Job Market

Job Opportunities

Lifestyle health coaches and educators can be an asset in both clinical and non-clinical settings and gain employment in hospitals, clinics, community organizations, corporations, universities, and schools. Individuals trained in the psychology of behavior change and lifestyle health coaching have proven to be essential members of inter-professional healthcare teams since they can effectively integrate lifestyle focused, patient-centered guidance to optimize clinical outcomes.³ In a clinical setting, a health coach may also act as a liaison or care navigator, conduct assessments, and identify community resources.² In addition, employers who are prioritizing health and wellness in the workplace, aiming to cut costs and increase productivity are now hiring health educators and wellness coaches to assist and motivate their employees to implement and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors. ⁴

Salaries

The Bureau of Labor Statistics foresees a growing career trend in Health and Wellness coaching with salaries that can vary considerably depending on the career path taken after certification with a mean of $52,070.5 They also predict that approximately half of all employers will have some type of corporate wellness program in place for their employees in the near future.⁶

Job Market Growth

The Texas previsions for occupation demand from 2014 to 2024 estimates a 25.5 percent growth in the need for Health-related Counselors with a master’s degree (this is in addition to social workers, mental, family and substance abuse counselors) and a 27.9 percent increase in demand for Health Educators. (Previsions for occupations demand 2024) In addition, the Texas 2014-2024 projections for growth by industry show growth in areas of health coach employment such as Other Ambulatory Health Services and Outpatient Care Centers with increases of 32.1 percent and 47.3 percent respectively. (Projections for growth industry of 797797TxIND, lines 350 and 353) Overall, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health educators and community health workers is projected to grow nationally 16 percent from 2016 to 2026, above the average for all occupations.⁵ With predictions such as these, the job market for graduates of health and wellness coaching programs appears strong in Texas and nationally in both growth and demand.⁷

Sources

1. https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/PreventiveHealth.html, accessed March 23, 2018.
2. Kivela, K., et al. (2014). Patient Education and Counseling 97(2). pp.147–157.doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2014.07.026
3. Nester, J. (2016). North Carolina Medical Journal, 7(2), pp.128-132.doi: 10.18043/ncm.77.2.128
4. https://www.bioiq.com/healthy-workforce-101-how-engaging-wellness-programs-can-help-organizations-improve-employee-health-and-reduce-healthcare-costs/, accessed March 23, 2018.
5. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm, accessed March 23, 2018
6. http://www.healthcoachcertifications.com/the-health-coach-salary-how-much-does-a-certified-health-and-wellness-coach-make-from-salary/, accessed March 23,2018
7. May,C.(2013). Health Coaching: Adding Value in Healthcare Reform. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 2(3), pp. 92-94.