Health Education Specialists Salary
In Michigan, health education specialists earn $56,360 at the median, or about $27.09 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $60,028 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 34.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Michigan?
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for health education specialists in Michigan runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,272/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists salary by metro in Michigan
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flint | $62K | +10% | 50 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $60K | +6% | 170 |
| Traverse City | $59K | +4% | 40 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $56K | -1% | 420 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $53K | -7% | 50 |
| Ann Arbor | $44K | -23% | N/A |
| Midland | $42K | -26% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 34% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,265/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $56K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Michigan pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Michigan?
The median is $56,360 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,750, and experienced health education specialists can clear $89,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,744/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 34% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $60,028 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.