What Does a Community Health Worker Do?
Community health workers serve as liaisons between healthcare providers and communities, particularly underserved populations. They help individuals navigate the healthcare system, promote health education, and connect people with social services. Community health workers are valued for their cultural knowledge and trusted relationships within the communities they serve.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Apprise Counselor, Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Program Coordinator, Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep), Community Health Promoter, Community Health Worker (CHW), Community Nutrition Educator, HIV CTS Specialist (Human Immunodeficiency Virus Counseling and Testing Services Specialist).
Community Health Worker Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a community health worker include:
- Conduct outreach in neighborhoods, shelters, and community organizations to identify individuals who need health and social services.
- Educate community members on health topics such as nutrition, chronic disease prevention, prenatal care, and immunizations.
- Help individuals schedule medical appointments, arrange transportation, and overcome barriers to accessing care.
- Screen community members for eligibility for social service programs including Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance.
- Provide culturally appropriate health information in languages spoken by community members.
- Follow up with patients after hospital discharge to ensure medication adherence and appointment attendance.
- Collect health data and conduct surveys to assess community health needs and program effectiveness.
- Advocate for community health needs at meetings with healthcare providers, government agencies, and nonprofits.
- Lead group health education sessions, support groups, and wellness workshops.
- Document all client interactions, referrals, and outcomes in program tracking systems.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a community health worker, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Community outreach and engagement
- Health education and promotion
- Cultural competence and language skills
- Resource navigation and referral
- Active listening and motivational interviewing
- Data collection and documentation
- Advocacy and community organizing
- Empathy and trustworthiness
Education and Training
Community health workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, though many employers prefer candidates with some postsecondary education in health education, social work, or public health. Several states offer community health worker certification programs that include training in health education, communication skills, advocacy, and ethical practice. On-the-job training is common and may cover specific health topics, cultural competency, and case management. Some community health workers hold associate or bachelor degrees and use the role as a foundation for careers in public health or social work.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $45,640 - $62,540 per year, with a median of $51,850.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Community Health Workers.
Healthcare systems increasingly recognize that addressing social determinants of health, such as housing, food access, and transportation, improves patient outcomes and reduces costs. Community health workers are central to these efforts. The expansion of Medicaid coverage for community health worker services in many states is creating sustainable funding for these positions. Workers with bilingual skills and deep community ties are especially valuable.
Community Health Worker Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $38,810 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $45,640 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $51,850 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $62,540 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $77,180 |
Highest-Paying States for Community Health Workers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are New Hampshire ($66,680), District of Columbia ($62,510), North Dakota ($59,610), Colorado ($59,260), Hawaii ($58,450). Pay is lowest in Tennessee ($42,310), Mississippi ($39,520), West Virginia ($37,950).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,340 |
| Alaska | $52,000 |
| Arizona | $48,950 |
| Arkansas | $44,890 |
| California | $58,050 |
| Colorado | $59,260 |
| Connecticut | $53,560 |
| Delaware | $55,850 |
| District of Columbia | $62,510 |
| Florida | $45,420 |
| Georgia | $50,680 |
| Hawaii | $58,450 |
| Idaho | $52,050 |
| Illinois | $49,240 |
| Indiana | $47,960 |
| Iowa | $47,780 |
| Kansas | $47,300 |
| Kentucky | $48,230 |
| Louisiana | $46,450 |
| Maine | $48,670 |
| Maryland | $50,550 |
| Massachusetts | $55,560 |
| Michigan | $49,380 |
| Minnesota | $47,560 |
| Mississippi | $39,520 |
| Missouri | $48,770 |
| Montana | $49,780 |
| Nebraska | $51,780 |
| Nevada | $57,730 |
| New Hampshire | $66,680 |
| New Jersey | $55,790 |
| New Mexico | $54,830 |
| New York | $58,130 |
| North Carolina | $47,560 |
| North Dakota | $59,610 |
| Ohio | $50,650 |
| Oklahoma | $45,790 |
| Oregon | $53,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,710 |
| Rhode Island | $53,100 |
| South Carolina | $47,970 |
| South Dakota | $45,700 |
| Tennessee | $42,310 |
| Texas | $48,720 |
| Utah | $55,700 |
| Vermont | $51,500 |
| Virginia | $48,910 |
| Washington | $57,070 |
| West Virginia | $37,950 |
| Wisconsin | $51,210 |
| Wyoming | $54,020 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as community health workers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 77% use email every day
- 63% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 42% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 37% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | 23% |
| Master's degree | 15% |
| High school diploma or GED | 7% |
Tools and Software Community Health Workers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Writing, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Medicine and Dentistry.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Community Health Worker Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 21-1094.00 (Community Health Workers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 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. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.