by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, general public health was the 39th most popular major nationwide with 22,778 degrees awarded. This represents a 9.0% increase in general public health degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 20,721.
Our 2023 Best General Public Health Schools ranking analyzes 318 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for general public health students. Explore this or one of our many other custom general public health rankings further below.
General Public Health majors are found most commonly in careers in which talking to others to convey information effectively is important. 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 and communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience are all required skills for careers related to this major.
general public health degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic general public health program qualifications, to serve in some general public health careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
General Public Health degree levels vary. General Public Health programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest general public health degree you can get. The type of general public health degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| 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 |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to general public health, with approximately 40.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to general public health tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 42.6% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 25.7% |
| Master’s Degree | 16.5% |
| Doctoral Degree | 5.9% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 4.4% |
68.9% of general public health workers have at least a bachelor's. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in general public health have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which general public health career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your general public health degree? General Public Health careers are expected to grow 22.2% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general public health.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 424,300 | 20.5% |
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Community Health Workers | 67,800 | 17.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for general public health graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general public health graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers general public health grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $113,730 |
| Community Health Workers | $43,480 |
With over 804 different general public health 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 general public health school rankings to help you with this.
General Public Health is one of 11 different types of Public Health programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 4,563 |
| Other Public Health | 3,432 |
| Health Services Administration | 3,119 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine | 2,272 |
| International Public Health/International Health | 1,599 |
Image Credit: By Article 25 Flickr under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
