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And what salaries could be expected?
And what salaries could be expected?
I just graduated in May with an MPH and it's pretty much a worthless degree unless you want to go work at some governmental agency/health department. That was a total waste of 45,000 grand.
With my background, what types of things can I do with my PhD? I love research and consulting. Is there money to be made in research and consulting or would I be better off working over time as a registered nurse?
Your earning potential in research (ie. professor) is pretty decent. You won't ever be wealthy, but you can do pretty well. You can start in the $70k range and make upwards of $150k once you're a full professor. There are also government and NGO opportunities, which also vary quite a bit, but you'll generally be making no less than $50-60k/yr there with potential to earn into the mid $100's.
In consulting, depending on the type of consulting you do, you can earn a boatload or almost nothing. It's highly dependent. Consulting jobs are also very competitive because they pay well.
The question of whether or not you're better off working as a nurse or earning a PhD and getting to the position you want to get to is a whole other issue. Here's a timeline for the PhD: 4-6 years to get a PhD, 1-4 years working as a post-doc, your first position. You're looking at a minimum of 5 years to get your first position, which you'd start making comparable salary as a well-paid RN. Your earning potential ceiling is much higher, though, of course. Of course, the time you're a student, you're not making much money at all, whereas if you're a nurse, you're making a RN salary for 5+ years.
A PhD would be great for research, but public health is probably not your best field for making money. I would strongly suggest investigating opportunities you can get as a nurse (there are a lot) and seeing if you really need a PhD.
You can make that just doing over time as a nurse. I love research and writing and what I wanted to do was to work as an RN and do my course work part time.
I just graduated in May with an MPH and it's pretty much a worthless degree unless you want to go work at some governmental agency/health department. That was a total waste of 45,000 grand.
I used my MPH (admin and policy) doing administrative work for a nonprofit health organization. I also taught health related courses at a community college and university. There are a variety ways you can use an MPH, somewhat affected by your area of emphasis. That said, an MPH is not usually a gateway to a big salary, so spending big bucks on an MPH probably isn't the best decision.
Why did you think they called it PUBLIC health? lol
lulz.
Not sure about teaching, though I stumbled across some salary profiles at Columbia and Harvard during my research. Really interesting, though it warrants skepticism.
http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/students/career-svcs/employers/employment-metrics
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/adminis...s/graduate-information/salary-info/index.html
I think it shows a salary range pretty consistent with white collar master's-level salaries, actually. Most people are centered around $50-60k with the typical tails to each end.
Those lists also include doctoral-level grads, as well. Those who are becoming professors and scientists at other research (or industry) places.
The blip in the $100k+ range is likely for folks who add a MPH as a supplementary degree to their JD or MD who were already earning $100k+.
That's true, my skepticism was aimed at the fact that these salaries are self-reported and don't specify salary breakdown by department in their crude aggregate; I'm curious to see the differences within the PH field. Had the same thought on the $100k+ figure, made me chuckle and imagine a dream world of fabulously wealthy epidemiologists
become an industrial hygienist, we make close to 100k starting - at least in the sf bay area we do.
A RN with an associates degree and no experience makes a little over 100K to start in the Bay Area
That salary is ridic. Since we're listing high-paying non-MD health jobs, may I offer pharmacy? A friend will graduate from a 6 year BA/PharmD program and will pull 100k+ with benefits easy in his retail position. At 23. Dealing drugs is lucrative business.
6yrs vs a 2yr program
However pharmacist sounds sexier than nurse
I think It is obvious that in the beginning of our career we should expect to make on the lower range of predicted salaries. My question is, is it stupid to take on a $100,000 loan if one may be making $45,000-60,000 after graduating? This forum points out the ugly truth that we are going into a career that won't pay much but that has a high cost of education tagged to it.
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I think It is obvious that in the beginning of our career we should expect to make on the lower range of predicted salaries. My question is, is it stupid to take on a $100,000 loan if one may be making $45,000-60,000 after graduating? This forum points out the ugly truth that we are going into a career that won't pay much but that has a high cost of education tagged to it.
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I wouldn't say it's stupid, given the $100,000 is more or less an investment to get you to a position that brings satisfaction for the rest of your life.
I wouldn't say it's stupid, given the $100,000 is more or less an investment to get you to a position that brings satisfaction for the rest of your life.