Jobs Similar to Community Health Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to community health workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Patient Representatives, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors and Child, Family, and School Social Workers.
Community Health Workers: $51,850 median pay · usual preparation: Bachelor's degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Community Health Workers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patient Representatives | 85% | $50,290Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 2 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSame group | 83% | $64,330+24% | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Child, Family, and School Social WorkersSame group | 83% | $59,550+15% | Bachelor's degree |
| 4 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersSame group | 83% | $60,280+16% | Graduate degree |
| 5 | Social and Human Service AssistantsSame group | 83% | $45,930−11% | Bachelor's degree |
| 6 | Healthcare Social WorkersSame group | 82% | $67,880+31% | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Rehabilitation CounselorsSame group | 81% | $46,850−10% | Graduate degree |
| 8 | Nurse Midwives | 81% | $134,040+159% | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Midwives | 81% | $65,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 10 | Hospitalists | 81% | $265,930Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 11 | Clinical Nurse Specialists | 81% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 12 | Health Education SpecialistsSame group | 80% | $64,070+24% | Bachelor's degree |
| 13 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 80% | $100,580+94% | Graduate degree |
| 14 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 80% | $74,260+43% | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsSame group | 80% | $66,270+28% | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 80% | $80,250+55% | Graduate degree |
| 17 | School Psychologists | 80% | $95,990+85% | Graduate degree |
| 18 | Psychiatric Technicians | 80% | $45,130−13% | Training or associate |
| 19 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 79% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 20 | Genetic Counselors | 79% | $100,040+93% | Graduate degree |
- 1Patient Representatives
85% similar · $50,290 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 2Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
83% similar · $64,330 (+24%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 3Child, Family, and School Social Workers
83% similar · $59,550 (+15%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 4Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
83% similar · $60,280 (+16%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 5Social and Human Service Assistants
83% similar · $45,930 (−11%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 6Healthcare Social Workers
82% similar · $67,880 (+31%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 7Rehabilitation Counselors
81% similar · $46,850 (−10%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 8Nurse Midwives
81% similar · $134,040 (+159%) · Graduate degree
- 9Midwives
81% similar · $65,790 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 10Hospitalists
81% similar · $265,930 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 11Clinical Nurse Specialists
81% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 12Health Education Specialists
80% similar · $64,070 (+24%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 13Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
80% similar · $100,580 (+94%) · Graduate degree
- 14Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
80% similar · $74,260 (+43%) · Bachelor's degree
- 15Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
80% similar · $66,270 (+28%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 16Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
80% similar · $80,250 (+55%) · Graduate degree
- 17School Psychologists
80% similar · $95,990 (+85%) · Graduate degree
- 18Psychiatric Technicians
80% similar · $45,130 (−13%) · Training or associate
- 19Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
79% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 20Genetic Counselors
79% similar · $100,040 (+93%) · Graduate degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than community health workers.
Similar jobs that need less preparation
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for community health workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where community health workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Patient Representatives (90)
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education (83)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (78)
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinators (78)
- Hospitalists (78)
- Midwives (78)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (76)
- Recreation Workers (76)
- Acute Care Nurses (75)
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (75)
Questions about jobs like community health workers
What jobs are most similar to community health workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Patient Representatives (85% similar), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (83% similar), Child, Family, and School Social Workers (83% similar), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (83% similar) and Social and Human Service Assistants (83% similar).
Which jobs like community health workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Nurse Midwives ($134,040, +159%; usually a graduate degree), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($100,580, +94%; usually a graduate degree) and Genetic Counselors ($100,040, +93%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with community health workers ($51,850). Without more preparation than community health workers usually need: Special Education Teachers (Secondary School), Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists and Health Education Specialists.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.