by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing explores Public Health/community Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Promote Health And Provide Preventive And Curative Nursing Services For Groups Or Communities Under The Supervision Of A Public Health Agency. Includes Instruction In Community And Rural Health, Family Therapy And Intervention, Disease Prevention, Health Education, And Community Health Assessment. Continue reading for the key facts every public health/community nurse/nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering public health/community nurse/nursing programs.
Nationwide, public health/community nurse/nursing is a widely-pursued major, with 1,505 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 20 schools to determine the best overall colleges for public health/community nurse/nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of public health/community nurse/nursing programs later in this article.
Studies in Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations public health/community nurse/nursing graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a public health/community nurse/nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a public health/community nurse/nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several public health/community nurse/nursing 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 | 6 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,199 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 289 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 11 |
People currently working in careers related to public health/community nurse/nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in public health/community nurse/nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in public health/community nurse/nursing prepares you for a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to public health/community nurse/nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to public health/community nurse/nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of public health/community nurse/nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for public health/community nurse/nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers public health/community nurse/nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 20 different public health/community nurse/nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased public health/community nurse/nursing school rankings to help you.
Those considering public health/community nurse/nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
