Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Community health workers (SOC 21-1094) employed 61,660 people in May 2025. The median pay is $51,850 a year ($24.93 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,810 and the highest-paid 10% more than $77,180. BLS projects its employment to change by +12.7% between 2025 and 2035 (about 7,000 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest median pay: New Hampshire ($66,680), District of Columbia ($62,510), North Dakota ($59,610). Most jobs: California (9,500), New York (5,800), Texas (4,210).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| 25th percentile | $45,640 | $21.94 |
| Median | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Mean | $56,180 | $27.01 |
| 75th percentile | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $77,180 | $37.11 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 64,700 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 72,900 |
| Change in jobs | 8,200 |
| Percent change | +12.7% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 7,000 |
| Self-employed share | 0.3% |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 270 | 0.32 | $43,340 | $33,470 | $62,790 | -16% | 30% |
| Alaska | 400 | 3.11 | $52,000 | $38,780 | $77,210 | +0% | 33% |
| Arizona | 1,140 | 0.89 | $48,950 | $39,310 | $75,010 | -6% | 41% |
| California | 9,500 | 1.31 | $58,050 | $46,320 | $88,590 | +12% | 43% |
| Connecticut | 290 | 0.43 | $53,560 | $43,120 | $74,120 | +3% | 35% |
| Delaware | 280 | 1.43 | $55,850 | $35,810 | $74,530 | +8% | 33% |
| District of Columbia | 280 | 0.99 | $62,510 | $51,010 | $93,070 | +21% | 37% |
| Florida | 1,220 | 0.31 | $45,420 | $31,350 | $69,630 | -12% | 48% |
| Georgia | 490 | 0.25 | $50,680 | $34,100 | $73,130 | -2% | 36% |
| Hawaii | 240 | 0.96 | $58,450 | $37,700 | $84,750 | +13% | 40% |
| Idaho | 270 | 0.80 | $52,050 | $39,500 | $94,280 | +0% | 32% |
| Illinois | 2,040 | 0.84 | $49,240 | $39,040 | $65,540 | -5% | 32% |
| Indiana | 1,310 | 1.03 | $47,960 | $38,400 | $68,620 | -8% | 28% |
| Iowa | 390 | 0.63 | $47,780 | $37,690 | $71,360 | -8% | 25% |
| Kansas | 240 | 0.42 | $47,300 | $37,940 | $63,650 | -9% | 27% |
| Kentucky | 980 | 1.23 | $48,230 | $33,310 | $71,980 | -7% | 25% |
| Louisiana | 210 | 0.27 | $46,450 | $35,360 | $59,440 | -10% | 27% |
| Maine | 360 | 1.43 | $48,670 | $41,770 | $61,360 | -6% | 30% |
| Maryland | 3,030 | 2.76 | $50,550 | $36,190 | $79,290 | -3% | 41% |
| Massachusetts | 2,970 | 2.06 | $55,560 | $42,910 | $74,840 | +7% | 40% |
| Michigan | 1,890 | 1.08 | $49,380 | $37,720 | $74,610 | -5% | 28% |
| Minnesota | 1,260 | 1.08 | $47,560 | $42,610 | $69,160 | -8% | 33% |
| Mississippi | 410 | 0.88 | $39,520 | $30,930 | $70,890 | -24% | 30% |
| Missouri | 1,820 | 1.56 | $48,770 | $36,990 | $64,330 | -6% | 26% |
| Montana | 330 | 1.62 | $49,780 | $38,470 | $79,580 | -4% | 28% |
| Nebraska | 160 | 0.39 | $51,780 | $38,550 | $72,970 | -0% | 26% |
| Nevada | 670 | 1.08 | $57,730 | $41,980 | $95,200 | +11% | 36% |
| New Hampshire | 200 | 0.75 | $66,680 | $43,430 | $77,010 | +29% | 28% |
| New Jersey | 1,330 | 0.78 | $55,790 | $39,640 | $83,600 | +8% | 39% |
| New Mexico | 610 | 1.77 | $54,830 | $38,210 | $73,110 | +6% | 24% |
| New York | 5,800 | 1.51 | $58,130 | $44,310 | $87,980 | +12% | 34% |
| North Carolina | 1,680 | 0.86 | $47,560 | $36,160 | $68,380 | -8% | 34% |
| North Dakota | 90 | 0.53 | $59,610 | $44,800 | $76,210 | +15% | 20% |
| Ohio | 1,910 | 0.87 | $50,650 | $35,950 | $75,380 | -2% | 26% |
| Oklahoma | 600 | 0.88 | $45,790 | $34,520 | $67,630 | -12% | 27% |
| Oregon | 1,980 | 2.54 | $53,350 | $45,000 | $73,760 | +3% | 36% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,970 | 0.82 | $50,710 | $38,960 | $80,830 | -2% | 30% |
| Rhode Island | 520 | 2.61 | $53,100 | $45,370 | $76,310 | +2% | 32% |
| South Carolina | 540 | 0.60 | $47,970 | $38,110 | $70,230 | -7% | 32% |
| South Dakota | 270 | 1.47 | $45,700 | $39,230 | $60,630 | -12% | 26% |
| Tennessee | 520 | 0.40 | $42,310 | $34,180 | $58,960 | -18% | 36% |
| Texas | 4,210 | 0.75 | $48,720 | $36,250 | $64,290 | -6% | 36% |
| Utah | 580 | 0.85 | $55,700 | $35,480 | $74,880 | +7% | 34% |
| Vermont | 170 | 1.44 | $51,500 | $44,010 | $62,320 | -1% | 31% |
| Virginia | 620 | 0.38 | $48,910 | $34,440 | $79,990 | -6% | 40% |
