7 Public Health Careers Worth Exploring

Key takeaways

• Public health careers cover a wide range of work, from administrators improving organizational efficiency to nurses promoting community wellness.

• The type of career you end up pursuing will largely depend on the public health area you're interested in, such as epidemiology, community health, or occupational health.

• No matter what you do to support public health, careers in this field can have a lasting impact on communities, states, and even nations.

Learn about the different careers you can pursue when you're interested in public health. Afterward, build your knowledge with Imperial's Foundations of Public Health Practice Specialization, where you'll learn about the origins of public health, health improvement, behavior change, and health protection.

7 public health careers

Working in public health can take many forms, including policy development, research, community support, and operational efficiency. Let's review seven career possibilities to explore if you're interested in public health.

1. Medical and health services manager

As a medical and health services manager, you’re responsible for planning and coordinating services in a health care facility, department, or medical clinic for doctors and nurses. You’ll have to stay up-to-date on changes to health care regulations, laws, and new technologies. This role may involve training staff, developing team goals, and monitoring budgets and performance, so it requires good organizational and communication skills.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $117,960 [2]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 23 percent [2] 

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, though a master’s is also common, with work experience in hospital administration.

2. Biostatistician

A biostatistician answers pressing questions in public health and medicine using statistical analysis. You might research what causes cancer, whether a new prescription drug works, how harmful certain chemicals are for the body, or how long a pandemic will last. Using data like disease rates or genetic information, they design clinical trials to evaluate drug or patient outcomes. If you enjoy applying statistics and math to global health, this can be a lucrative path for you.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $104,350 [3]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 8 percent [3] 

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree at minimum, though a master's may be preferred.

3. Health care consultant 

Health care consultants are a specialized version of management consultants or business analysts hired by health care organizations to examine a medical or pharmaceutical company to improve production, supply chain, and other Lean management methods. Using data analysis, you’ll work with the company to prescribe ways to make it more efficient. You’ll often be a contracted employee or independent contractor.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $101,190 [4]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 9 percent [4] 

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions, while an MBA or a specialized master’s (such as MPH) may help accelerate your career.

4. Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists investigate patterns and causes of diseases, injuries, and disorders in society. You will work to reduce their occurrence and risk with research, education, and health policy, so you might work in governments, in the private sector with health insurance or pharmaceutical companies, or non-profit organizations. As an epidemiologist, you will typically specialize in areas such as maternal health, infectious diseases, environmental health, genetics, emergency response, or mental health. You might consider epidemiology if you feel strongly about one of these subjects.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $83,980 [5]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 16 percent [5]

Requirements: A Master of Public Health (MPH). Some jobs might require a doctorate in epidemiology or medicine.

Learn more: Social Epidemiology Explained: Meaning, Impact, and Jobs

5. Occupational health and safety specialist

As an occupational health and safety specialist, you’ll collect data and analyze different types of workplace environments to make sure they’re following health and safety regulations correctly. You’re expected to inspect workplace environments and equipment, write reports, and educate workers with training programs. This can be a great opportunity for someone with organizing skills, who enjoys routines, enforcing rules, and interacting with others.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $78,900 [6]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 12 percent [6]

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety, biology, or a related field. Some roles may require a master’s in industrial hygiene or health physics.

6. Social and community service manager

Social and community service managers typically oversee teams that provide public services, so those who specialize in public or global health work in health advocacy. You’ll manage projects and design programs that address health for a particular group, such as children or those experiencing homelessness or drug abuse. Skills needed for these roles include communication, analysis, problem-solving, and time management.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $78,240 [7]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 6 percent [7]

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in public health, social work, or related field.

7. Health education specialist

Health education specialists teach people about wellness and how to be healthy. You will devise strategies to improve well-being by assessing the needs of individuals and communities, educating them about health, and advocating for public health reform. As a health education specialist, you might work in health care facilities, non-profits, and public health departments to advance society’s knowledge of good health practices.

Median annual salary (BLS.gov): $63,000  [8]

Projected growth from 2023 to 2033: 4 percent [8] 

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in health science or related field.

Additional public health careers to explore

Beyond the roles above, here are four additional public health job titles to explore.

• Public health analyst: A public health analyst collects, analyzes, and interprets health-related data to inform policy decisions, evaluate program effectiveness, and identify trends in population health.

• Public health administrator: A public health administrator oversees the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs and services, managing resources and staff to achieve community health goals.

• Public health nurse: A public health nurse provides direct care, health education, and preventive services to individuals and communities, focusing on promoting health and preventing disease on a population level.

• Public health consultant: A public health consultant offers expert advice and guidance to organizations, government agencies, and communities on various health-related issues, helping to develop strategies and improve public health outcomes.

Learn more: 6 Public Health Issues to Know + Jobs Handling Them

Skills needed for public health careers

Those who pursue a career in public health commonly possess the following skills:

• Research: Many public health roles require knowledge and experience researching data and applying the results to real-life situations. As a public health professional, you must be proficient in researching and communicating your findings to other health care professionals.

• Communication: Public health professionals need strong communication skills to accomplish their goals and lead others to success. Whether managing a public health crisis or leading hospital staff, you must work well with others and clearly articulate your expectations.

• Problem-solving: As a public health professional, the ability to solve problems quickly and effectively helps you excel. When problems arise, your reliability and timeliness will influence any situation's outcome.

• Analytical skills: As a public health professional, your role requires you to analyze data and research trends within public health. To do so, you’ll need strong analytical skills and the ability to evaluate the importance and significance of your findings.

Why pursue a career in public health?

Professionals who work in public health often find a great sense of meaning from their work, which tends to have a significant impact on groups of people. It also tends to be in demand, meaning that it may offer more job security or growth opportunities than other career paths, and pay relatively well, depending on the role. Learn more about high-paying public health jobs worth exploring.

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