by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in General Public Health explores Public Health, General. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals To Plan, Manage, And Evaluate Public Health Care Services; To Function As Public Health Professionals In Public Agencies, The Private Sector, And Other Settings; And To Provide Leadership In The Field Of Public Health. Includes Instruction In Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health Principles, Preventive Medicine, Health Policy And Regulations, Health Care Services And Related Administrative Functions, Public Health Law Enforcement, Health Economics And Budgeting, Public Communications, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Examples: [Public Health, General (Mph)], [Public Health, General (Dph)]. Read on to learn the important information every general public health student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general public health programs.
In the U.S., general public health is a popular field of study, with 25,004 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Public Health Schools ranking analyzes these 456 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general public health students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general public health programs later in this article.
Programs in General Public Health emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general public health graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a general public health program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a general public health major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general public health 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 | 10 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 547 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 10,583 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 13,049 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 797 |
People currently working in careers related to general public health tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 27.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 25.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 12.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 12.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.0% |
| First professional degree | 0.7% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general public health careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying general public health can lead to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to general public health.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general public health.
| 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% |
| Health Education Specialists | 169,157 | 3.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of general public health graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 general public health graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general public health grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Health Education Specialists | $81,726 |
| Community Health Workers | $73,901 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 456 different general public health programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general public health school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in general public health, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 3,785 |
| Public Health, Other | 2,803 |
| Health Services Administration | 2,629 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine | 2,571 |
| 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.
