Start with the answer
Health Education Specialists pay in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Health Education Specialists is $59,640 per year in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. It is $124,590 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI is 52.1% below Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 21-1091 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 80 wage and salary jobs in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and 2,100 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.