Community and social service
Community health worker
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.
Median pay
$51,850
Growth to 2035
+13%
faster than average
Openings a year
7,000
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Community health worker
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Community health worker: 11% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
- Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
- Refer community members to needed health services.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
- Develop plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health.
Also called: 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
Outlook and AI
Community health workers held 64,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 72,900 by 2035 (+13%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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.
Compare with
- Community health worker vs. Health education specialist
- Community health worker vs. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Community health worker vs. Social worker
- Community health worker vs. Rehabilitation counselor
- Community health worker vs. Healthcare social worker
- Community health worker vs. Social and human service assistants
- Community health worker vs. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Community health worker vs. Social and community service managers
- Community health worker vs. Personal service managers, all other