Health Education Specialists Salary
In Pennsylvania, health education specialists earn $80,670 at the median, or about $38.78 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $84,943 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $81K get you in Pennsylvania?
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for health education specialists, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $75K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists salary by metro in Pennsylvania
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | $87K | +8% | 70 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $84K | +4% | 430 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $81K | +0% | 150 |
| York-Hanover | $78K | -4% | 70 |
| Pittsburgh | $75K | -6% | 490 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $75K | -7% | 1,270 |
| Reading | $75K | -7% | 50 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $72K | -11% | 110 |
| Erie | $68K | -16% | 70 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 25.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,743/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $81K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Pennsylvania pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $80,670 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,720, and experienced health education specialists can clear $120,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 25.9% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $84,943 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.