Is public health a good career? A Master of Public Health degree offers degree holders amazing career opportunities in a wide variety of public health careers. As in other fields, a master’s degree makes a big difference in career potential and salary potential. Some of the common specializations within Master’s of Public Health programs include epidemiology, biostatistics, community or population health, environmental health, maternal and child health, and more. A few popular Masters in Public Health jobs include:
Biostatistician
Biostatistics is another field that offers a great opportunity for those searching for Master’s in Public Health jobs. A Biostatistician masterfully applies theoretical application in statistics while working with public health and medical data.
A Biostatistician is a specialty in the field of statistics and ultimately, mathematics. As such, a Biostatistician’s labor statistics are included within the ‘mathematics and statistician s’ category, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to BLS, the median salary for statisticians was (within the above-noted category) $88,190 per year. Those statisticians earning nearing the upper limits of the salary range for a Biostatistician earn salaries that exceed $130,000.
There were 36,540 statisticians employed in the United in May 2017. The BLS notes that those who work as statisticians can expect a hefty 33% growth through the year 2026. This impressive expected growth rate is about four times the national average and reveals just how in-demand a Biostatistician truly is. This is often one of the most lucrative public health careers.
Community Health Workers & Health Educators
Health Educators and Community Health Workers are also popular public health careers for those who have earned their MPH.
Community health workers gather information and meet with community leaders and provide workshops that allow members of the community to discuss health concerns in their community. Health workers, more specifically, are tasked with the professional responsibility of educating individuals and communities on viable ways to take charge of their health.
These health workers seek to help people and communities to recognize ways in which they can improve their health by choosing healthy options. In this way, Health Educators and Community Health Workers advocate for communities in need of services and health screenings
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), MPH health workers earn a median salary of $46,080 per year. However, according to the BLS, the growth rate for the job market of community health advocates is anticipated to be 16% through 2026. This impressive job growth rate is twice the national average.
Epidemiologist
An epidemiologist is tasked with the responsibility of investigating each factor (and identifying risks) through the sophisticated data collection and statistically analyzations to help determine public health policy.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), during 2018, the median salary for epidemiologists was $69,660 per year. The anticipated growth in job availability for epidemiologists is expected to be 9% through the year 2026. This job growth rate is a bit above the average of all jobs through 2016.
The need and demand for professional epidemiologists (and many other public health careers) has been increasing for the past ten years. And, because epidemiology is such a diverse field of study, there are generally employment opportunities for those with this Master of Public Health degree.
Sanitarian/Industrial Hygienist
Industrial or Sanitarian hygienists are vital to maintaining and protecting public health in the United States. They study the environment and recommend strategies to eliminate contaminants and other situation that contributes negatively to the overall condition of national public health.
The ultimate objective is to measure known hazards and identify new hazards to analyze data to determine how to mitigate or eliminate these public health hazards.
For labor statistics purposes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes an Industrial or Sanitarian hygienist in the broader category of Occupational Health & Safety Specialists & Technicians. For the year 2018, the median salary for Environmental Scientists & Specialists was $69,370 per year.
Industrial or Sanitarian hygienists’ anticipated job growth through the year 2026 aligns with the national average of 8%.
So, Is public health a good career? The data speaks for itself!
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