Find and compare public health degrees

A public health degree prepares you to protect and improve the health of whole communities and populations, rather than to treat individual patients, and it is offered at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.

Learners can explore different types of public health degrees, including traditional or online bachelor’s in public health programs designed to provide foundational knowledge and essential skills. Prospective learners can also explore a Master of Public Health (MPH), which allows them to focus on an area of public health that interests them, as well as online MPH programs that offer greater flexibility.

• What is public health?
• What is a public health degree?
• Types of public health degrees
• How to choose the best public health degree for you

What is public health?

Before setting out to find the right public health degree program for you, it’s important to understand the definition of public health. What is public health, and why is it important? The CDC Foundation defines public health as “the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.”

The American Public Health Association (APHA) gives examples of public health work, such as tracking disease outbreaks and vaccinating communities, setting safety standards to protect workers, and advocating for laws that keep people safe. APHA also draws the key distinction between the two fields: health care treats people who are sick, while public health aims to prevent illness and injury across entire populations.

Why is public health important?

Public health professionals help keep communities around the world safe, protected, and healthy. According to the CDC Foundation, public health plays a major role in increasing life expectancy and reducing illness. In the United States, life expectancy at birth was 79.0 years in 2024, according to final mortality data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. That represents an increase from 78.4 years in 2023.

Overview of public health in the United States

Public health in the United States is an expansive field. At the federal level, the CDC provides data, health guidance and preventive measures to the American public, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety of drugs, medical devices, the food supply and other products. The work is broad: APHA’s examples include addressing the impact of climate change on health, and the CDC Foundation cites disease prevention campaigns and emergency response efforts.

What is a public health degree?

A public health degree can lead to many kinds of work. APHA’s examples of public health professionals include epidemiologists, biostatisticians, health educators, nutritionists, sanitarians, occupational health and safety professionals, community planners and policymakers. Accredited programs build a shared foundation in public health history, concepts and methods, then let students specialize through a concentration, as the next section explains.

What is a public health major, and what will you study?

At the undergraduate level, public health is studied as a major or concentration within a bachelor’s degree. CEPH’s bachelor’s degree criteria require accredited public health majors to cover areas such as the history of public health, determinants of health, biology and the science of chronic and infectious disease, public health statistics and data collection, global health, the U.S. health care and public health systems, ethics, and policy.

Graduate programs build on that foundation. Under CEPH’s accreditation criteria for schools and programs of public health, every accredited Master of Public Health program assesses students on 22 foundational competencies, in areas such as epidemiological and data methods, health systems, program planning and evaluation, policy, leadership and communication, plus at least five competencies in the student’s concentration. The table below summarizes what CEPH requires at each degree level, drawing on both sets of criteria. CEPH is revising these requirements, so confirm the details with each program.

Where can you get a public health degree?

Public health degrees are offered at colleges and universities, as well as some medical schools across the United States. CEPH’s accredited list groups them into schools of public health, public health programs and standalone bachelor’s programs. Some schools have public health programs that can be completed online, either in full or with some on-campus components, and CEPH’s degree search lets you filter accredited degrees by degree type, concentration, state and online delivery.

Look for schools with programs accredited by CEPH. Accreditation means a school or program has been reviewed against CEPH’s published criteria, and CEPH updates its list within 30 days of an accreditation decision, so check a program’s current status there. Accreditation also connects to certification: under the National Board of Public Health Examiners’ eligibility rules, each CEPH-accredited graduate school or program (or one applying for accreditation) identifies which of its students are eligible to take the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam, and students who pass are provisionally certified until they graduate.

Alumni who completed a master’s or doctoral degree at a CEPH-accredited school or program are also eligible, provided they graduated on or after the date it was accredited. Other candidates can qualify through work experience, such as a bachelor’s degree plus at least five years of public health work. Our public health degrees overview explains CEPH accreditation in more detail.

What can you do with a public health degree?

As a public health graduate, what you can do with a public health degree depends on the type of degree you earn and the track you choose.

Degree level shapes the kind of work a program prepares you for. CEPH’s bachelor’s criteria aim to give public health majors a foundation for employment or further education after graduation. Among graduate degrees, CEPH distinguishes professional degrees for public health practice, such as the MPH and DrPH, from academic degrees that prepare students for research, as the table above shows.

To gauge earning potential, look at pay for the specific job and location you have in mind: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage estimates for about 830 occupations, for the nation, individual states, and metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Learn about some of the highest paying jobs in public health.

Types of public health degrees

There are different types of public health degrees you can choose from. To find a public health degree that’s right for you, consider your long-term career goals and areas of interest.

Public health degrees by education level

Public health degrees are available at all levels—undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate.

Bachelor’s degree in public health

A bachelor’s degree in public health covers the broad foundation described above, from the history of public health to data collection and policy.

Options for bachelor’s degree programs in public health are available on campus and online. Learn more about bachelor’s degrees in public health.

Master’s degree in public health

A master’s degree builds on that foundation; every CEPH-accredited MPH covers the 22 foundational competencies described above plus further competencies the program defines. Apart from a Master of Public Health, there are also MPH/RD programs for learners who want to become registered dietitians (RDs); the Commission on Dietetic Registration requires a graduate degree, along with coursework and supervised practice, to take the registration exam for dietitians. Other options include master’s in healthcare administration programs for learners interested in managing health services (O*NET describes health services managers as planning, directing or coordinating services at hospitals, clinics, public health agencies and similar organizations), and master’s in health informatics degree programs.

