by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, general health and wellness was the 141st most popular major nationwide with 6,105 degrees awarded. This is a difference of 1,099 over the prior year, a growth of 18.0%.
Our 2023 Best General Health & Wellness Schools ranking analyzes 131 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for general health and wellness students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of health and wellness programs later in this article.
A major in health and wellness prepares you for careers in which giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is crucial. Talking to others to convey information effectively and communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience are all required skills for careers related to this major.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most health and wellness degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic general health and wellness program qualifications, to serve in some health and wellness careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different health and wellness degree levels. General Health & Wellness programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest health and wellness degree you can get. Depending on the general health and wellness degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to health and wellness, with approximately 42.4% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for health and wellness workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 42.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 40.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 10.1% |
| High School Diploma | 5.4% |
| Some College Courses | 1.5% |
51.2% of health and wellness workers have at least a bachelor's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in general health and wellness careers have.
This of course varies depending on which health and wellness career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your health and wellness degree? General Health & Wellness careers are expected to grow 17.9% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general health and wellness.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Workers | 67,800 | 17.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for health and wellness graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general health and wellness graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers health and wellness grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Community Health Workers | $43,480 |
With over 280 different health and wellness degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased health and wellness school rankings to help you with this.
General Health & Wellness is one of 1 different types of Health Sciences & Services programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 29,840 |
Image Credit: By Sandra M. Palumbo under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
