Public health careers comprise an array of professionals, from teachers to administrators to researchers, whose common goals include improving healthcare accessibility, controlling contagious diseases, eliminating toxins from the environment, and protecting the community from hazardous wastes, violence, and potential threats to its well-being. For those individuals whose passions include these goals, degrees in public health through accredited colleges both on and offline have the potential to provide these persons with successful and satisfying Public Health careers.
While some public health careers only require a 4-year Bachelor degree through an accredited school, many do require a Masters In Public Health degree, which is obtained through an additional 2 years of study and greatly increases an individual’s potential for career advancement in this field. In terms of top colleges offering degrees in public health, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, and the prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, provide exceptional programs for those whose passions are geared toward public health. What makes the University of California stand out is the fact that it not only provides its students with opportunities to study abroad, but it also provides them with research opportunities around the globe in 50 countries. Harvard University has the distinctions of both a 350-year history and of providing students with over 100 research centers, which are essential components to enhancing any individual’s education and career in this field. For those who prefer to study online, Kaplan University provides an outstanding opportunity for an individual pursuing a public health degree, with the distinctions of membership with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.
Popular Public Health Careers
Once an individual has successfully completed his/her degree in public health, there is a vast array of Public Health Careers that he/she can pursue. According to the national CPI-Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common Public Health Careers fall into the following categories: health services administration, with a salary range of $37,050-$161,400; biomedical laboratory, with a salary range of $31,500-$78,750; biostatistics, with a salary range of $33,000-$63,000; public health practice/management, with a salary range of $41,175-$102,000; epidemiology, with a salary range of $38,175-$136,237; nutrition, with a salary range of $31,500-$86,625; health education/behavioral science, with a salary range of $33,000-$86,625; international health, with a salary range of $31,500-$86,625; and environmental health, with a salary range of $44,550-$143,700. Surprisingly, all of these categories pertain to public health.
Ultimately, educated individuals wishing to pursue a public health job are presented with a vast array of options, from providing nutritional counseling to young adults suffering from eating disorders, to researching blood and its components in a laboratory, to teaching young students about the advantages of leading a health lifestyle. It is with this multitude of options in public health careers that individuals can embark on lifelong career satisfaction and success.