Health Education Specialists
Machines can already do 40% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 58%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Health Education Specialists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 40% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 14% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2031, and 58% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 65,690 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $64,070 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 82% for contact with people.
- Also called: Certified Diabetes Educator, Clinical Instructor, Community Health Consultant, Education Coordinator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop and present health education and promotion programs, such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations | 16% | 32% to 55% | |
| Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns | 11% | 70% to 82% | |
| Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care | 8% | 9% to 23% | |
| Document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted | 8% | 63% to 81% | |
| Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and the availability of services and to develop goals for meeting needs | 7% | 22% to 42% | |
| Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs | 5% | 63% to 81% | |
| Develop, conduct, or coordinate health needs assessments and other public health surveys | 5% | 40% to 64% | |
| Supervise professional and technical staff in implementing health programs, objectives, and goals | 5% | 9% to 23% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills health education specialists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Social and Community Service Managers54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $80,390
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School52% of tasks by 2035
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $80,250
- Medical and Health Services Managers54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $123,860
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Health Education Specialists?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2031. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of health education specialists?
Machines can do 40% of the tasks of health education specialists today and 58% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 21-1091.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Health Education Specialists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/health-education-specialists/