3

Several factors can determine your maternal and child health salary, such as:

  • Degree level:

    Having a graduate degree can lead to a higher salary.

  • Certifications:

    Having one of the above-mentioned certifications could help you qualify for higher-paying positions.

  • Urban vs. rural work setting:

    Working in urban areas may offer higher salaries, while rural areas may provide loan forgiveness.4

Job outlook

According to the BLS, the public health outlook for this profession is excellent, with health education specialist roles projected to grow 7% by 2033, which is faster than average for all occupations.5

Some high-demand areas for maternal and child health professionals include:

  • Rural health initiatives: Public health professionals are needed in every community, especially rural, underserved ones.

  • Urban maternal health programs: Professionals in this area can create interventions that help address health disparities in high-density populations.

  • Global health settings: NGOs and international agencies need MCH specialists post-COVID to rebuild essential care systems.

For those interested in community health careers, the maternal and child health field offers job stability and impactful work.

Career Advancement Opportunities

There’s a lot of room for growth in the maternal and child health field. MCH professionals can pursue positions like maternal and child health program director, policy analyst, nurse practitioner, chronic disease epidemiologist, or research director leading federally funded studies.

Some MCH specialists get a PhD in public health or transition into a career in healthcare administration leadership. Others may focus on policy development and implementation or serve on international panels that focus on maternal health.

Aside from getting another degree or transitioning to a different but related field in public health, you can advance your career in maternal and child health by joining a professional network. The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) are professional networks where you can connect with other public health professionals, get mentorship, find job openings, and pursue continuing education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s some additional information to guide you on the next steps in pursuing a career as a maternal health and child specialist.

With a maternal and child health degree, you can take several career paths, such as a health education specialist, program coordinator, policy analyst, or research assistant in health departments, government agencies, or nonprofits.

The job outlook for MCH specialists is positive, with the field experiencing increasing demand and growth.6 With more awareness of maternal health disparities, there’s a growing investment in MCH programs across the United States and globally.

Yes. WHO, UNICEF, and Doctors Without Borders are international organizations that actively recruit MCH professionals for field and policy roles to improve maternal and child health outcomes on a global level.

A good starting point for gaining experience is to seek a maternal and child health internship during your MPH program. You can also volunteer with early childhood nonprofits, women’s health clinics, or advocacy groups.

Conclusion

MCH specialists play a significant role in shaping healthier families and communities. These professionals address maternal mortality, child health disparities, and family support systems. This public health career can lead to impactful change that lasts for generations.

If you want a career where you can change the lives of mothers and children, this may be the right path for you. The initial steps to becoming an MCH specialist are earning an MPH degree focusing on maternal and child health, gaining experience in the field, and pursuing certifications (if you desire). Degree and experience aside, this profession requires a lot of technical expertise and advocating for often disadvantaged and underserved communities.

While this article offers detailed information about the MCH specialist career, don’t stop here. Continue to do your research. Start looking at MPH programs, seek internship or mentorship opportunities, and volunteer at organizations that support mothers and children. 

Maternal and child health specialists don’t just improve lives—they build futures for generations to come. You can become part of the change today.

Sources:

1https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2023/maternal-mortality-rates-2023.htm# 

2https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7384760/#   

3https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes211091.htm 

4https://www.salary.com/research/salary/alternate/maternal-health-educator-salary#google_vignette  

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

6https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm

About the Authors

Written by:

Taneia Surles , MPH

Taneia Surles, MPH, is a writer, editor, and public health professional. She is currently a full-time SEO writer at a mental health startup. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has written for publications like AARP, Business Insider, Breastcancer.org, Everyday Health, Health.com, and Healthline.

taneia surles

Taneia Surles , MPH

Contributor

Education: University of Alabama at Birmingham, MPH

Reviewed by:

Kerra Henkin , MPH, ML

Kerra Henkin, MPH, ML, is a program manager at one of the largest academic medical centers in the country. In her current role, she aligns and expands programming with needs identified in the federally mandated community health needs assessment, and deploys organizational resources to support community health improvement. Prior to this role, she was a community health educator for an advocacy nonprofit organization in Philadelphia. She has co-authored multiple research papers on criminal justice and substance abuse, and will be presenting on law enforcement assisted diversion at the 2023 American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting. 

Ms. Henkin holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master in Law (ML) from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Health Sciences from Ithaca College.

Opinions and information published by the author on MastersPublicHealth.com are of her own and do not necessarily represent the views of opinions of her employer.

Kerra Henkin headshot

Kerra Henkin , MPH, ML

Contributor

Education: Community health education

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