CareerFacts

All careers › Community Health Workers

Community health worker: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$51,850median pay per year, or $24.93 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,810lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,64025th percentile
  3. $51,850median
  4. $62,54075th percentile
  5. $77,180top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for community health workers was $51,850 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+12.7%[2]
Openings per year
7,000[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do community health workers make?

A community health worker had a median pay of $51,850 a year, or $24.93 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $56,180 a year, or $27.01 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4]. So this job sits a little above the middle of the whole workforce.

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,810 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $77,180[3]. The 25th percentile was $45,640 and the 75th percentile was $62,540[3]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $18.66 and the 90th percentile was $37.11[8].

A percentile is a boundary, not a starting salary. BLS publishes percentile wages and no starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the states with published data, New Hampshire had the highest median annual wage at $66,680[11]. The District of Columbia came next at $62,510, then North Dakota at $59,610[11]. West Virginia had the lowest median at $37,950[11].

The most jobs were in California (9,500), New York (5,800) and Texas (4,210)[12]. Maryland (3,030) and Massachusetts (2,970) followed[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Carson City, NV had the highest median at $81,600[13]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was next at $72,710[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 4,790, with a median of $59,340[14].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Hampshire[11]$66,680200
District of Columbia$62,510280
North Dakota$59,61090
Colorado$59,260n/a
Hawaii$58,450240
New York$58,1305,800
California$58,0509,500
Nevada$57,730670
Washington$57,0702,640
Delaware$55,850280
New Jersey$55,7901,330
Utah$55,700580
Massachusetts$55,5602,970
New Mexico$54,830610
Wyoming$54,020140
Connecticut$53,560290
Oregon$53,3501,980
Rhode Island$53,100520
Idaho$52,050270
Alaska$52,000400
Nebraska$51,780160
Vermont$51,500170
Wisconsin$51,210630
Pennsylvania$50,7101,970
Georgia$50,680490
Ohio$50,6501,910
Maryland$50,5503,030
Montana$49,780330
Michigan$49,3801,890
Illinois$49,2402,040
Arizona$48,9501,140
Virginia$48,910620
Missouri$48,7701,820
Texas$48,7204,210
Maine$48,670360
Kentucky$48,230980
South Carolina$47,970540
Indiana$47,9601,310
Iowa$47,780390
Minnesota$47,5601,260
North Carolina$47,5601,680
Kansas$47,300240
Louisiana$46,450210
Oklahoma$45,790600
South Dakota$45,700270
Florida$45,4201,220
Arkansas$44,890n/a
Alabama$43,340270
Tennessee$42,310520
Mississippi$39,520410
West Virginia$37,950310

How to become a community health worker

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry, with no work experience in a related occupation needed[6]. The steps look like this:

Some workers take part in apprenticeships or other programs that give hands-on experience[18]. Some states require certification, which may include an approved training program. The state's board of health, nursing or human services can give details[19].

Knowing the community you serve helps. That can come from personal experience, or from work in community development, public health or social outreach[20]. Speaking another language is useful in some communities[21].

Experienced workers may move into supervisory roles[22]. With more education, some move into jobs such as health education specialist, registered nurse or social worker[23].

What community health workers do

Community health workers help people in a community adopt healthy habits. They also speak up for residents who need to deal with health providers or social service agencies[24]. Tasks reported to O*NET include:

Some also deliver screenings, such as blood pressure or hearing checks, and may collect data on community needs[24]. Workers report job titles such as Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Navigator and Community Health Promoter[26].

Where they work

Some of the day may be spent in an office on records and reports. Much of the time is spent in the field, meeting community members, holding events and collecting data[27]. Visits can be to homes or medical facilities[27]. Workers often team up with healthcare and social service providers[28].

In 2025, ambulatory healthcare services was the largest employer, at 22% of jobs[29]. Full time is the usual schedule. Evening and weekend work may be needed for community events, programs or meetings[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of community health workers to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 64,700 to 72,900 jobs[2]. That is an increase of 8,200 jobs[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[31].

About 7,000 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come up when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.8% of workers leave the labor force and 5.2% move to a different occupation[32].

BLS names one reason for the growth. These workers are well placed to support cost-effective health care, for example by advising people and groups on diet, exercise and preventing the spread of disease[33].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is low. BLS lists a high school diploma, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6]. Pay is close to the all-occupations median, with a wide spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile[1][4][3]. Growth is projected well above the all-occupations rate[2][31]. Fieldwork is a large part of the job, and evening or weekend events may be part of the schedule[27][30]. Certification rules differ by state, so it is worth checking where you live[19].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a community health worker make an hour?
The median was $24.93 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $27.01[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $18.66 and the 90th was $37.11[8].
What education do you need to be a community health worker?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[6]. Some jobs require postsecondary education, and programs can end in a 1-year certificate or a 2-year associate's degree[16].
Is community health worker a growing job?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][31].
What is the highest paying state for community health workers?
New Hampshire had the highest median annual wage at $66,680, followed by the District of Columbia at $62,510[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Community Health Workers in the US was $51,850 per year and $24.93 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Community Health Workers is projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 64,700 to 72,900 jobs (a change of +8,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Community Health Workers: 10th percentile $38,810, 25th percentile $45,640, 75th percentile $62,540, 90th percentile $77,180. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 7,000 openings for Community Health Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Community Health Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Community Health Workers was $56,180 per year and $27.01 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Community Health Workers: 10th percentile $18.66, 25th percentile $21.94, 75th percentile $30.07, 90th percentile $37.11. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Community Health Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Community Health Workers jobs: California 9,500; New York 5,800; Texas 4,210; Maryland 3,030; Massachusetts 2,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Community Health Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Carson City, NV $81,600; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $72,710; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $69,630; Columbus, OH $64,810; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $64,720; Visalia, CA $63,960; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $62,400; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $61,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Community Health Workers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,790 (median $59,340); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,200 (median $56,030); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 2,090 (median $72,710); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,940 (median $56,920); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,600 (median $58,790); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,430 (median $49,750). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Community Health Workers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Community Health Workers. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET 21-1094.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Health Coordinator, Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Program Coordinator, Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep), Community Health Promoter, Community HIV Education Specialist (Community Human Immunodeficiency Virus Education Specialist), Community Navigator. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of community health workers in 2025: Ambulatory healthcare services 22%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Community Health Workers: 3.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Community Health Workers: Demand change - share increases as community health workers are uniquely positioned to support cost-effective healthcare services, such as advising members of the public or community groups on issues related to improving general health, including diet, exercise, and reducing the spread of communicable diseases. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.