Health Education Specialists Salary
In Maryland, health education specialists earn $104,470 at the median, or about $50.23 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $105,782 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,795/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $104K get you in Maryland?
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Maryland
Maryland sits well above the national pay line for health education specialists, local pay runs about 63% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,795/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists salary by metro in Maryland
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $78K | -26% | 50 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $65K | -38% | 680 |
| Salisbury | $58K | -44% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 27.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,370/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Maryland?
Local pay is 63% above the national median — $104K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Maryland pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +63%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Maryland?
The median is $104,470 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,160, and experienced health education specialists can clear $161,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,424/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 27.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a health education specialists salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median health education specialists salary is worth about $105,782 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.