Behavioral Health Coaches: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health coaches about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for behavioral health coaches to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of behavioral health coaches expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for behavioral health coaches.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Coaches?
Do behavioral health coaches need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health coaches typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for behavioral health coaches to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Coaches
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Coaches By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 13,987 (35%)
- No Education Listed: 12,500 (32%)
- High School or GED: 6,735 (17%)
- Master's degree: 5,199 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,072 (3%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of behavioral health coaches. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 35% of positions. In 32% of job listings no education level was listed and in 17% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Coaches
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Coaches By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 4,790 (29%)
- 2-3 Years: 8,357 (51%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,713 (17%)
- 7-9 Years: 246 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 320 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for behavioral health coaches. In 51% of job postings for Behavioral Health Coaches, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for behavioral health coaches.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Coaches Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for behavioral health coaches, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 18 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health coaches, and in 2023 a total of 79,979 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective behavioral health coaches.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Coaches
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Coaches (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 12,748 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Nutrition Sciences. | 5,468 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 12,748 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Nutrition Sciences. | 5,468 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion. | 4,086 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 2,374 |
| International Public Health/International Health. | 1,696 |
| Health Teacher Education. | 1,536 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,147 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health. | 633 |
| Sports Studies. | 616 |
| Health Communication. | 416 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Maternal and Child Health. | 275 |
| Dental Public Health and Education. | 88 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Behavioral Health Coaches
Become an important part of the patient care experience and put yourself at the forefront of health and wellness with a broad-based healthcare education that prepares you for an entry-level role at a hospital, physician’s office, healthcare agency, and more.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
The B.S. Exercise Science major provides a clear path to a rewarding career helping individuals realize their health and fitness goals. You’ll learn to evaluate fitness levels, design results-oriented exercise programs and apply coaching methodologies to help your clients reach their full potential.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Improve quality of life by removing barriers to healthcare, promoting wellness and reducing health disparities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Behavioral Health Coaches Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health coaches to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health coaches, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Coaches
Based on 34,379 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Coaches
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Health Education | 5,368 | 16% |
| Nursing | 4,587 | 13% |
| Public Health | 3,653 | 11% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 2,930 | 9% |
| Health And Wellness Coaching | 2,882 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Coaches
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,823 | 34% |
| Management | 7,261 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 6,717 | 20% |
| Teaching | 5,509 | 16% |
| Leadership | 5,266 | 15% |
Based on 34,379 job postings related to behavioral health coaches, health education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 16% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for nursing, public health, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cpr), health and wellness coaching and health promotion were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health coaches, followed by management, customer service, teaching, leadership and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Health Education | 5,368 | 16% |
| Nursing | 4,587 | 13% |
| Public Health | 3,653 | 11% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 2,930 | 9% |
| Health And Wellness Coaching | 2,882 | 8% |
| Health Promotion | 2,865 | 8% |
| Diabetes Mellitus | 2,748 | 8% |
| Community Health | 2,716 | 8% |
| Social Work | 2,489 | 7% |
| Marketing | 2,348 | 7% |
| Mental Health | 2,316 | 7% |
| Behavioral Health | 2,287 | 7% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 2,034 | 6% |
| Psychology | 2,020 | 6% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 1,891 | 6% |
| Weight Management | 1,626 | 5% |
| Motivational Interviewing | 1,455 | 4% |
| Nutrition Education | 1,442 | 4% |
| Selling Techniques | 1,437 | 4% |
| Chronic Diseases | 1,416 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,823 | 34% |
| Management | 7,261 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 6,717 | 20% |
| Teaching | 5,509 | 16% |
| Leadership | 5,266 | 15% |
| Planning | 5,038 | 15% |
| Writing | 4,896 | 14% |
| Presentations | 4,430 | 13% |
| Research | 4,244 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 3,989 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,626 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,272 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 3,231 | 9% |
| Operations | 3,079 | 9% |
| Coaching | 3,065 | 9% |
| Sales | 2,967 | 9% |
| Time Management | 2,927 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,852 | 8% |
| Scheduling | 2,834 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 2,799 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health coaches? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health coaches.
What do behavioral health coaches do?
How much do behavioral health coaches make?
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The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.