Under CEPH’s criteria, every accredited MPH is offered either in a named concentration, such as epidemiology or community health, or as a generalist degree. Learn more about master’s degrees in public health.

Doctoral degrees in public health

Doctoral programs come in two main types. CEPH describes the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) as the professional doctoral degree in public health, designed to produce academic and practice leaders, while research doctorates such as the PhD or ScD are designed to prepare public health researchers and scholars. The table above compares their requirements.

Learn more about doctoral degrees in public health.

Public health degrees by concentration

Concentrations exist at both levels: CEPH’s bachelor’s criteria apply to public health majors and concentrations, and accredited MPH and DrPH programs add competencies specific to each concentration they offer. Public health concentrations let you study one area in more depth.

Biostatistics degree

Biostatistics learners study how statistical methods are applied to health and the life sciences. O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor’s occupational database, describes biostatisticians as developing and applying biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences, with tasks such as analyzing clinical or survey data and calculating sample sizes for clinical studies.

Learn more about biostatistics degrees.

Community health degree

Community health learners focus on the health of whole communities. Work in this area includes community health education and health promotion: O*NET describes health education specialists as using data to identify community needs, then planning, implementing and evaluating programs that encourage healthy lifestyles, policies and environments.

Learn more about community health degrees.

Epidemiology degree

Epidemiology learners examine the patterns and causes of disease and other health outcomes. O*NET describes epidemiologists as investigating and describing the determinants and distribution of disease, disability or health outcomes, and notes that they may develop the means for prevention and control. According to the CDC Foundation, epidemiologists typically work from state or local public health offices.

Learn more about epidemiology degrees.

Global health degree

Global health learners examine health issues and disparities around the world. CEPH’s bachelor’s criteria describe global health concepts as including differing disease burdens, global health agencies, intersections with human rights, and resource-specific challenges.

Learn more about global health degrees.

Environmental health degree

Environmental health, or environmental health sciences, learners study the environment and how it affects human health. O*NET describes the work of environmental health specialists as identifying, abating or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect the environment or public health, using data from air, food, soil, water and other sources.

Learn more about environmental health degrees.

Occupational health degree

Occupational health learners study health and safety in the workplace. O*NET describes occupational health and safety specialists as reviewing work environments and designing programs to prevent disease or injury, with tasks that include conducting safety training and new-employee health and safety orientations.

Learn more about occupational health degrees.

Nutrition degree

Nutrition learners study food and nutrients and their effects on health. O*NET describes dietitians and nutritionists as planning and conducting food service or nutritional programs to promote health and control disease, and APHA’s examples of public health work include developing school nutrition programs so children have access to healthy food.

Learn more about nutrition degrees.

How to choose the best public health degree for you

Choosing the right public health degree program for you will involve research and careful consideration. Here are a few key factors to consider when selecting a public health degree:

1. Your long-term professional goals. Match the degree level to the work you want: a bachelor’s degree builds a foundation for employment or further study, professional degrees such as the MPH and DrPH focus on public health practice, and academic degrees focus on research.
2. Your strengths and areas of interest. Explore concentrations and speak with experts or peers in the field to determine which areas interest you most.
3. Your personality traits. Explore your personality type and potential career path by visiting our page on public health degrees based on your personality.
4. Your preferred learning environment. Public health degrees are offered online and on campus. Consider which format matches your preferred learning environment.

Online degrees vs. degrees in your state

Some MPH programs are offered on campus and some public health programs can be completed online. Your needs and lifestyle often determine which program is best for you. If your desired school is outside your state, would you prefer to relocate or seek alternative offerings that allow for remote study? There are many online MPH programs available. Before selecting one of them, consider the pros and cons of completing a degree program online. Specialty areas are also important to consider during the decision-making process. Depending on your interests, you can choose to enroll in an online MHA program, online master’s in health informatics, or another concentration.

Similarly, you can search for MPH programs by state. We’ve compiled a list of program offerings and schools in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, and other states.

Think through all the factors—in-state, out-of-state, on-campus, online, full-time, or part-time—to make the most informed decision based on your circumstances.

Popular career paths

The public health field can offer a meaningful opportunity to do good for the community you serve, regardless of its size. Partnerships and advocacy are part of the foundation: CEPH’s bachelor’s criteria include strategies to build partnerships to improve health and the legislative processes behind public health policy and advocacy.

Before enrolling in a program, learning about potential public health career paths can help you develop clarity and goals. Examples include epidemiologists, who investigate the causes and distribution of disease; biostatisticians, who apply statistical methods to the life sciences; registered dietitians, who plan and conduct nutrition programs to promote health; and healthcare administrators, who plan, direct or coordinate health services, as O*NET describes these roles.

There are a variety of career opportunities in public health. APHA notes that public health work spans the government, business and nonprofit sectors.

Next steps for a career in public health

If you’re ready to pursue a career in public health, now is the time to find a program that is best suited for you. You can explore our directory of public health degrees by level, program, and concentration to find the information you’re looking for and easily get in touch with a school to learn more about their specific offerings. If you still have questions, you may review our guide on public health resources, where you can find information on public health scholarships that include those for MPH learners, public health certifications, and more.

Are we missing a program or school? Let us know. We are a growing website solely focused on public health education.