Life As a Community Health Worker
Job Description & Duties Assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. Conduct outreach for medical personnel or health organizations to implement programs in the community that promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. May provide information on available resources, provide social support and informal counseling, advocate for individuals and community health needs, and provide services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
What Do Community Health Workers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Advise clients or community groups on issues related to sanitation or hygiene, such as flossing or hand washing.
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Provide basic health services, such as first aid.
- Provide feedback to health service providers regarding improving service accessibility or acceptability.
- Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members.
- Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
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Community Health Worker Required Skills
These are the skills Community Health Workers say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Types of Community Health Worker Jobs
- Community Health Agent
- Community Health Representative
- Community Health Advisor
- Community Health Promoter
- Community Resource Navigator
What Kind of Community Health Worker Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 57,500 jobs in the United States for Community Health Worker. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 17.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 10,300 new jobs for Community Health Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Community Health Worker are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Illinois, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Community Health Workers Salary
The average yearly salary of a Community Health Worker ranges between $26,070 and $65,890.

Community Health Workers who work in District of Columbia, Utah, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Community Health Workers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $42,830 |
Alaska | $46,590 |
Arizona | $40,090 |
Arkansas | $40,220 |
California | $49,260 |
Colorado | $42,000 |
Connecticut | $47,240 |
Delaware | $40,940 |
District of Columbia | $61,770 |
Florida | $39,930 |
Georgia | $41,240 |
Hawaii | $46,380 |
Idaho | $35,840 |
Illinois | $42,250 |
Indiana | $42,000 |
Iowa | $38,050 |
Kansas | $41,350 |
Kentucky | $38,210 |
Louisiana | $39,840 |
Maine | $37,470 |
Maryland | $50,160 |
Massachusetts | $44,500 |
Michigan | $44,380 |
Minnesota | $41,110 |
Mississippi | $32,880 |
Missouri | $38,310 |
Montana | $39,830 |
Nebraska | $38,190 |
Nevada | $45,740 |
New Hampshire | $49,050 |
New Jersey | $51,560 |
New Mexico | $40,020 |
New York | $44,340 |
North Carolina | $41,610 |
North Dakota | $45,210 |
Ohio | $38,490 |
Oklahoma | $47,110 |
Oregon | $42,350 |
Pennsylvania | $41,550 |
Rhode Island | $47,430 |
South Carolina | $42,770 |
Tennessee | $44,630 |
Texas | $41,640 |
Utah | $47,830 |
Vermont | $33,670 |
Washington | $42,610 |
West Virginia | $34,080 |
Wisconsin | $45,720 |
Wyoming | $48,230 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Community Health Workers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Community Health Workers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Publisher
- SmugMug Flickr
- Electronic health record EHR software
- Client databases
Becoming a Community Health Worker
What kind of Community Health Worker requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Community Health Worker?

Community Health Workers Sector

Below are examples of industries where Community Health Workers work:

References:
Image Credit: Article 25 Flickr via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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