United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

Seal of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare

The United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare was the head of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Secretary was a member of the President's Cabinet. In 1979, there was a division of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare's position into separate secretaries of Health and Human Services and Education.

Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare
No.NameYearsPresident(s) served under
1Oveta Culp Hobby1953–1955Dwight D. Eisenhower
2Marion Bayard Folsom1955–1958Dwight D. Eisenhower
3Arthur Sherwood Flemming1958–1961Dwight D. Eisenhower
4Abraham A. Ribicoff1961–1962John F. Kennedy
5Anthony J. Celebrezze1962–1965John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson
6John William Gardner1965–1968Lyndon Johnson
7Wilbur J. Cohen1968–1969Lyndon Johnson
8Robert H. Finch1969–1970Richard Nixon
9Elliot Lee Richardson1970–1973Richard Nixon
10Caspar Weinberger1973–1975Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford
11Forrest David Mathews1975–1977Gerald Ford
12Joseph A. Califano Jr.1977–1979Jimmy Carter
13Patricia Roberts Harris1979–1979Jimmy Carter

Living former secretaries of health, education, and welfare

As of June 2026, there are two living former health, education, and welfare, the older of the two being Joseph A. Califano Jr. (served 1977-1979). The most recent death of a former secretary of health, education, and welfare was that of Caspar W. Weinberger (served 1973-1975) on March 28, 2006. The living former secretaries of health, education, and welfare, in order of service, are:

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