Skip to content
Boston Career Explorer

Community and Social Service

Community Health Workers

Promote 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.

Also called: Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Health Coordinator, Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Program Coordinator, Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep), Community Health Promoter

Compare with my current job (Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$56,920
$27.37/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,940
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+9.5%
280 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$45,230$50,080$56,920$64,010$78,340

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
  • Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
  • Refer community members to needed health services.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure51 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 47
  • Language-model AIOE 51
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 56

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools could help with record-keeping and tracking client follow-ups. They do not replace the in-person work of building trust, giving health advice, and speaking up for clients. Federal projections expect more demand for community health workers.

Likely to change

  • Updating client records and notes
  • Tracking client follow-up contacts

Still relies on people

  • Building trust with residents in person
  • Advocating for clients with providers and agencies

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as community health workers are uniquely positioned to support cost-effective healthcare services, such as advising members of the public or community groups on issues related to improving general health, including diet, exercise, and reducing the spread of communicable diseases.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

    Screening, record-keeping, and watching for health changes carry over. Pay is higher at about $82,190, though it requires a postsecondary nondegree award.

    Pay difference
    +$25,270 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +2.9%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

    Coaching people toward healthy habits and adjusting advice to each person carries over. Growth is 14.0% in Massachusetts, with short on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$8,270 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +14.0%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Paramedics

    Health care knowledge and calm work with people in need carry over. Pay is about $66,460, with a postsecondary nondegree award needed.

    Pay difference
    +$9,540 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +2.0%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

22 programs near Boston (plus 16 graduate)

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

Talk to a career coach