Public Health Schools
There are 422 accredited public health schools in the country. As a professor or instructor of public health classes at one of these schools, you play a valuable role in shaping the future of this growing field. Below are charts, statistics and analysis of the trends in public health academia which includes public health training at the following levels:
- Public Health Certificate
- Associates degree in Public Health
- Bachelors degree in Public Health
- Masters degree in Public Health
- PhD degree in Public Health
Statistics
Professional Trends
National Employment growth for Public health professionals
| 407,570 | 423,990 | 451,980 | 468,540 | 484,220 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|
- Dark Yellow: Actual Values
There were 484,220 public health professionals working in the US in 2010. The number of public health professionals has grown by 19% between 2006 and 2010.
This growth is faster than the growth for all careers during the same time period. There was a 1% decline for all careers.
National Salary percentiles for Public health professionals
10th percentile |
$35,823 |
25th percentile |
$45,643 |
50th percentile |
$59,110 |
75th percentile |
$77,140 |
90th percentile |
$99,427 |
The median yearly salary earned by public health professionals, in 2010, was $59,110. The median yearly salary for public health professionals in the US was 6% less than that for all professions, which was $68,155 per year.
National Median Salary Growth For Public Health
| $52,570 | $54,860 | $56,630 | $57,497 | $59,110 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|
- Light Blue: Salaries
Public health professionals' salaries have seen a 12% growth from the year 2006 to the year 2010.
Educational Trends
National Public Health Student enrollment growth by degree
| 420 | 526 | 458 | 583 | 1,285 |
| 2,969 | 3,673 | 4,084 | 4,532 | 5,089 |
| 511 | 535 | 473 | 471 | 523 |
| 6,899 | 7,382 | 7,820 | 8,386 | 9,172 |
| 381 | 336 | 426 | 614 | 662 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|
- Yellow: Associate's Degree in Public Health
- Blue: Bachelor's Degree in Public Health
- Red: Doctorates Degree in Public Health
- Light blue: Master's Degree in Public Health
- Grey: Certificate in Public Health
We are seeing a rapid change in the career outlook for public health professionals. However, the story on the educational front is quite different. In the US, 11,180 students graduated from public health degree programs in 2006. And in 2010, 16,731 students graduated from public health schools.
Thus, in 4 years, there was a 50% growth in the number of public health graduates. This growth in the number of students graduating from public health courses is greater than the change nationally for students graduating from institutions for higher education in general, which has been a 12% growth from 2006 to 2010.
Public Health Programs offered Nationwide
associate |
32 |
bachelor |
178 |
master |
329 |
doctor |
90 |
Certificate |
78 |
| Total | 707 |
As student graduation numbers are up, the number of schools offering public health programs has also increased. There were 73 public health schools across the country in 2006. And there were 422 schools in 2010.