Certified Health Education Specialists: Salary and Career Facts

<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td>Bachelor's degree, <br/>Master's degree optional</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td>Health Education, <br/>Health Promotion</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td>Design and deliver health promotion and health education programs<br/>Speak to individuals and groups about health-related issues, <br/>Maintain records and statistics</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Licensure/Certification</b></td><td>CHES certification</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b></td><td> 12% growth <i>(for all health educators)</i>*</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Median Salary (2021)</b></td><td> $49,231**</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **PayScale</i> </p><h3 id="section---WhatIsACertifiedHealthEducationSpecialist">What Is a Certified Health Education Specialist?</h3><p>A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) is a health educator who has been certified by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). This organization has been offering the credentialing exam since 1990 (<i>www.nchec.org</i>). As a CHES, you'd plan and implement health programs at community centers, non-profit organizations, private businesses or departments of public health. </p><p>You could also serve as a public speaker at high schools, colleges and universities, warning students about the dangers of underage drinking, unprotected sex and illegal drugs. If you worked in a medical setting, you could educate patients about medications, medical procedures and support services. At a private business, you could teach employees about workplace safety and environmental hazards. </p><h3 id="section---WhatEducationDoINeed">What Education Do I Need?</h3><p>Your first option is a bachelor's degree program in health education, health promotion or a related area. These are typically 4-year degree programs that meet the educational requirements needed to become a CHES. Many schools offer these programs with concentration areas like community health and worksite health promotion. Towards the end of the program, you could complete a health education internship at a hospital, clinic, health agency or other setting. </p><p>If you want an advanced degree, you could enroll in a master's degree program in health education. Generally lasting 18 months, these programs teach you about health program planning and evaluation, disease management and prevention, health education research, fundraising, community organization and more. Most master's degree programs in health education conclude with an internship and graduate thesis or capstone project. </p><h3 id="section---HowDoIGetCertified">How Do I Get Certified?</h3><p>After you complete a bachelor's or master's degree program, you can apply to take the CHES exam, which is a 7-part, 165-question multiple-choice exam. If you haven't completed a bachelor's degree program, you may be eligible to take the exam through the 90-day eligibility option, which means that you can take the exam if you're within 90 days of completing your degree requirements. After you get certified, you'll have to recertify every five years by completing 75 continuing education hours or retaking the exam. </p><h3 id="section---HowMuchCouldIEarn">How Much Could I Earn?</h3><p>According to <i>PayScale</i>, the median annual salary earned by certified health education specialists in 2021 was $49,231. Your salary will depend on what degrees you've earned, whether you are certified, where you work and your experience in the field. According to the BLS, job growth for all health educators between 2020 and 2030 is predicted to be 12%, which is faster than average. This suggests that job opportunities in this field should be readily available. </p><h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3><p>If you are looking to dedicate your career to helping people make healthy lifestyle choices, you could also consider becoming a dietitian. In this job, you would create meal plans for individual groups in order to help them achieve particular health goals, ranging from wellness to disease management to general weight loss. You need to have a bachelor's degree to become a dietitian, and some states require licensure as well. Another option is to work as a substance abuse or behavioral disorder counselor, through which you would advise and support individuals and families dealing with health challenges like drug addiction and eating disorders. The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree.</p>