So I've been trying to figure what kind of job you can get with an MPH degree..... just wondering if anyone knows if "public health analyst" is something you can do right after you get an MPH..
public health analyst
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The title is pretty vague, but anything with "Analyst" is typically a masters-level position (particularly in academics).
It just seems like the only solid career that you can have with JUST an MPH (if that's what you need to become a public health analyst), but overall I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly what you can do with an MPH.
I've read some pretty discouraging comments on here, some people say they don't make more than 40K, and others say they know people that have gone to Africa because they couldn't find a job here?!?! 😱
I'm not saying money is everything, I just don't want to waste time and energy to be broke....
I've read some pretty discouraging comments on here, some people say they don't make more than 40K, and others say they know people that have gone to Africa because they couldn't find a job here?!?! 😱
I'm not saying money is everything, I just don't want to waste time and energy to be broke....
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From my experience (keep in mind, this is from an environmental health (read: toxicology), epidemiology, and biostatistics point of view), people have no problem finding a job. I don't know about other disciplines nearly as much.
I've been working in public health for the past six years. As far as getting a job post MPH I don't think one would have too much trouble. In local and state government I haven't seen an MPH as a requirment for anything, but on the other hand many people have an MPH, so it's like an unwritten rule. Your job function after you graduate will likely depend on your MPH concentration; if you concentrate in epidemiology you would probably want to focus in epidemiology. However there are many "new" specialties such as emergency preparedness. I've been working in this feild and advanced successfully without having formal emergency management education. A lot of the agencies I've worked for have been really flexible and have allowed me to do what I wanted and was good at. For example, I have an epi degree and approach preparedness issues in a much different way (more data driven) than say someone with an emergency management degree.
As far as pay, you will probably make about $40,000 right out of college depending on where you get a job. But it's not that hard to advance and there are positions out there paying greater than $100,000.
I can't really speak about academic and corporate jobs, so I'll leave that to others.
As far as pay, you will probably make about $40,000 right out of college depending on where you get a job. But it's not that hard to advance and there are positions out there paying greater than $100,000.
I can't really speak about academic and corporate jobs, so I'll leave that to others.
It all depends on what you do and who you work for and the skills you gain, (not every epi person, community health person, etc. will necessarily end up having the same skills even if they come from the same program). Every single job out there and their payrates aren't going to be advertised. Also, experience plays a big factor so that's why the experiences we choose to do and gain during our MPH will be an important stepping stone.
Right.
It's not as if there is some unspoken collusion out there to only pay MPH graduates $40,000 a year. Public Health is such a broad field. There are so may jobs doing so many things. The ceiling is really only your own.
The positions I was referring to were administrator level positions. I know many health department's pay their administrators and even their second level administrators in that range, depending on how large the jurisdiction is.
I guess all I was saying is that entry level public health is about 40k, but it's not hard to move up. The work you put in after your degree will be much more important than the work you put in during it (as long as you are capable). You will also probably end up wearing multiple hats. I've worked places where I was in charge of emergency preparedness, epidemiology and public information (at verying levels).
Governmental public health will use you for what you can do, not based on your degree title. I've seen good people with only a B.S. degree advance past people with MPH degrees because they were competent and hard working.
Also, to check out the pay range for many public health positions, look at the public health employment connection from emory, NACCHO, USA Jobs and other public health employment services.
I guess all I was saying is that entry level public health is about 40k, but it's not hard to move up. The work you put in after your degree will be much more important than the work you put in during it (as long as you are capable). You will also probably end up wearing multiple hats. I've worked places where I was in charge of emergency preparedness, epidemiology and public information (at verying levels).
Governmental public health will use you for what you can do, not based on your degree title. I've seen good people with only a B.S. degree advance past people with MPH degrees because they were competent and hard working.
Also, to check out the pay range for many public health positions, look at the public health employment connection from emory, NACCHO, USA Jobs and other public health employment services.
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If it makes anyone a little less worried, at state-level government, an entry-level epidemiology or environmental health job usually plays closer to $50k than $40k, too (at least at states I was interviewing at for jobs when I was looking at potentially working: MA, ME, CO, NM).
Yes and the benefit packages are usually great. When I worked for state government I paid almost nothing for my health insurance. Had tuition reimbursement and a good match for my 410k.
thanks everyone, all of your responses have been reallyy helpful. I have one more question... for all of you that have jobs right now, did you get your MPH degrees from accredited schools? and how come do you think that matters?
