In the field of Public Health, there are many career paths that a graduate with a Masters in Public Health degree can take. Here are a few of those careers:
- Health Services Administration – The field of Administration is more the business side of Public Health. Those who work in the Administration field handle finances, schedules, oversee staff, handle patient relations, handle public relations, etc. The annual salary for these positions averages to be in the $37,050 – $161,400 range.
- Biostatistics – This is a field that is concerned with collecting and analyzing data in relation to Public Health. If you have a previous degree in mathematics or statistics or if you just like crunching data, then a job in Biostatistics is for you. A job in Biostatistics averages in the $33,000-$63,000 range.
- Epidemiology – Epidemiology is the field that studies health-related events and their causes in society. It is a very broad field that is, of course, research-centric. The average annual salary for Epidemiologists is between $38,175 and $136,237 and is dependent on the position and employer.
- Health Education/Behavioral Science – Those who work in the fields of Health Education work mainly with the public. They educate people on public health hazards and ways to prevent and control illnesses. The average annual salary for those seeking a career in Health Education or Behavioral Science is usually between $33,000 and $86,625.
- Environmental Health – Those who work in the field of environmental health study environmental conditions that impact public health. Those who work in environmental health work for government agencies, hospitals or other private firms to conduct research and figure out ways to combat environmental health hazards. The average salary for a worker in Environmental Health is $44,550 – $143,700 annually.
- International Health – Those who work in International Health research, identify and plan ways to combat public health issues on an international level rather than just on a national one. Jobs in this field are heavy on international travel and involve a lot of field work. The average annual salary for these positions is between $31,500 and $86,625, not including travel stipends.
- Nutrition – Those who work in the field of Nutrition are responsible for identifying problem areas in a person’s diet and helping them formulate a plan to correct those problem areas. Nutritionists usually work for a hospital system, but may also work in a company as the sole company-wide nutritionist. Salary for Nutritionists averages to the $31,500 – $70,875 range and is dependent on the employer.
- Public Health Practice/Program Management – Quite simply, these are workers who manage a public health program – either at a company, government agency or healthcare facility. They oversee every step of the program and manage its progress. The average annual salary for these positions is between $41,175 and $102,000.
- Biomedical Laboratory – The worker in a biomedical laboratory is responsible for collecting and analyzing biomedical samples given to them by a hospital or other official entity. The average annual salary for this position ranges from $31,500 to $78,750 depending on the area you work in.
- Jobs with the Federal Government – There are many public health jobs available with the Federal government. Any job with the government is very lucrative, of course. You could work for a government regulatory agency, a particular legislator helping to develop public health policy… there are plenty of public health jobs to be had with the Federal government. The annual salary varies depending on your location, type of government job you have and your level of experience.
- Jobs in Nursing – If you either already have a nursing degree or you are currently pursuing a nursing degree, getting an additional one in public health can help you get supervisory positions in the nursing field. The annual salary for these positions differs based upon the facility you work for and your level of experience, but these jobs are very lucrative and are usually what nurses aim for in their careers.
These are just a few of the many career paths available to you once you get your MPH degree. Keep in mind that some of them do require additional degrees or experience, so do your research before you decide on the career path that is right for you.
References:
- http://www.whatispublichealth.org/faqs/index.html#career_faqs3
- http://www.minoritynurse.com/public-health/considering-masters-public-health
- http://www.allnursingschools.com/nursing-careers/nursing-degrees/joint-nursing-degrees
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