Best Schools for Public Health

Public Health graduates earn a median of $34,183 within two years of graduation, ranking #168 out of 292 tracked majors — 4% below the median across all fields. There are 162 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 12,940 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Montana Technological University graduates earn $64,344 while Southwest University at El Paso graduates earn $21,312 — a $43,032 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Public Health graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

162
Schools
$34,183
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#168
of 292 Majors
12,940
Graduates

Public vs Private: Public Health

Public (104 schools)
$34,561
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (39 schools)
$33,591
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Public Health, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Public Health by State

Top Public Health Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
M

Montana Technological University

Butte, MT · Public

$64,344
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,640
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 89.9%
#2
O

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI · Public

$55,512
2yr Earnings
1yr: $61,508
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 70.2%
#3
I

Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public

$50,439
2yr Earnings
1yr: $51,383
Grads: 59
Acceptance: 89.0%
#4
C

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,766
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 89.6%
#5
W

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,438
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 79.2%
#6
W

Walden University

Minneapolis, MN ·

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,197
Grads: 48
Acceptance: N/A
#7
U

University of Central Oklahoma

Edmond, OK · Public

$44,216
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,015
Grads: 136
Acceptance: 81.8%
#8
U

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eau Claire, WI · Public

$44,189
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,418
Grads: 29
Acceptance: 76.1%
#9
G

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 43.5%
#10
G

Georgetown University

Washington, DC · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 13.1%
#11
S

St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg, FL ·

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,491
Grads: 70
Acceptance: N/A
#12
J

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,342
Grads: 92
Acceptance: 7.6%
#13
I

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

$42,510
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,665
Grads: 164
Acceptance: 80.4%
#14
A

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV ·

$42,309
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,321
Grads: 72
Acceptance: N/A
#15
B

Boise State University

Boise, ID · Public

$42,188
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.0%
#16
T

Tufts University

Medford, MA · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,060
Grads: 56
Acceptance: 10.1%
#17
N

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,675
Grads: 53
Acceptance: 9.4%
#18
C

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI · Public

$41,007
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 91.0%
#19
N

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ · Public

$40,792
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,324
Grads: 221
Acceptance: 91.0%
#20
U

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

$40,253
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,283
Grads: 176
Acceptance: 43.7%
#21
U

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$40,140
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,447
Grads: 154
Acceptance: 11.7%
#22
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$39,909
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,791
Grads: 222
Acceptance: 44.8%
#23
N

National University

San Diego, CA · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,604
Grads: 63
Acceptance: N/A
#24
M

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO · Public

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,227
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 97.4%
#25
C

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

$39,585
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 54.0%
#26
A

American University

Washington, DC · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,775
Grads: 76
Acceptance: 47.4%
#27
U

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 94.8%
#28
U

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,238
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 84.4%
#29
W

Winona State University

Winona, MN · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 68.5%
#30
W

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC · Public

$38,829
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,148
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 86.7%
#31
U

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC · Public

$38,649
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,894
Grads: 50
Acceptance: 80.2%
#32
F

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, PA · Private

$38,337
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 31.8%
#33
S

Simmons University

Boston, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,844
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 66.0%
#34
U

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 72.5%
#35
U

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $67,218
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 93.6%
#36
U

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL · Public

$37,980
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,845
Grads: 39
Acceptance: 78.5%
#37
I

Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN · Public

$37,956
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,795
Grads: 151
Acceptance: 81.4%
#38
U

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Lowell, MA · Public

$37,568
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,781
Grads: 80
Acceptance: 85.2%
#39
R

Regis College

Weston, MA · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,787
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 89.3%
#40
K

Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale, FL · Private

$37,208
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,822
Grads: 128
Acceptance: 97.4%
#41
I

Indiana University-South Bend

South Bend, IN · Public

$37,208
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.0%
#42
D

Duke University

Durham, NC · Private

$37,208
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 6.8%
#43
U

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

$37,179
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,267
Grads: 239
Acceptance: 42.5%
#44
U

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA · Public

$37,179
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,267
Grads: 239
Acceptance: 83.0%
#45
C

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,217
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 55.6%
#46
S

Sullivan University

Louisville, KY ·

$36,848
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#47
H

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,093
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 70.6%
#48
N

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,828
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 99.2%
#49
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$36,608
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,881
Grads: 57
Acceptance: 50.8%
#50
C

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Public

$36,401
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,199
Grads: 29
Acceptance: 90.2%

Showing top 50 of 162 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Public Health?
Montana Technological University ranks #1 for Public Health with median graduate earnings of $64,344 within two years. There are 162 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Public Health graduates earn?
Public Health graduates earn an average of $34,183 within two years of graduation. This is near the median across all majors. Earnings range from $21,312 to $64,344 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Public Health program?
The average acceptance rate across Public Health programs is 73.0%. The most selective program is at Brown University with a 5.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Public Health?
Private Public Health programs average $33,591 in early earnings vs $34,561 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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