by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in General Health & Wellness covers Health And Wellness, General. A Program Of Study That Prepares Individuals To Assume Roles As Health/wellness Professionals In Private Business And Industry, Community Organizations, And Health Care Settings. Includes Instruction In Personal Health, Community Health And Welfare, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Disease Prevention, Fitness And Exercise, And Health Behaviors. Examples: [Health And Wellness], [Health Promotion And Wellness], [Exercise Science And Wellness], [Wellness, Health Promotion And Injury Prevention]. Continue reading for the key facts every general health & wellness student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general health & wellness programs.
Across the country, general health & wellness is a widely-pursued major, with 5,611 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Health & Wellness Schools ranking analyzes these 200 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general health & wellness students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general health & wellness programs later in this article.
Coursework for General Health & Wellness build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general health & wellness graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a general health & wellness program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a general health & wellness major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general health & wellness degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 56 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 823 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,466 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,192 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 60 |
People currently working in careers related to general health & wellness tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 43.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 37.7% |
| Master’s degree | 10.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.6% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.3% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general health & wellness careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in general health & wellness can lead to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general health & wellness.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general health & wellness.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Workers | 300,538 | 13.4% |
| Health Education Specialists | 169,157 | 3.7% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of general health & wellness graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $40,203 |
| 4 years | $49,234 |
| 5 years | $57,884 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general health & wellness graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general health & wellness grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists | $81,726 |
| Community Health Workers | $73,901 |
With 200 different general health & wellness programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general health & wellness school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in general health & wellness, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 32,590 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
