Master’s Degrees in Public Health
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Education Levels of Public Health Majors
In 2018-2019, 15,589 earned their master's degree in public health. This earns it the #2 spot on the list of the most popular master's degree programs in the nation.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in public health at each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 16,962 |
Master’s Degree | 15,589 |
Graduate Certificate | 1,648 |
Doctor’s Degree | 975 |
Basic Certificate | 669 |
Associate’s Degree | 666 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 60 |
Earnings of Public Health Majors With Master’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a master's degree in public health is $48,300. However, this can depend on a number of factors, such as where you live and the number of years experience you have.
A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $42,200 and the high is $54,500.

Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a master's degree in public health is $44,894. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit.
The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $57,886 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $35,435.

The median monthly payment of a public health graduate with a 10-year repayment plan is $523.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their master's degree in public health. About 75.3% of graduates with this degree are female.
Gender | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Men | 3,847 |
Women | 11,742 |

The racial-ethnic distribution of public health master’s degree students is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 1,908 |
Black or African American | 2,378 |
Hispanic or Latino | 1,659 |
White | 6,652 |
International Students | 1,342 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 1,650 |

Most Popular Public Health Programs for Master’s Degrees
There are 360 colleges that offer a master’s degree in public health. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
The most popular school in the United States for public health students seekinga master's degree is Johns Hopkins University. Roughly 27,000 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $55,350 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $55,350 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 502 people received their master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins. Of these students, 70% were women and 31% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 2nd most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is George Washington University. Each year, around 27,800 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $54,453 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $31,770 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 471 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at GWU. About 79% of this group were women, and 48% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 3rd most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is Harvard University. Roughly 31,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $47,730 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $48,008 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 401 people received their master's degree in public health from Harvard. About 59% of this group were women, and 34% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Emory University comes in at #4 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Each year, around 14,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $53,070 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $42,800 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 389 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at Emory. Of these students, 83% were women and 50% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Boston University is the 5th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in public health. Roughly 33,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $54,720 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $54,720 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 302 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at Boston U. Of these students, 84% were women and 39% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 6th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is Yale University. Roughly 13,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $55,500 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $43,300 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 287 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at Yale. Around 34% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 69% were women.
Liberty University comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Roughly 85,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $15,417 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,980 per year.
The public health program at Liberty University awarded 277 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 84% of this group were women, and 35% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Columbia University in the City of New York is the 8th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in public health. Roughly 31,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $57,763 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $47,600 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 273 people received their master's degree in public health from Columbia. Around 36% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 81% were women.
University of California - Berkeley comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Roughly 43,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 258 people received their master's degree in public health from UC Berkeley. Around 37% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 71% were women.
University of Southern California comes in at #10 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Each year, around 48,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $57,256 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $46,272 per year.
The public health program at University of Southern California awarded 251 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 73% of this group were women, and 61% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Benedictine University comes in at #11 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Each year, around 4,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $31,084 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $18,273 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 250 people received their master's degree in public health from Benedictine U. Around 25% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 78% were women.
The 12th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Roughly 24,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,920 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,786 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 234 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at CU Anschutz. About 87% of this group were women, and 24% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of New England comes in at #13 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Roughly 7,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $37,390 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $23,498 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 225 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at UNE. Of these students, 78% were women and 39% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 14th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of South Florida - Main Campus. Each year, around 44,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,559 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $8,350 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 221 people received their master's degree in public health from USF Tampa. Around 38% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 73% were women.
The 15th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Illinois at Chicago. Roughly 32,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,924 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $13,276 per year.
The public health program at University of Illinois at Chicago awarded 213 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Around 43% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 78% were women.
New York University comes in at #16 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Roughly 52,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $50,684 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $33,408 per year.
The public health program at New York University awarded 212 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 77% were women and 42% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Walden University is the 16th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in public health. Roughly 48,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,428 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,039 per year.
The public health program at Walden University awarded 212 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 76% of this group were women, and 57% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Southern New Hampshire University comes in at #18 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in public health. Roughly 113,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $30,756 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $18,810 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 203 people received their master's degree in public health from SNHU. About 82% of this group were women, and 49% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 19th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Arizona. Roughly 44,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,990 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,938 per year.
The public health program at University of Arizona awarded 187 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 79% were women and 45% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 20th most popular school in the country for public health majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Each year, around 51,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $13,318 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $17,580 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 181 master's degrees were handed out to public health majors at UMN Twin Cities. Of these students, 77% were women and 20% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Public Health Focus Areas
Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
---|---|
General Public Health | 10,684 |
Health Services Administration | 1,193 |
Other Public Health | 1,015 |
Public Health Education & Promotion | 902 |
Environmental Health | 583 |
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to public health that offer master’s degrees.
Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
---|---|
Nursing | 51,213 |
Health/Medical Admin Services | 13,435 |
Mental & Social Health Services | 13,051 |
Allied Health Professions | 10,882 |
Rehabilitation Professions | 9,279 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By Article 25 Flickr under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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