| Washington | 2,640 | 1.87 | $57,070 | $43,820 | $80,680 | +10% | 38% |
| West Virginia | 310 | 1.13 | $37,950 | $29,480 | $56,840 | -27% | 28% |
| Wisconsin | 630 | 0.54 | $51,210 | $39,010 | $71,450 | -1% | 27% |
| Wyoming | 140 | 1.22 | $54,020 | $39,520 | $79,600 | +4% | 22% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,090 | $72,710 | $51,720 | $139,310 | 2.22 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 430 | $69,630 | $55,680 | $87,660 | 0.96 |
| Columbus, OH | 610 | $64,810 | $44,330 | $75,380 | 1.39 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 820 | $62,400 | $48,880 | $76,910 | 1.28 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 390 | $61,610 | $39,480 | $93,400 | 2.19 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,790 | $59,340 | $45,760 | $92,020 | 1.27 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 410 | $59,200 | $35,000 | $76,860 | 1.27 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,600 | $58,790 | $38,980 | $87,750 | 1.28 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 400 | $58,290 | $45,730 | $77,880 | 2.48 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,220 | $57,980 | $48,040 | $86,610 | 1.48 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 500 | $57,060 | $46,790 | $81,940 | 1.18 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,940 | $56,920 | $45,230 | $78,340 | 1.81 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,200 | $56,030 | $46,340 | $74,230 | 1.29 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,050 | $55,550 | $45,560 | $73,500 | 2.19 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 380 | $55,290 | $43,700 | $95,090 | 0.85 |
| Worcester, MA | 380 | $53,620 | $39,750 | $67,270 | 2.72 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 590 | $52,350 | $43,120 | $98,390 | 0.96 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 650 | $52,130 | $43,250 | $73,550 | 2.30 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 700 | $51,470 | $41,540 | $61,300 | 1.57 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 500 | $51,010 | $43,610 | $62,670 | 0.97 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 810 | $51,010 | $40,720 | $65,760 | 0.51 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 350 | $50,990 | $35,140 | $77,580 | 0.30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 740 | $50,950 | $40,990 | $80,500 | 1.08 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,230 | $50,760 | $39,780 | $75,640 | 1.07 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 750 | $50,550 | $40,560 | $76,600 | 0.80 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 810 | $50,330 | $38,630 | $65,970 | 0.62 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 370 | $49,940 | $38,370 | $69,260 | 0.84 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 380 | $49,920 | $37,530 | $76,590 | 0.70 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,430 | $49,750 | $42,220 | $69,310 | 0.80 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,300 | $49,720 | $34,470 | $83,680 | 2.42 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 440 | $49,650 | $39,310 | $71,430 | 1.02 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 740 | $49,650 | $38,590 | $64,180 | 1.39 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 660 | $49,570 | $38,880 | $78,150 | 0.88 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 550 | $48,920 | $40,900 | $76,020 | 1.24 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 860 | $48,340 | $44,200 | $70,180 | 1.12 |
| Cleveland, OH | 320 | $48,260 | $36,240 | $76,360 | 0.79 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 360 | $48,260 | $39,900 | $69,230 | 3.50 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 550 | $46,270 | $31,350 | $69,630 | 0.49 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 530 | $38,020 | $21,900 | $51,080 | 1.95 |
The median is $51,850 a year ($24.93 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $38,810 and the highest-paid tenth over $77,180 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
61,660 in May 2025, and BLS projects +12.7% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS).
New Hampshire, with a median of $66,680 (among states with published figures).