Quick answer:Health Education Specialists in Virginia earn a median $64,040 per year, below the national median of $64,070 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 690 of them. Licensing runs through your state health department.
Public Health Pay and Employment in Virginia at a Glance
Metric
Virginia
National
Source
Median annual wage
$64,040
$64,070
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$42,640
$42,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$51,980
$50,620
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$93,040
$87,130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$137,980
$118,200
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
690
65,690
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.4
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
4.5%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Virginia Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Virginia median of $64,040 sits below the national median of $64,070 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.4 puts Virginia below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Public health employment concentrates around state and county health departments, hospital systems and the non-profits that contract with them, so local government funding shapes the market more than private demand does
Health Education Specialists Wages by Metro Area in Virginia
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), health education specialists wages in Virginia vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
2,100
$124,590
$120,000
$66,050
$170,980
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
180
$51,980
$64,710
$51,980
$97,910
Richmond
150
$68,250
$73,170
$32,760
$117,580
Harrisonburg
60
$61,680
$83,710
$40,700
$147,080
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Public health is not a state-licensed occupation, so no board gates entry. What employers and graduate programs look for is accreditation from CEPH, the Council on Education for Public Health. Certification is voluntary and employer-driven, which makes the credential unusually portable between states.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state health department that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 108 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
9 of them carry a score.
1 does not have enough federal
outcome data to score, and appears last rather than being hidden.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
University of Virginia-Main Campus
📍
Charlottesville, VA
•47.4 miles away•BOC Score
86.2
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
1827 University Avenue Charlottesville, VA 22903-2628
How much do health education specialists make in Virginia?
The median annual wage for health education specialists in Virginia is $64,040, below the national median of $64,070 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $51,980 at the 25th percentile to $93,040 at the 75th.
How many health education specialists work in Virginia?
Virginia holds about 690 health education specialist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 65,690, and BLS projects about 7,900 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a health education specialist in Virginia?
Public health is not a state-licensed occupation, so no board gates entry. What employers and graduate programs look for is accreditation from CEPH, the Council on Education for Public Health. Certification is voluntary and employer-driven, which makes the credential unusually portable between states. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state health department before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a CEPH-accredited public health degree online while working in Virginia?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state health department.
What is the highest-paying area of Virginia for health education specialists?
Among Virginia metro areas with published data, Richmond reports the highest median at $68,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Virginia a good state for health education specialists?
On pay, the state median of $64,040 sits below the national $64,070 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.4 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Health Education Specialists (SOC 21-1091), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
