番茄视频

The healthcare industry is evolving immensely. According to federal health expenditure estimates, it grew to over  in 2024, accounting for almost a fifth of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Treating diseases is particularly expensive and controlling costs while improving patient outcomes requires early screening for diseases like cancer and educating the population on health and wellness to promote prevention. 

While increasing medical knowledge can translate into optimized treatment, it can also make understanding healthcare more difficult. Health education specialists are key professionals who educate people and bridge the gap between medical knowledge and public understanding. 

What聽Is a Health Education Specialist?聽

A health education specialist promotes health and wellness through creating, evaluating and implementing educational programs. They work for large companies, state and local departments of health, and/or regional and local health networks. Day to day, health education specialists work as advocates, program coordinators, health coaches or educators, as well as a variety of other roles, depending on the position and organization. 

What Does a Health Education Specialist Do?聽

The daily duties of a health education specialist vary based on the organization and the exact nature of the position. For example, community health education specialists are involved in community initiatives, whereas health education specialists support health knowledge for various populations. General responsibilities include: 

• Assisting聽with聽accessing resources and navigating聽insurance聽or聽other health information聽

• Developing,聽implementing聽and assessing the performance of health education programs聽

• Reporting program outcomes and other relevant information聽聽

Perhaps the most fulfilling part of a health education specialist鈥檚 role is outreach, teaching, and advocating for patients or clients. In many cases, they are a critical source of information and support as people navigate the healthcare system. 

Health Education Specialist vs.聽Public Health Careers聽

Health education specialists and public health education professionals may overlap, depending on the organization and how their roles are allocated. One critical difference is interaction and advocacy with patients and clients. Public health professionals focus on data-driven interactions and programs that impact the health of populations within communities, while health educators specialize in education and advocacy.   

In some cases, there may be a direct overlap. For example, a public health professional might create an educational program for a community to improve public health. A health education specialist might also create an educational program, but their goal is to educate, which will impact public health.  

Sometimes, health education specialists are confused with health coaches or health and wellness coaches. A health coach usually works with clients to make healthier lifestyle choices, while a health education specialist provides the support and education needed to help an individual set and meet their health goals. Both function to educate their clients. 

Why Become a Certified Health Education Specialist?聽

The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam results in a certification through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Having this certification automatically lets employers know you鈥檝e met rigorous NCHEC knowledge standards. Hiring managers may or may not require it, but it can certainly give you an edge during the recruitment process. 

If you follow an advanced health education career path, you can take the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) exam to position yourself for senior and leadership roles. 

How to Become a Certified Health Education Specialist聽

Step聽1:聽Earn the Right Degree聽

Certified health education specialists must have a bachelor鈥檚 degree, and while it鈥檚 not always required, a master鈥檚 degree is a great way to deepen your knowledge and position yourself for higher-level roles. 

At 番茄视频 (ACE), we offer a fully online M.Ed. in Health and Wellness Education with courses that align with CHES鈥檚 areas of responsibility. This degree is designed for working professionals seeking to specialize in healthcare education. 

Step 2:聽Meet CHES Eligibility Requirements聽

Eligibility for the CHES exam is based strictly on academic qualifications. You need a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a health education major. If you don鈥檛 have a health education degree, you can complete 25 hours of relevant content. To be eligible for credit, students must have earned a C or better in the courses. There is no experiential qualification.  

Step 3:聽Pass the CHES Exam聽

The exam itself consists of 165 multiple-choice questions based on the eight areas of responsibility via a computer format. You get three hours to take the exam, which may be taken at any one of 400 PSI test centers. You also have the option to take the exam remotely with a live proctor if you meet the technology requirements. 

The exam covers the eight areas of responsibility:  

1. Assessment of needs and capacity聽

2. 笔濒补苍苍颈苍驳听

3. 滨尘辫濒别尘别苍迟补迟颈辞苍听

4. Evaluation and research聽

5. 础诲惫辞肠补肠测听

6. 颁辞尘尘耻苍颈肠补迟颈辞苍听

7. Leadership and management聽

8. Ethics and professionalism聽

To prepare for the exam, you should review coursework with an eye toward the exam content as you go through your degree program. Courses might be aligned to CHES content, but they won鈥檛 necessarily be focused preparation for the exam. You learn the content over the length of a program, perhaps 18 months to two years, rather than the week or night before the exam, so it鈥檚 important to study as you go.  

Step 4:聽Maintain聽Your CHES Certification聽

To maintain your CHES certification, certificate holders must pay the annual licensing fee and complete 75 continuing education hours over a five-year period to be recertified. This works out to 15 credits per year. 

While there is no required distribution of the 75 credits over the five-year period, certification holders are encouraged to try to obtain about 15 credits a year. Continuing education credits may include seminars, workshops, academic courses, conferences, training programs and self-directed learning. 

Health Education Specialist Salary & Job Outlook聽

The median salary for health education specialists in 2024 was $63,000 per year.* Salary is impacted by not only the type of organization, but also your experience and education levels.  

Between 2024 and 2034, job growth in the field is expected to grow around 4% with a projected 7,900 health education specialist job openings each year.* 

贵础蚕蝉听听

*. Accessed聽Feb. 16, 2026.聽

At 番茄视频, we offer affordable,聽fully online healthcare programs聽that support your career goals in healthcare education.