Follow up on a missed visit
Ask someone what kept them away, and if it was travel, help arrange a ride and rebook.
Career profile
Community Health Worker
Community health workers help local residents get medical care and tackle everyday barriers to it.
A booked visit matters only if the person can reach it. The work means listening, lining up practical help and earning trust through local knowledge.
A day in the life
Match someone to a local service
Find a local service that fits the person's needs, and in some programs, submit the referral online.
Review a health goal together
Review progress, and if they say the health goal does not fit their routine, pick an easier step.
Sit in on a doctor visit
You join patients at doctor appointments in some roles, helping them ask questions and understand next steps.
Update the file and call back
Write notes and next actions in the client's file, then later check whether they got linked to care.
Quick facts
High school diploma + workplace training
United States · 2025
$51,850 a year
United States · May 2025
13% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
High school diploma + workplace trainingA diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training are typical preparation.
Pay
$51,850 a yearNational median, equivalent to $24.93 an hour.
Outlook
13% projected growthAbout 7,000 openings a year nationally, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like listening long enough to understand what someone needs.
- You want to put your knowledge of a community and its everyday challenges to use.
- You can keep track of unfinished calls and return to them.
Things to weigh
- Community events can mean evening or weekend work.
- Hearing about grief and hardship can be emotionally demanding.
Where AI may help
Some programs use online systems to send referrals and record contacts, helping you coordinate services.
What people still lead
You still lead the conversation about what matters to the person and what help they are willing to accept.
What we can’t predict yet
How much software can reduce follow-up calls remains uncertain. A referral may still need personal attention before someone receives help.
Pay in context
Earnings
Workplace type matters when comparing pay.
The midpoint and spread
The median was $51,850 a year ($24.93 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earned below $38,810; the highest-paid 10% earned above $77,180. These are wage ranges, not starting and senior salaries.
Compare workplace pay
Annual medians were $58,290 in hospitals, $56,390 in local government excluding education and hospitals, and $50,730 in social assistance.
Growth and replacement openings
Employment is projected to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, with about 7,000 openings annually. That includes replacing workers who leave; it is not a count of jobs available today.
Getting started
Enter through a job with training
- What the route involves
- With a high school diploma or equivalent, seek entry roles offering training in communication, outreach, and ethics.
- What it can lead to
- You learn the employer's work while building practical competence.
- What to check
- Some employers require further education; some states require certification.
Complete a college certificate
Malcolm X College reports a typical two to three semesters.
- What the route involves
- At Malcolm X College in Chicago, study community health, nutrition, and mental health, then complete a field placement after introductory coursework and an assessment.
- What it can lead to
- Grades of C or better in the required courses earn the Community Health Worker Basic Certificate, preparing you for community health work.
- What to check
- Admission includes a required information session and college enrollment.
Check employer qualifications and state certification rules before choosing training.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get established
Build a reliable routine for client notes, plans, and follow-up contacts.
Develop a focus
Build skills for helping people manage chronic conditions, including leading groups that practice goal-setting and problem-solving.
Move toward supervision
With experience, you may qualify for a supervisory position.
Where you can work
Clinic-connected community programs
Patients come through clinic referrals. You help with appointments and practical barriers, moving between healthcare settings and community contacts.
- Indoors
- Field work
Public-health home-visiting programs
Some programs focus on pregnant people and young families. You travel to homes and work with nurses and case managers, so travel and visit records shape the day.
- Field work
- Travel
- Indoors
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Imagine someone needs a ride to a clinic. Use a local transportation service's public website to write a short guide covering eligibility, booking, and cost. Explain it aloud to a friend. Notice whether you enjoy finding missing details and making the next step clear.
Stay safe: Use a fictional situation; do not submit anyone's personal information or book a ride.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Community Health Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–35. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. 21-1094.00 — Community Health Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Penn Medicine. Community health workers build trust and improve health. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Penn Medicine. Penn Center for Community Health Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Tillamook County. Traditional Health Worker — Job 2526-00062. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Georgia Department of Public Health. Community Health Worker — Perinatal Health Partnership. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- City Colleges of Chicago. Community Health Worker — Malcolm X College. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Texas Department of State Health Services. Becoming a Community Health Worker. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Field Notes: Clinical-Community Health Worker Initiative. Accessed 2026-10-03.