Community Health Worker Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

Community health workers (CHWs) are professionals who understand health principles and are respected and trusted individuals in their communities.

• CHW roles expect growth of 11 percent between 2024 and 2034, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [1].

• According to the BLS, the median annual salary of a CHW is $51,030 [2].

• You can increase your earning potential as a CHW by gaining experience, moving to an in-demand area, and earning a related degree. 

Learn more about what a community health worker does, what it takes to become one, and factors that may affect your salary. If you’re ready to start building knowledge to become a community health worker, try the Foundations of Public Health Practice Specialization from Imperial College London. In just four weeks, you can gain skills in epidemiology, disease prevention, and preventive care. 

What is a community health worker?

Community health workers are responsible for understanding the specific ethnic, cultural, and environmental health needs of the communities they work with. They communicate those needs to health care systems, social services, and public health officials.

As a CHW, you would be vital in working between health systems and those who receive health care. In this role, you'll perform various tasks, including:

• Providing health education to community members

• Collecting data on community health necessities

• Advocating for community and individual health needs

• Removing barriers to health access

• Conducting outreach programs

Who do community health workers work for?

CHWs work for insurance companies, individuals and families, outpatient care, and hospitals. You might also work for a clinic, a state or local government agency, a nursing care facility, a nonprofit organization, a faith-based group, or a community-based group.

How to become a community health worker

You can become a community health worker in various ways, depending on where you intend to work. For example, the only requirement for some employers may be having a high school diploma. Others, such as public health organizations, may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

You might also obtain a CHW certification through a state program or an institution, such as a university or community college. These exams may vary from state to state. However, expect to answer questions on the following topics:

• Health knowledge

• Job functions

• Jurisdictions

• Conflict resolution skills

• Human skills

• How to best advocate for individual health needs

• Health education

How much is a community health worker salary?

CHWs make a median annual salary of $51,030 in the United States, according to the BLS [2]. These health care professionals work full-time and may work abnormal hours, like nights and weekends, based on community needs. Explore five average annual salary figures for a community health worker from various salary websites [2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Factors that impact the salary of a community health worker

Various factors can affect how much you may make as a CHW, including where you work and your education. Take a closer look at each factor to see how it directly affects community health worker earnings. 

Education

Education can dictate the type of responsibilities you have as a CHW. The more knowledge you have on health issues, technical terms, illnesses, and interpersonal skills, the more valuable you can be as a CHW in your community. According to Zippia, 60 percent of CHWs have a bachelor’s degree, and 16 percent hold an associate degree. Another 12 percent have a master’s [7].

Community health worker education may help you grow in the health care field. You could progress to become a health education specialist overseeing the programs and personnel who implement health initiatives. According to the BLS, a health education specialist's median average annual salary is $63,000 as of May 2024 [8].

Here’s a look at how education might affect your community health worker earnings [4]: 

• High school diploma: $33,053

• Associate degree: $33,756

• Bachelor’s degree: $37,557

• Master’s degree: $42,300

Experience

Experience also affects the salary of community health workers. Discover the median total pay at six ranges of experience, reported by Glassdoor* as of February 2026 [6]:

This data shows that CHWs who have worked for 10 years can expect to make over $10,000 more annually than entry-level community health workers. 

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Location

Location affects community health worker salaries and varies from state to state or city to city. Employment opportunities also vary based on location. According to the BLS, the states with the highest employment of CHWs are California, New York, Texas, Washington, and Massachusetts [9].

Review the mean annual wages for those five states as of May 2024, according to BLS [9]:

• California: $62,650 

• New York: $61,260

• Texas: $44,990* [10] 

• Washington: $53,060

• Massachusetts: $55,090

*The mean annual wage for Texas reflects May 2023 data reported by the BLS, which is its most recent available data for this state.

Highest-paying states for community health workers

However, other states pay more than others, such as when the concentration of community health workers is higher. Take a look at the highest-paying median salaries for community health workers by state, based on data gathered by the BLS [9]:

• New Mexico: $69,490

• District of Columbia: $69,340

• Nevada: $64,920

• Alaska: $63,100

• Connecticut: $59,480

Highest-paying cities for community health workers

Your salary can also vary by the city you choose to work in. Explore the highest mean salaries for community health workers by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area, according to BLS [9]:

• San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: $79,890

• Carson City, NV: $78,910

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: $72,400

• New Haven, CT: $69,890

• Anchorage, AK: $69,640

• Boulder, CO: $69,360

Industry

Community health workers work in various industries, including government, individuals and families, religious or community organizations, outpatient care, and hospitals run by state or local governments or private organizations. View the annual salaries for CHWs below, looking at the industries with the highest level of employment in the US, according to the BLS [2]. 

• Local government, excluding education and hospitals: $57,250

• Hospitals; state, local, and private: $57,050

• Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations: $50,140

• Ambulatory healthcare services: $48,780 

• Social assistance: $47,830 

Similarly, explore the industries with the highest-paying CHW median annual salaries in general [9]:

• Offices of dentists: $78,360

• Scientific research and development services: $77,450

• Home health care services: $73,350

• Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals: $70,010

• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services: $67,100

Related job titles

Since CHWs work at the intersections between social work, patient advocacy, health care systems, and community, many other jobs have similar functions. Discover some job titles for community health workers and their total median annual salaries.

• Outreach worker: $50,000 [10]

• Mental health technician: $47,000 [11]

• Public health nurse: $87,000 [12]

• Social worker: $69,000 [13]

• Patient advocate: $57,000 [14]

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Read more: 9 Jobs You Can Get with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health 

Job outlook

CHWs are in-demand positions, and the field is expected to grow 11 percent between 2024 and 2034, according to the BLS [1]. The BLS anticipates 7,800 job openings for community health workers in the next decade, primarily due to preventive disease-spreading measures and replacing retired workers.

Explore our free resources for community health workers

If you’re interested in expert guidance and no-fluff tips to help you build your skills, subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also explore free career resources to learn new topics, explore emerging industries, and discover new opportunities:

• Watch on YouTube: What Can You Do with a Public Health Degree?

• Build related skills: Data Analysis Terminology

• Take a quiz: What Career is Right for Me Quiz? 

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