Social Services
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$51,850
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$39k – $77k
Job outlook
+11% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $87,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Community Health Workers
Education
Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Community Health Workers
Entry / Junior
$38,810
~2 yrs to advance
Community Health Workers
Established
$51,850
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Community Health Workers
Senior
$64,515
Key skills
A typical day
- •Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- •Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
- •Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
- •Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- •Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Social Services
Explore all- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
- University of Chicago5% admit · $91,000 grad pay
- Columbia University4% admit · $103,000 grad pay
- University of Wisconsin–Madison49% admit · $72,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.