Public health professionals continue to stand at the forefront of local and statewide health initiatives in Hawaii, and are well compensated for their efforts. For example, in 2013, the Hawaii State Department of Health developed the Hawaii Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan. This ambitious project relies heavily on highly skilled public health workers to create policies and strategies that will result in a healthier, more active population by 2020.
Also, in conjunction with President Obama’s Early Learning Initiative, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has allotted $8.43 million to the State of Hawaii to enrich its Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Along with providing quality care to infants and toddlers in low-income families, this funding will also generate new opportunities for public health professionals to become more involved in community service.
Health initiatives like these will continue to drive the need for dedicated public health workers in Hawaii. In fact, according to Hawaii’s Workforce Development Division, the employment of community health workers in the state will grow by an average annual rate of 2.1% which is twice the national average for this occupation.
Salaries Offered by the Hawaii Department of Health
One of the largest employers of public health workers in Hawaii is the State’s Department of Health. As of April 2015, the Department of Health advertised for several public health jobs that offered a broad range of salaries:
- Public Health Educator: $3,571-$4,111/mo.
- Public Health Nutritionist: $3,124-$3,652/mo.
- CAMHD Intensive Support Worker: $40,000-$45,000/yr.
- Monitoring Coordinator: $70,000-$80,000/yr.
- Information Technology Specialist: $3,950-$4,624/yr.
- Oral Health Project Manager: $5,922-$8,027/yr.
- Substance Abuse Program Specialist: $3,950-$4,624/yr.
- Backup Project Coordinator: $1,952/mo.
Salaries for Non-Profit and Other NGO Workers
The betterment of public health requires a collaborative effort by several interrelated occupations in Hawaii. In 2014, the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations released the salary averages for many professions tied to public health:
- Medical and Health Services Managers: $110,730/yr.
- Social and Community Service Managers: $59,870/yr.
- Statisticians: $63,520/yr.
- Health and Safety Engineers: $73,470/yr.
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health: $61,220/yr.
- Social Scientists and Related Workers: $88,610/yr.
- Social Science Research Assistants: $45,300/yr.
- Biological Scientists: $69,480/yr.
- Community Health Workers: $24,110/yr.
- Health Educators: $52,020/yr.
- Healthcare Social Workers: $55,530/yr.
- Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors: $43,600/yr.
- Rehabilitation Counselors: $32,200/yr.
- Miscellaneous Community and Social Service Specialists: $47,770/yr.
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: $72,430/yr.
A Full Analysis of Public Health Salaries in Hawaii
For a more comprehensive look at public health salaries in Hawaii, reference the following data released by the United States Department of Labor in 2014:
