Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) salaries

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kw679676

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Hey folks. I'm working on my DrPH and want to know the outlook for potential salaries. It's hard to find information because the degree tends to be for people who are already established in their career and have varying levels of experience. Any anecdotal info or salary data would be appreciated.

I have my MPH (Tufts, '12), and presently doing a combined DrPH with Peace Corps (University at Albany, SUNY, expected '16). It's much like the Masters International Program so I'm hoping to use the non-competitive employment benefit with the federal government once I'm finished. I have a couple years of full time work experience at Harvard, and was given an adjunct instructor position for masters and doctoral level coursework for epidemiology students at my present university. Figured this might be pertinent information since I at least have some work experience.

My MPH is in Global Health and DrPH is in Epidemiology/Leadership and Management tract. Just wondering how I measure up to DrPH professionals who are established. I'm worried because I'm relatively young for this degree (26 years old), and I feel like I will be competing against much older people with a lot more work experience, and will ultimately not see any improved salary outlook upon graduating. I would appreciate your input, thanks!

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It really varies by type of industry you're looking at getting into. Want to be a faculty member at a school? (all starting salaries) That's like $70k+. Looking at being a researcher at a CRO? Depending on your title, that could be like $80k+. Want to work as a consultant at a management firm? That could be over $120k+. Depends on career and direction.
 
It sounds from your description like you want to be working for the US Federal government and be stationed in the field. Salaries for those types of positions are publicly available online. See http://www.usaid.gov/work-with-us/careers/vacancy-announcements and USAjobs.gov. A DrPH with a few years of solid international experience should come in at no less than GS-12 pay grade, but more probably GS-13. Note that there is also a "post hardship" bonus on top of your base pay, typically 20-25% (http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/location.asp?menu_id=95), and that all costs of living are also covered. The Global health fellows program is a good entree into USAID, and the various fellowship programs such as EIS are a good foot in the door of CDC.

An overall point - I believe experience matters more than degrees in global health positions based in the field.
 
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