Community Health Workers
Also called: Behavioral Health Advocate, Behavioral Health Worker (BHW), Benefits Outreach Specialist, Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Development Coordinator, Community Health Advisor, Community Health Advocate, Community Health Agent
Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors.
What community health workers do
Typical 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.
- Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers.
- Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area.
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to risk or prevention of conditions, such as lead poisoning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prenatal substance abuse, or domestic violence.
- Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Community Health Workers salary
The median annual wage for community health workers is $51,850 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $38,810 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $77,180. The mean annual wage is $56,180.
The mean hourly wage of $27.00 is 3.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Community Health Workers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $51,850 → in 3 years $57,500 → in 5 years $61,600 → in 10 years $73,100 (10-year range $62,900–$84,900). The model assumes pay growth of +3.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Community Health Workers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Community Health Workers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Community Health Workers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Community Health Workers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become community health workers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as community health workers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.