Best Health Education Specialist programs in Missouri, ranked by enrollment
Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles.
27 schools in Missouri run programs that feed this job, graduating 780 people a year. The job pays a median of $57,050 in Missouri across about — jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Missouri that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
8 programs in Missouri that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Missouri (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Missouri page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 51.2201In Missouri → | 504 | 64.6% | 8 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 2 | Health and Wellness, Generalmain feeder CIP 51.0001In Missouri → | 120 | 15.4% | 8 | $34,545 | $25,000 |
| 3 | CIP 51.2212In Missouri → | 47 | 6.0% | 4 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 4 | CIP 51.1504In Missouri → | 36 | 4.6% | 3 | $37,335 | $22,861 |
| 5 | CIP 51.2207In Missouri → | 24 | 3.1% | 3 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 6 | CIP 51.2209In Missouri → | 23 | 2.9% | 2 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 7 | CIP 09.0905In Missouri → | 19 | 2.4% | 2 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 8 | CIP 51.2210In Missouri → | 7 | 0.9% | 2 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
Top 25 schools in Missouri
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 4 of the 27 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A T Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 274 | Public Health, General | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 122 | Public Health, General | $36,867 | 75% | — | 78% |
| 3 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 73 | Public Health, General | $33,863 | 80% | $24,886 | 75% |
| 4 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 5 feeder programs | 58 | Maternal and Child Health | — | 58% | — | 91% |
| 5 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 42 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 66% | $24,921 | 95% |
| 6 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 37 | Health and Wellness, General | $32,268 | 54% | — | 86% |
| 7 | Mineral Area College Park Hills, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling | — | 49% | — | — |
| 8 | Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Behavioral Aspects of Health | — | 33% | — | — |
| 9 | Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Behavioral Aspects of Health | — | 21% | — | — |
| 10 | Truman State University Kirksville, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Public Health Education and Promotion | $30,911 | 69% | — | 84% |
| 11 | Culver - Stockton College Canton, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 39% | $21,269 | 99% |
| 12 | Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 75% | $21,890 | 70% |
| 13 | Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Public Health, General | — | 49% | $17,436 | 57% |
| 14 | State Fair Community College Sedalia, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling | — | 44% | — | — |
| 15 | Moberly Area Community College Moberly, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Behavioral Aspects of Health | — | 44% | — | — |
| 16 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Public Health, General | — | 94% | $14,126 | 12% |
| 17 | Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Public Health, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 18 | Bryan University Springfield, MO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 90% | $21,006 | — |
| 19 | Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 48% | $25,407 | 69% |
| 20 | University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Health Communication | — | 57% | — | 63% |
| 21 | Columbia College Columbia, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 42% | $23,247 | — |
| 22 | Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Behavioral Aspects of Health | — | 33% | — | — |
| 23 | Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Health and Wellness, General | — | 51% | $25,582 | 57% |
| 24 | University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | International Public Health/International Health | — | 62% | $31,804 | 90% |
| 25 | University of Missouri - Kansas City Kansas City, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Public Health, General | — | 55% | — | 72% |
All 27 schools in Missouri
Every school in Missouri with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A T Still University of Health Sciences | Kirksville | Private not-for-profit | 274 | 1 |
| University of Missouri - Columbia | Columbia | Public | 122 | 1 |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis | Private not-for-profit | 73 | 2 |
| Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield | Public | 58 | 5 |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis | Saint Louis | Private not-for-profit | 42 | 1 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville | Public | 37 | 1 |
| Mineral Area College | Park Hills | Public | 26 | 1 |
| Ozarks Technical Community College | Springfield | Public | 20 | 1 |
| Saint Louis Community College | Bridgeton | Public | 16 | 1 |
| Truman State University | Kirksville | Public | 16 | 1 |
| Culver - Stockton College | Canton | Private not-for-profit | 14 | 1 |
| Rockhurst University | Kansas City | Private not-for-profit | 14 | 1 |
| Lindenwood University | Saint Charles | Private not-for-profit | 13 | 1 |
| State Fair Community College | Sedalia | Public | 9 | 1 |
| Moberly Area Community College | Moberly | Public | 8 | 1 |
What health education specialists earn in Missouri
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $64,070. Missouri pays below the national figure.
Metro areas in Missouri
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Health Education Specialists page.
How to become a Health Education Specialist
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Missouri
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 9 majors mapped to Health Education Specialists9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 09.0905Health Communication
- 51.0001Health and Wellness, General
- 51.0504Dental Public Health and Education
- 51.1504Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
- 51.2201Public Health, General
- 51.2207Public Health Education and Promotion
- 51.2209Maternal and Child Health
- 51.2210International Public Health/International Health
- 51.2212Behavioral Aspects of Health
Common questions
Answers for people weighing health education specialists programs in Missouri.
What degree do you need to become a Health Education Specialist?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Public Health, General, which awarded 504 degrees in Missouri in 2024-25, 64.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Health Education Specialist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 8 programs to this occupation. The largest are Public Health, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Public Relations. Together they graduate about 780 people a year in Missouri.
How much do health education specialists earn in Missouri?+
The median is $57,050 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 11.0% below the U.S. median of $64,070. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for health education specialists growing?+
BLS projects a +4.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 7,900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Missouri?+
27 institutions in Missouri reported graduates from at least one of the 8 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do health education specialists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Health Educator, Clinical Instructor, Public Health Educator, Health Education Specialist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 21-1091.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card