Health Education Specialist salary in the U.S.
Health Education Specialists in the U.S. earn a median of $64,070 a year ($30.80 an hour), based on BLS data for 65,690 workers.
Pay ranges from $42,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $118,200 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $73,280, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for health education specialists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,990 | $20.67 |
| 25th percentile | $50,620 | $24.34 |
| Median | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| 75th percentile | $87,130 | $41.89 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $118,200 | $56.83 |
| Average (mean) | $73,280 | $35.23 |
Half of health education specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,339.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,669.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,464.23 |
| Weekly | $1,232.12 |
| Hourly | $30.80 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $64,070 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Health Education Specialist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $104,470 | 2,220 |
| District of Columbia | $103,330 | 680 |
| Georgia | $99,400 | 3,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,670 | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $78,400 | 1,250 |
| Washington | $77,420 | 1,750 |
| Iowa | $75,750 | 540 |
| Oregon | $75,500 | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $75,360 | 150 |
| Colorado | $74,150 | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $74,040 | 900 |
| New Jersey | $73,740 | 1,420 |
| Guam | $73,070 | 30 |
| Alaska | $71,940 | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $69,990 | 250 |
| Vermont | $68,140 | 180 |
| Connecticut | $66,870 | 400 |
| Kentucky | $65,370 | 760 |
| Alabama | $65,210 | 540 |
| Ohio | $64,860 | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $64,720 | 470 |
| Virginia | $64,040 | 690 |
| Hawaii | $63,740 | 190 |
| California | $63,610 | 12,520 |
| Arizona | $63,390 | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $63,300 | 340 |
| Kansas | $62,990 | 520 |
| West Virginia | $62,760 | 400 |
| Wyoming | $62,750 | 90 |
| New York | $62,560 | 4,150 |
| Oklahoma | $62,440 | 820 |
| Arkansas | $62,270 | 200 |
| Nevada | $62,120 | 270 |
| Idaho | $61,330 | 370 |
| Illinois | $60,120 | 1,010 |
| Utah | $59,790 | 490 |
| North Dakota | $59,650 | 200 |
| Texas | $59,340 | 5,320 |
| Maine | $58,300 | 490 |
| Indiana | $58,170 | 1,380 |
| North Carolina | $58,080 | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $57,990 | 660 |
| Louisiana | $57,840 | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $57,510 | 2,420 |
| South Dakota | $57,370 | 190 |
| Missouri | $57,050 | n/a |
| Nebraska | $56,800 | 230 |
| Michigan | $56,360 | 1,480 |
| Montana | $51,200 | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51,020 | 410 |
| Tennessee | $49,630 | 490 |
| Florida | $46,360 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $39,650 | 600 |
Best-paying metro areas for health education specialists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $124,590 | 2,100 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $112,450 | 2,580 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $102,680 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,260 | 1,850 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $94,870 | 60 |
| Corvallis, OR | $87,370 | 40 |
| Lancaster, PA | $87,190 | 70 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $84,070 | 430 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $83,200 | 60 |
| Vallejo, CA | $81,630 | 130 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $80,990 | 770 |
| Rochester, MN | $80,960 | 140 |
| Charleston, WV | $80,850 | 50 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $80,840 | 50 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $80,820 | 150 |
Metro areas with the most health education specialists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,320 | $62,380 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,380 | $64,110 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,580 | $112,450 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,100 | $124,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,850 | $99,260 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,620 | $62,260 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,270 | $75,220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,140 | $64,050 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,080 | $62,500 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,040 | $75,350 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,020 | $62,510 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 1,010 | $78,460 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 770 | $80,990 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 730 | $64,980 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 700 | $71,340 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1091. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a health education specialist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for health education specialists in the U.S. is $64,070 a year, or $30.80 an hour. Pay ranges from $42,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $118,200 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid health education specialists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of health education specialists in the U.S. earn at least $118,200 a year. The top 25% earn $87,130 or more.
What is the starting pay for health education specialists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $42,990 a year, and a quarter of health education specialists earn $50,620 or less.
How many health education specialists work in the U.S.?
About 65,690 health education specialists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.