Community Health Workers
Also called: Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Promoter, Community Navigator, Community Nutrition EducatorPromote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 29 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 12.7% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.6% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other community and social service specialists”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.0 hires for every 10 job openings in health care and social assistance, which employs about 58% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,340 | $36,800 to $47,880 | 270 |
| Alaska | $52,000 | $46,120 to $59,650 | 400 |
| Arizona | $48,950 | $42,820 to $58,300 | 1,140 |
| Arkansas | $44,890 | $44,180 to $53,620 | not published |
| California | $58,050 | $50,040 to $72,760 | 9,500 |
| Colorado | $59,260 | $49,890 to $63,400 | not published |
| Connecticut | $53,560 | $45,750 to $64,380 | 290 |
| Delaware | $55,850 | $44,440 to $62,640 | 280 |
| District of Columbia | $62,510 | $57,240 to $74,830 | 280 |
| Florida | $45,420 | $38,850 to $54,060 | 1,220 |
| Georgia | $50,680 | $43,810 to $61,140 | 490 |
| Hawaii | $58,450 | $49,060 to $65,630 | 240 |
| Idaho | $52,050 | $42,310 to $60,660 | 270 |
| Illinois | $49,240 | $44,620 to $58,800 | 2,040 |
| Indiana | $47,960 | $43,250 to $57,040 | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $47,780 | $40,210 to $58,700 | 390 |
| Kansas | $47,300 | $43,090 to $50,390 | 240 |
| Kentucky | $48,230 | $38,850 to $58,220 | 980 |
| Louisiana | $46,450 | $38,420 to $51,620 | 210 |
| Maine | $48,670 | $46,110 to $52,930 | 360 |
| Maryland | $50,550 | $44,850 to $60,200 | 3,030 |
| Massachusetts | $55,560 | $47,280 to $61,520 | 2,970 |
| Michigan | $49,380 | $43,820 to $64,130 | 1,890 |
| Minnesota | $47,560 | $44,460 to $58,020 | 1,260 |
| Mississippi | $39,520 | $35,400 to $47,440 | 410 |
| Missouri | $48,770 | $44,010 to $56,140 | 1,820 |
| Montana | $49,780 | $40,500 to $60,890 | 330 |
| Nebraska | $51,780 | $44,310 to $61,310 | 160 |
| Nevada | $57,730 | $46,180 to $77,430 | 670 |
| New Hampshire | $66,680 | $52,640 to $68,250 | 200 |
| New Jersey | $55,790 | $44,470 to $65,470 | 1,330 |
| New Mexico | $54,830 | $48,830 to $62,380 | 610 |
| New York | $58,130 | $50,350 to $70,390 | 5,800 |
| North Carolina | $47,560 | $41,950 to $54,790 | 1,680 |
| North Dakota | $59,610 | $46,140 to $73,490 | 90 |
| Ohio | $50,650 | $42,950 to $64,810 | 1,910 |
| Oklahoma | $45,790 | $39,300 to $56,280 | 600 |
| Oregon | $53,350 | $47,520 to $62,140 | 1,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,710 | $44,650 to $61,880 | 1,970 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,900 | $27,800 to $41,810 | 670 |
| Rhode Island | $53,100 | $48,050 to $60,490 | 520 |
| South Carolina | $47,970 | $42,240 to $60,340 | 540 |
| South Dakota | $45,700 | $44,360 to $50,950 | 270 |
| Tennessee | $42,310 | $35,850 to $47,820 | 520 |
| Texas | $48,720 | $43,620 to $58,090 | 4,210 |
| Utah | $55,700 | $42,100 to $66,910 | 580 |
| Vermont | $51,500 | $47,570 to $57,650 | 170 |
| Virginia | $48,910 | $43,460 to $60,590 | 620 |
| Washington | $57,070 | $47,830 to $67,470 | 2,640 |
| West Virginia | $37,950 | $33,180 to $43,110 | 310 |
| Wisconsin | $51,210 | $46,910 to $60,820 | 630 |
| Wyoming | $54,020 | $45,970 to $67,750 | 140 |
Nationally: $51,850. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 12 of its 29 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI alone | Refer community members to needed health services. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise. | 0.26% |
| Not much | Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management. | 0.02% |
| Not much | Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information. | under 0.01% |
See all 29 tasks
| Not much | Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers. | Not published |
| Not much | Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups. | Not published |
| AI alone | 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. | 0.02% |
| Not much | Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community. | Not published |
| Not much | Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area. | Not published |
| Not much | Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women. | Not published |
| Not much | Advise clients or community groups on issues related to social or intellectual development, such as education, childcare, or problem solving. | 0.03% |
| AI alone | Provide feedback to health service providers regarding improving service accessibility or acceptability. | 0.01% |
| AI alone | Advise clients or community groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, such as breast cancer screening, pap smears, glaucoma tests, or diabetes screenings. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Assist families to apply for social services, including Medicaid or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). | Not published |
| Not much | Advise clients or community groups on issues related to sanitation or hygiene, such as flossing or hand washing. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening. | Not published |
| AI alone | Teach classes or otherwise disseminate medical or dental health information to school groups, community groups, or targeted families or individuals, in a manner consistent with cultural norms. | Not published |
| Not much | Teach appropriate parenting behaviors to individuals or families. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Provide basic health services, such as first aid. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Administer immunizations or other basic preventive treatments. O*NET flags this task's ratings as uncertain | Not published |
| Not much | Interpret, translate, or provide cultural mediation related to health services or information for community members. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members. | Not published |
| Not much | Transport or accompany clients to scheduled health appointments or referral sites. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 10 of the 29 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 29 tasks fall under 23 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #21 Interpret language, cultural, or religious information for others
- #24 Assist others to access additional services or resources
- and 2 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources | |||
| Monitor health conditions of humans or animals | |||
| Distribute materials, supplies, or resources | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Interpret language, cultural, or religious information for others | |||
| Research healthcare issues |
Show all 23 activities
| Provide support or encouragement to others | |||
| Teach academic or vocational subjects | |||
| Confer with clients to determine needs or order specifications | |||
| Advise others on educational or vocational matters | |||
| Explain medical information to patients or family members | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Assess living, work, or social needs or status of individuals or communities | |||
| Advise others on legal or regulatory matters | |||
| Advocate for individual or community needs | |||
| Develop professional relationships or networks | |||
| Teach life skills | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Develop public or community health programs | |||
| Maintain health or medical records | |||
| Transport patients or clients |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer40%
- Advice or a recommendation26%
- A plan or strategy7%
- A recipe or meal plan6%
- A document or report5%
How they worked with Claude
4% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for community health workers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 8,323 moves out
- 1 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 5%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 4%
- 4 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 3%
- 5 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 9,110 moves in
- 1 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 5%
- 2 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 5%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
- 5 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 11% high school
- 15% some college
- 10% associate's
- 36% bachelor's
- 23% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 2% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other community and social service specialists” · 1,448 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other community and social service specialists”
9 programs, such as Health Communication, Health and Wellness, General and Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling.
See all
- Health Communication
- Health and Wellness, General
- Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
- Public Health, General
- Public Health Education and Promotion
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine
- Maternal and Child Health
- Behavioral Aspects of Health
- Arts in Medicine/Health
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
83.2% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 16.8% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 13.9% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 4 registered apprenticeships in this occupation. Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Community Health Workers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/21-1094.00