Health Education Specialists Salary
In Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, health education specialists earn $62,260 at the median, or about $29.93 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $57,504 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 71.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $62K actually covers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). 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
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Health education specialists pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 72.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $59K | $58K |
| Springfield | $55K | $57K |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $56K | $56K |
| Barnstable Town | $57K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $106K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track health education specialists salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 72.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,530/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 116% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $62,260 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,590, and experienced health education specialists can clear $143,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,079/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 72.1% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (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 $57,504 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.