Public Health Job Outlook
Learn about careers in public health and what the job outlook is through 2026.
The term “public health” is a large umbrella that covers careers from statistician to social worker. So it’s no surprise that public health careers appeal to a wide range of people with diverse skills, interests and backgrounds.
The variety of jobs available makes public health a good fit for many students who seek to use their abilities and passions for the public good. However, it can also provide a challenge when attempting to take the pulse of the public health industry as a whole. Graduates with Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees may qualify for any number of jobs, including those listed below.
| Biomedical statistician | Industrial waste director |
| Chronic disease epidemiologist | Infection control officer |
| Clinical trials analyst | Infectious disease epidemiologist |
| Director of environmental health | Project manager |
| Director of epidemiology program | Public health officer |
| Director of industrial hygiene | Radiation safety specialist |
| Director of municipal water treatment plant | Survey statistician |
| Genetics data analyst | Water quality investigator |
Across this broad spectrum of job titles, public health career opportunities are growing. Here are job growth statistics for some public health fields.
Statistics for Public Health Career Specialties
To understand the job market you’ll face upon graduation, you’ll need to learn about the trends in your chosen public health career path. As you can see, careers in public health have a positive projected growth rate. The information below summarizes the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ current Occupational Outlook Handbook data and projections for common specialty areas in public health:
| Area of Public Health | Job Growth through 2026 | Top Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Health Educators | 16 percent | Hospitals, non-profit organizations, state and local government |
| Epidemiologists | 9 percent | Scientific research facilities, colleges and universities, pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing |
| Social Workers | 15 percent | Hospitals and clinics, nursing homes, community mental health clinics |
| Statisticians | 33 percent | Federal government, scientific research facilities, colleges and universities |
*The BLS lists the national average for all occupations at 7 percent through 2026. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.