Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$38,810
- 25th Percentile — Junior$45,640
- 50th Percentile — Median$51,850
- 75th Percentile — Senior$62,540
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$77,180
The top 10% of Community Health Workers earn $77,180 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $38,810, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $68,810 | +22.5% |
| California | $63,740 | +13.5% |
| Nevada | $63,550 | +13.1% |
| New Hampshire | $62,320 | +10.9% |
| New York | $62,140 | +10.6% |
| North Dakota | $60,120 | +7.0% |
| Hawaii | $59,940 | +6.7% |
| Washington | $59,800 | +6.4% |
| Colorado | $59,540 | +6.0% |
| New Jersey | $59,500 | +5.9% |
| Wyoming | $58,310 | +3.8% |
| Idaho | $57,780 | +2.8% |
| Rhode Island | $57,350 | +2.1% |
| Massachusetts | $56,940 | +1.4% |
| Connecticut | $56,790 | +1.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $56,480 | +0.5% |
| Oregon | $56,250 | +0.1% |
| New Mexico | $56,180 | +0.0% |
| Utah | $55,990 | -0.3% |
| Maryland | $55,120 | -1.9% |
| Nebraska | $55,020 | -2.1% |
| Ohio | $54,580 | -2.8% |
| Alaska | $54,460 | -3.1% |
| Virginia | $54,280 | -3.4% |
| Michigan | $54,160 | -3.6% |
| Wisconsin | $54,140 | -3.6% |
| Delaware | $53,920 | -4.0% |
| Montana | $53,890 | -4.1% |
| Arizona | $53,650 | -4.5% |
| Vermont | $53,190 | -5.3% |
| Georgia | $52,940 | -5.8% |
| South Carolina | $52,540 | -6.5% |
| Minnesota | $52,050 | -7.4% |
| Illinois | $51,690 | -8.0% |
| Kentucky | $51,300 | -8.7% |
| Indiana | $50,920 | -9.4% |
| Missouri | $50,640 | -9.9% |
| Texas | $50,350 | -10.4% |
| Maine | $50,330 | -10.4% |
| Iowa | $50,290 | -10.5% |
| North Carolina | $50,160 | -10.7% |
| Arkansas | $50,140 | -10.8% |
| Kansas | $49,550 | -11.8% |
| South Dakota | $49,030 | -12.7% |
| Oklahoma | $48,730 | -13.3% |
| Florida | $47,830 | -14.9% |
| Louisiana | $47,320 | -15.8% |
| Alabama | $45,050 | -19.8% |
| Mississippi | $44,250 | -21.2% |
| Tennessee | $43,430 | -22.7% |
| West Virginia | $40,090 | -28.6% |
What Factors Affect Community Health Workers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Community Health Workers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $68,810, while West Virginia pays $40,090 — a gap of $28,720 per year.
The middle half of Community Health Workers earn between $45,640 and $62,540 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,810, while the top 10% earn more than $77,180.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Child Family and School Social Workers $64,000/yr United States +13.9% vs this role
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $68,030/yr United States +21.1% vs this role
- Health Education Specialists $73,280/yr United States +30.4% vs this role
- Social and Human Service Assistants $47,690/yr United States 15.1% vs this role
- Educational Guidance and Career Counselors $71,430/yr United States +27.1% vs this role
- Marriage and Family Therapists $76,960/yr United States +37.0% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +80.5% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +144.4% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Community Health Workers?
The average salary for Community Health Workers in the United States is $56,180 per year, with a median of $51,850.
What is the starting salary for Community Health Workers?
Entry-level Community Health Workers typically earn between $38,810 and $45,640 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Community Health Workers the most?
District of Columbia pays Community Health Workers the most at $68,810 per year on average, followed by California ($63,740) and Nevada ($63,550).
How much do Community Health Workers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $56,180, Community Health Workers earn approximately $27.01 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Community Health Workers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 61,660 Community Health Workers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $56,180 and a median of $51,850 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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