What's Your Average Salary with a Masters in Public Health?
Getting a master’s degree in any field can be extremely expensive, unfortunately. Many workers in the public health field never go back to school for a master’s degree because they aren’t sure that they can justify the cost. The fact of the matter is, however, that in just a few years, you will have paid for your own education. With a master’s degree in public health, your earning potential will be much higher than those workers who have only a bachelor’s degree. While the cost of a master’s degree education can be high, it makes a lot of financial sense to go back to school.
The average salary you can expect with a master of public health (MPH) depends on a number of factors, least of which is not your job title once you enter the workforce. Here are examples of average salaries for those with a master’s degree in this field, by job:
- Clinical Research Coordinator: $47,997
- Epidemiologist: $48,198
- Health Educator: $43,207
- Healthcare Consultant: $67,101
- Non-Profit Organization Coordinator: $42,250
- Non-Profit Organization Executive Director: $66,616
- Research Assistant: $44,480
Keep in mind that you’ll also likely receive an annual bonus, which can range from $1000 to $25,000 per year or even more, depending on your position in the company and the company itself. As a master’s degree holder, you’ll be much more likely to receive higher annual bonuses. In addition, many people with master’s degree are offered more vacation time, better benefits packages, and other perks, so along with your salary, you’ll have these things to consider as well. On the other hand, with just a bachelor’s degree, you may only qualify for jobs that are hourly or that do not have very good vacation and benefits packages. You could also be passed up for key promotions, even if you have decades of experience working for the company.
The salary you’re offered when working in public health often depends on your location. Of course, if you live and work in a major city, you’ll have more job opportunities available to you, which are often attached to higher starting salaries. Where can you find the highest starting salaries? Again, that depends on the type of job you want. Many students in master’s degree programs for public health, however, go on to work as health service managers of some sort, and the tope metropolitan areas for that position, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are as follows:
- Salinas, California: $131,500
- Lawrence/Methuen/Salem, Massachusetts/New Hampshire: $126,860
- Panama City/Lynn Haven, Florida: $125,580
- Burlington/South Burlington, Vermont: $123,290
- Seattle/Bellevue/Everett, Washington: $118,680
As you can see, there are locations across the United States paying good money for workers in the public health field, and as a master’s degree holder, you’ll be qualified for the top positions, which come attached to the top salaries.
Top Online MPH – Master in Public Health Degrees
Public health is the science of preventing disease and promoting health at the population level. Since the late 1970s, public health degrees (specifically the MPH) have evolved from a second degree for doctors and other medical professionals to a primary degree in its own right, with six core disciplines: behavioral science, biostatistics, environmental science, epidemiology, health education/promotion, and health services administration. These disciplines of public health are taught online by the schools listed below.
