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International Public Health

What International Public Health Majors Need to Know

Programs in International Public Health develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that International Public Health graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in International Public Health emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a International Public Health program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to International Public Health careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Public Health graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Public Health professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Publisher	Desktop publishing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Blackbaud The Raiser’s Edge	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Public Health graduates include:

• Speech Therapy Director
• Public Health Administrator
• Hospital Supervisor
• Clinical Services Director
• Clinical Manager
• Nurses Superintendent
• EMS Coordinator (Emergency Medical Services Coordinator)
• Assisted Living Manager
• Nurse Administrator
• Healthcare System Director
• Healthcare Manager
• Medical Records Manager
• Long Term Care Administrator
• Rehabilitation Director
• Nursing Services Manager

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to International Public Health graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	41.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	26.0%
Master’s degree	16.1%
Postsecondary certificate	5.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.3%
Post-doctoral training	2.5%
Some college courses	2.5%
First professional degree	2.5%
Doctoral degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do International Public Health Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of International Public Health graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$50,939
4 years	$60,432
5 years	$70,561

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $70,561 — roughly 39% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online International Public Health Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for International Public Health. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	10	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in International Public Health Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, International Public Health graduates earn a median of $60,432 four years after completion — roughly 59% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Public Health	41,086
Public Health, General	25,004
Health and Wellness, General	5,611
Public Health Education and Promotion	3,785
Public Health, Other	2,803
Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator	2,781
Health Services Administration	2,629
Community Health and Preventive Medicine	2,571
Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling	2,298
Environmental Health	1,269
Behavioral Aspects of Health	623
Clinical Research Coordinator	347

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.