Career Explorer Community and social care
Grows with AI
Community health workers
Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 80% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +12.7% by 2035, much faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence and creative vision.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $51,850
- Job growth to 2035
- +12.7%
- Openings a year
- 7,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 64,700
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues
- Assist others to access additional services or resources
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments
- Maintain health or medical records
- Distribute materials, supplies, or resources
What the work looks like
- Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
- Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as community health workers are uniquely positioned to support cost-effective healthcare services, such as advising members of the public or community groups on issues related to improving general health, including diet, exercise, and reducing the spread of communicable diseases.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Recreation workersHuman edge, growing, Index 87, +4.3%
- Occupational health and safety techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 92, +19.4%
- Animal trainersHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +4.2%
- Psychiatric aidesHuman edge, steady, Index 86, +1.9%
Also known as: Community Health Outreach Worker, Community Health Promoter, Community Navigator, Community Nutrition Educator, Communicable Disease Liaison, Community Health Coordinator, Community Health Program Coordinator, Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.