What Can You Do with a Health and Wellness Degree? 4 Jobs to Consider

Following a health and wellness degree program means you’ve made a choice—you’re committed to pursuing a career in which you positively impact people’s lives, helping them make healthy lifestyle choices. But precisely what can you do with a health and wellness degree?

As you’ll soon discover, there are many attractive career options open to you.

Key Takeaways

• • A health and wellness degree opens doors to various roles, from health services management and public health research to health education and coaching, allowing you to choose a path that fits your strengths and interests.
  • The sector is rapidly expanding—with projected growth of 5.43% between 2023 and 2033—and offers competitive salaries, particularly for leadership roles like health services managers.
  • Success in health and wellness hinges on obtaining the right certifications or degrees and developing key soft skills such as communication, time management, and stress management to effectively promote healthy lifestyles.

Why Pursue a Career in Health and Wellness?

The different career paths available in the health and wellness sector make it a growth industry. According to Precedence Research, the entire sector will achieve a compound annual growth rate of 5.43% between 2023 and 2033, topping out at a value of $2.188 billion by that final year.

Beyond the industry’s growth and job opportunities it creates, pursuing a career in health and wellness allows you to do what you love—helping others improve their lives as you promote healthy choices.

4 Career Opportunities With a Health and Wellness Degree

Your health and wellness degree program provides a strong foundation in fitness and nutrition, allowing you to pursue various careers.

#1 – Health Services Manager

With an average salary of $110,680 in 2023 – growing to $157,640 for the top 25% of earners – a career as a health services manager is among the most lucrative you could choose. It’s also one of the most demanding and complex.

Health services managers coordinate health services related to their places of employment, often facility-wide as part of a medical practice but sometimes focused on a specific clinical area. These duties include managing budgets, helping to recruit and train staff, and even representing your workplace during investor meetings.

#2 – Health Educator

As the name implies, a health educator is a sort of teacher, though one that focuses on a community ahead of the classroom. In that sense, you can think of them as community health workers, with their responsibilities ranging from conducting needs assessments to working with people in their communities to manage their health-related issues.

In the latter case, regular consultations with other healthcare professionals – such as doctors – are often required. Salaries for this career fall on the lower end of the spectrum, hitting $34,826 on average, though it’s possible to break the $50,000 range depending on your location and experience.

#3 – Health Coaching

Health coaching includes various career paths, like fitness training, nutrition, and dietetics. In all cases, you’re helping clients maintain healthy lifestyles (often with a healthy dose of stress management techniques on the side).

A health coach is often at least part health educator as their work not only involves creating plans for clients but explaining those plans and their relevance to the client’s situation. Salaries average out at about $49,500, though more successful health coaches can earn over $100,000 per year.

#4 – Public Health Researcher

You trade in working directly with clients (or patients) for a more behind-the-scenes data-centric role as a public health researcher. Your work will involve conducting surveys and analyzing the data they produce so you can identify trends and risk factors affecting the population at large.

That population size could vary, with your work potentially requiring the understanding of data on a national scale or honing in on specific locations. Either way, your skills are valued – the average salary for a public health researcher is $110,090, with the top 10% earning over $150,000.

Skills and Qualifications Needed for a Health and Wellness Career

In terms of qualifications, your options vary depending on which health and wellness career you wish to pursue. For instance, fitness trainers can often begin their careers after earning a relevant certification. That’s not the case for public health researchers, who may need a data analysis degree or a master’s degree related to health and fitness analysis.

As for skills beyond qualifications, communication is vital. That’s especially the case for community-focused roles – such as health educators – but active listening and solid interpersonal skills are helpful across the board in health and wellness. Good time management also helps, especially as you grow your client list, as does your ability to manage your own stress levels.

How to Choose the Right Career Path

Now that you know the answer to what you can do with a health and wellness degree, the obvious question is how do you choose which career path to follow?

What you actually enjoy will be your main determining factor. Those with analytical mindsets might gravitate toward data-focused roles, such as public health researchers, especially because health trend identification can influence local and national policy. However, if your passion is getting up close and personal to help people build healthy lifestyles, a more client or patient-centric role is likely right for you.

Get in Touch With Our Health and Wellness Program Staff to Learn More About Our Online Programs

No matter which path you choose with your health and wellness career, UC is ready to help. We offer two programs – a Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management and a Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate – that help you take the next (or perhaps first) step in your chosen career. Both programs are conducted entirely online and are led by expert faculty. You’ll also be assigned a Student Success Coordinator – a professional dedicated to you and able to offer one-on-one advice about your course.

Get in touch with UC today – we’re excited to help you on your educational journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is health and wellness a good degree?

Yes, a health and wellness degree is a solid choice that opens up a range of fulfilling career opportunities. It equips you with essential skills to promote healthy lifestyles and make a positive impact on individual and community well-being.

How long does it take to get a health and wellness degree?

The duration of a health and wellness degree varies based on the level of study and program type. Typically, a bachelor’s degree takes about 3-4 years, while master’s programs generally require 1-2 years of full-time study.

What jobs can you get with a health and wellness degree?

A health and wellness degree paves the way for a variety of roles, including positions such as health services manager, health educator, public health researcher, and health coach. Each of these career paths allows you to leverage your expertise to support healthier communities in different settings.

What is the highest paid job in health and wellness?

Among the many career options, health services managers are often among the highest paid, with competitive salaries reflecting the complexity and leadership required in the role. Their strong managerial and strategic skills, combined with a passion for healthcare improvement, set them apart in the industry.

How can you make a career out of health and wellness?

You can build a rewarding career in health and wellness by obtaining the relevant degree or certification that aligns with your interests and strengths. Complement your education with practical experience, internships, and professional networking to continuously develop the skills needed for success in this growing field.