Health Education Specialists Salary
In Bend, OR, health education specialists earn $70,660 at the median, or about $33.97 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.61), that's roughly $68,198 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,784/month, about 38.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Bend?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bend’s Regional Price Parity (103.61). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About health education specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Bend
Health education specialists pay in Bend tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,784/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.61) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Bend, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $76K | $72K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $95K | $93K |
| Salem | $64K | $62K |
| Corvallis | $87K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bend, OR
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Health Education Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $104K | +63% | 2,220 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +61% | 680 |
| Georgia | $99K | +55% | 3,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +26% | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +22% | 1,250 |
| Washington | $77K | +21% | 1,750 |
| Iowa | $76K | +18% | 540 |
| Oregon | $76K | +18% | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +18% | 150 |
| Colorado | $74K | +16% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +16% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +15% | 1,420 |
| Alaska | $72K | +12% | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +9% | 250 |
| Vermont | $68K | +6% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +4% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +2% | 760 |
| Alabama | $65K | +2% | 540 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $65K | +1% | 470 |
| Virginia | $64K | -0% | 690 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 190 |
| California | $64K | -1% | 12,520 |
| Arizona | $63K | -1% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $63K | -1% | 340 |
| Kansas | $63K | -2% | 520 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -2% | 400 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -2% | 90 |
| New York | $63K | -2% | 4,150 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -3% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -3% | 200 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 270 |
| Idaho | $61K | -4% | 370 |
| Illinois | $60K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60K | -7% | 490 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 200 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 5,320 |
| Maine | $58K | -9% | 490 |
| Indiana | $58K | -9% | 1,380 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -9% | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -9% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -10% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | -10% | 2,420 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $57K | -11% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $57K | -11% | 230 |
| Michigan | $56K | -12% | 1,480 |
| Montana | $51K | -20% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -20% | 410 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -23% | 490 |
| Florida | $46K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bend numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bend?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,784/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Bend?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,141/month. At HUD’s $1,784/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in Bend?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Bend compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Bend pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Bend, OR?
The median is $70,660 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,350, and experienced health education specialists can clear $104,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Bend?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,370/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,784/month, which eats 40.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a health education specialists salary go in Bend?
Bend has a Regional Price Parity of 103.61 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median health education specialists salary is worth about $68,198 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.