by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Community Health and Preventive Medicine covers Community Health And Preventive Medicine. A Program That Prepares Public Health Specialists To Plan And Manage Health Services In Local Community Settings, Including The Coordination Of Related Support Services, Government Agencies, And Private Resources. Includes Instruction In Public Health, Community Health Services And Delivery, Health Behavior And Cultural Factors, Local Government Operations, Human Services, Health Communication And Promotion, Health Services Administration In Local Settings, Environmental Health, Preventive And Comparative Medicine, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Family And Community Health, And Applicable Law And Regulations. Continue reading for the important information every community health and preventive medicine student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering community health and preventive medicine programs.
Across the country, community health and preventive medicine is a popular field of study, with 2,571 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Community Health and Preventive Medicine Schools ranking analyzes these 112 schools to determine the best overall colleges for community health and preventive medicine students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of community health and preventive medicine programs later in this article.
Studies in Community Health and Preventive Medicine develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations community health and preventive medicine graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a community health and preventive medicine program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a community health and preventive medicine major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several community health and preventive medicine 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 | 47 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 88 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,441 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 953 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 42 |
People currently working in careers related to community health and preventive medicine tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 30.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 25.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 16.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 13.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.8% |
| Some college courses | 1.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.7% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in community health and preventive medicine careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in community health and preventive medicine can lead to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to community health and preventive medicine.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to community health and preventive medicine.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Community Health Workers | 300,538 | 13.4% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of community health and preventive medicine graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,939 |
| 4 years | $60,432 |
| 5 years | $70,561 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for community health and preventive medicine graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers community health and preventive medicine grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Community Health Workers | $73,901 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 112 different community health and preventive medicine programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased community health and preventive medicine school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in community health and preventive medicine, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General | 25,004 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 3,785 |
| Public Health, Other | 2,803 |
| Health Services Administration | 2,629 |
| International Public Health/International Health | 1,500 |
| Environmental Health | 1,269 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health | 623 |
| Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | 313 |
| Health/Medical Physics | 288 |
| Maternal and Child Health | 180 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
