Community Health Workers
Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
Also called: Behavioral Health Advocate, Behavioral Health Worker (BHW), Benefits Outreach Specialist, Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Development Coordinator, Community Health Advisor
Median pay
$51,850
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$38,810 – $77,180
People employed
61,660
Holland code
SEI
Social · Enterprising · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 4.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 5.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 6.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Community Health Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What community health workers do
- 01Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
- 02Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
- 03Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- 04Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- 05Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
- 06Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Writing
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Empathy
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from community health workers
- Patient Representatives89% · group pay
- Social and Community Service Managers82% · +55%
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School80% · +43%
- Clinical Nurse Specialists80% · group pay
- Psychiatric Technicians79% · −13%
Change into community health workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Patient Representatives90% · $50,290
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education83% · $52,100
- Clinical Nurse Specialists78% · $97,550
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinators78% · $69,770
- Hospitalists78% · $265,930
Majors that lead here
- Health Communication
- Health and Wellness, General
- Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
- Public Health, General
- Public Health Education and Promotion
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine
- Maternal and Child Health
- Behavioral Aspects of Health
- Arts in Medicine/Health
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.