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Major · Health Professions & Related Programs

Understand how communities stay healthy — and what breaks that down

Public Health, General prepares students to plan, manage, and evaluate health care services at the population level — covering epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and preventive medicine. About 10,951 degrees are awarded annually across 335 colleges, with offerings at both the associate and bachelor's level.

Schools offering
335
Annual completions
10,951
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$58k

About this major

Public health as a formal major sits at the intersection of data, policy, and community — it prepares students to think about health at the population level rather than the individual patient level. The CIP definition covers planning, managing, and evaluating public health care services, which in practice means the curriculum spans epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and regulations, preventive medicine, public communications, and program administration. This is not a clinical major; students who graduate with a public health degree are typically headed toward roles in agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, or health systems administration — not bedside care.

Coursework tends to reward students who are comfortable working with data and translating it into actionable recommendations for decision-makers. Epidemiology introduces the methods for tracking disease patterns across populations. Biostatistics provides the quantitative tools to interpret that data. Health policy and regulations courses ground students in the legal and regulatory environment that shapes what health agencies can and cannot do. Program evaluation and public communications round out the applied side.

On the career side, the paths vary considerably in their earnings ceiling. Medical and health services managers — the highest-earning destination listed for this major — show a median wage of $117,960 and a 23.2% projected growth rate, but that role typically comes after several years of experience in a health organization. A more direct entry point is health education specialist at $63,000 median, or community health worker at $51,030 median. About 10,951 degrees are awarded in this field each year across 335 colleges, with availability at both the associate and bachelor's level.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Medical and health services managers $118k +23.2% Bachelor's degree
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $106k +17.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Health education specialists $63k +4.5% Bachelor's degree
Community health workers $51k +11.3% High school diploma or equivalent
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$58k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$44k

Bachelor's

$58k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you find yourself more interested in why health outcomes differ across zip codes than in treating individual patients, or if you tend to think in terms of systems and populations rather than cases. You may also fit well here if you're drawn to working in government agencies, public health departments, or community nonprofits — the settings where most of this work happens. The degree-level data points clearly toward the bachelor's as the practical investment if you want the higher-earning destinations: bachelor's completers show median five-year earnings of $58,487 versus $44,278 for associate's completers, and the medical and health services management path that reaches a $117,960 median typically requires a four-year credential as its starting point.

Think twice if your primary draw is direct patient care — this major does not lead to clinical roles, and students expecting nursing-adjacent coursework often find the policy and data focus less engaging than anticipated. Think twice also if the idea of working in government or nonprofit settings feels limiting; the private-sector roles that draw public health graduates tend to be in health systems administration or corporate wellness, not the broad clinical job market. And if the prospect of a $57,000–$63,000 median earnings band at the five-year mark feels insufficient given your investment, it is worth comparing this trajectory carefully against health administration or nursing before committing — the earnings ceiling here is tied to management advancement, not a clinical license.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Public Health, General

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of the People Pasadena, CA 336 218 554
University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC 0 402 402
California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA 0 344 344
University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA 0 270 270
University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV 0 265 265
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 0 250 250
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 0 244 244
Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX 0 217 217
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX 0 211 211
Wayne State University Detroit, MI 0 204 204
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Health and Wellness, General

4,268 completions/yr

Public Health Education and Promotion

2,520 completions/yr

Public Policy Analysis, General

1,905 completions/yr

Community Health and Preventive Medicine

1,494 completions/yr

Public Health, Other

1,457 completions/yr

Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling

1,429 completions/yr

Health Services Administration

1,283 completions/yr

Behavioral Aspects of Health

380 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Public Health, General field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Public Health, General worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Public Health majors actually study day-to-day?
The curriculum blends data and policy in roughly equal measure. Early coursework covers epidemiology, biostatistics, and the social determinants of health — understanding how disease spreads and who bears the burden of it. Upper-division work moves into health policy and regulation, program evaluation, environmental health, and public communications. Many programs include a practicum or internship in a public health agency, community organization, or health department. It is less clinical than nursing or allied health and more concerned with systems, data, and population-level interventions.
Do I need a bachelor's, or is an associate's enough for Public Health?
The degree level has a meaningful impact on earnings. Bachelor's completers in this field show median five-year earnings of about $58,487, while associate's completers land closer to $44,278 — a gap of roughly $14,000. The top career destination, medical and health services manager ($117,960 median wage), lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry credential, as does health education specialist ($63,000 median). Community health worker, the only occupation in the data that does not require a bachelor's, shows a median wage of $51,030 — above the associate's earnings figure but well below the bachelor's ceiling.
What kinds of jobs do Public Health graduates end up in?
The most lucrative destination is medical and health services manager, where the median wage is $117,960 and projected job growth runs 23.2% — one of the higher growth rates across all occupations. Health education specialists are a more direct match for the major's content, with a $63,000 median wage and 4.5% growth. Community health workers ($51,030 median, 11.3% growth) represent an accessible entry point without requiring graduate study. Health specialties teachers at the postsecondary level ($105,620 median, 17.3% growth) require a doctoral or professional degree — a path that usually involves graduate-level public health work such as an MPH or DrPH.
How competitive is the job market for Public Health graduates?
The headline number here is medical and health services manager at 23.2% projected job growth — well above the typical 4-5% average for all occupations. Community health workers show 11.3% growth and health education specialists 4.5%. The 10,951 annual completions figure is moderate compared to larger health majors, so the candidate pool is smaller than in nursing or pre-med. The tradeoff is that public health roles often require geographic flexibility and willingness to work in government agencies, nonprofits, or community organizations rather than hospitals, where compensation tends to be lower.
Is Public Health the right fit, or should I look at a related major?
Public Health, General is the broadest option in the 51.22 CIP family. If you want more focus on behavior change and education specifically, Public Health Education and Promotion (about 2,520 completions annually) is a tighter match. Community Health and Preventive Medicine (about 1,494 completions) emphasizes clinical prevention. Health Services Administration (about 1,283 completions) targets management roles more directly. If you're interested in the policy side rather than the delivery side, Public Policy Analysis, General from the public administration concentration (about 1,905 completions) overlaps with some of the same career outcomes. The career destinations across these majors overlap substantially; the choice often comes down to whether you prefer data analysis, behavioral programs, or organizational management.
What's a realistic earnings picture after a Public Health degree?
Five-year median earnings for this major run about $57,622 across degree levels. Bachelor's completers specifically land closer to $58,487. The health services management ceiling is significantly higher at $117,960, but that typically reflects years of experience in a supervisory or administrative role — not the typical entry-level outcome. Community health workers and health education specialists are more common early-career landings, at $51,030 and $63,000 respectively. The overall earnings trajectory for this major is moderate by health profession standards, with real upside tied to advancement into management rather than clinical specialization.