Health Educator

Duties and Responsibilities: Heath educators create programs that encourage health and wellness, and prevent disease. They teach people how to make good health decisions, incorporate healthy activities into their lives and avoid harmful behaviors. Health educators may work in public health clinics, schools and colleges, hospitals or community centers; they are often employed by private health services providers, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Health educators who work in medical facilities provide patients with information on their diagnosis and treatment, as well as tips on staying healthy. They teach group classes on health topics and train medical staff on how to communicate with patients. Health educators employed by private companies may conduct staff health screenings, design healthy workplace programs, or create incentives for employees to lose weight, quit smoking or increase their level of exercise.

Salary: $47,490

Education: Most health educator jobs require a bachelor’s degree at minimum and some employers may prefer candidates who also are Certified Health Education Specialists, the BLS reports. Undergraduate fields of study include health promotion or health education, and often include an internship.