Health Educator
How to Enter This Career
Earning a Master of Public Health can lead to a career as a health educator, but people who want to teach in the public school system or at a university will need additional education and credentials. Rising health care costs have increased the value of preventive medicine, which means that people who can teach others healthy habits and prevent them from getting sick in the first place are getting more valuable. Getting job experience as a health educator is the best way to found a career in this field. This may mean taking an entry level job at a private or governmental public health organization, and working up the ladder. Some governmental organizations that might hire someone with a Master of Public Health who wanted to be an educator are:
- The National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C.
- The Centers for Disease Control (multiple offices)
- State or city health departments
Daily Duties of a Health Educator
Working as a health educator includes designing and presenting educational materials such as pamphlets and illustrations, monitoring the effectiveness of educational campaigns, determining a community’s health educational needs through surveys or other market research, and applying for grants or other funding to execute new health education programs. Health educators must work with both individuals and groups, and are usually part of a team, so being able to collaborate is necessary.
Earning Power and Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that “Median annual wages of health educators were $44,000 in May 2008.” The BLS also predicts faster than average employment growth in the field, most of which will be in healthcare and social assistance facilities and government jobs. Competition will still be stiff for these positions, but someone with a Master of Public Health is likely to be able to find a position in the field.
Online Degrees in Public Health
Public health is the science of preventing disease and promoting health at the population level. Programs prepare students to become leading public health professionals capable of addressing current global public health problems. By clicking on the logos below, you can receive more information regarding your degree and school of choice.
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Purdue University – Purdue University offers a Master of Public Health degree which provides a foundation in the science of promoting health and preventing disease. Areas of emphasis within the MPH program include epidemiology, healthcare management, and international public health. |
![]() MPH: Health Education & Promotion MPH: Health Management & Policy |
Benedictine University – With the Master of Public Health from Benedictine University, students develop an advanced knowledge of the educational and leadership development of public health. The degree program is designed for individuals interested in public health policy in America and abroad. Courses include public health law, policy, and administration. |
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Indiana Wesleyan University – Indiana Wesleyan University offers an innovative and effective accredited online program. The Master of Public Health prepares students for high-level careers as healthcare managers, managed healthcare plan coordinators, hospital administrators, and much more. Courses cover a variety of subjects including Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Services Administration, and Social and Behavioral Studies. IWU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
![]() MPA: Healthcare Management |
Grand Canyon University – MSN in Public Health from Grand Canyon University program is recognized as a leader in training the next generation of public health advocates. Featuring a curriculum that is developed around a multidisciplinary methodology, courses include Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, and Social, Behavioral, and Cultural Factors in Public Health. |