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Public health advisor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a public health advisor. Public health advisors usually study public health, psychology, or business. 60% of public health advisors hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 862 real public health advisor resumes to see exactly what public health advisor education sections show.

The most common colleges for public health advisors are the City College of New York of the City University of New York, The and the City College of New York of the City University of New York, The.

There are also many online public health advisor courses to help get the education required to be a public health advisor.

There are certain public health advisor certifications that you should consider. These public health advisor certifications include Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) and Certified in Public Health (CPH).

What education do you need to become a public health advisor?

What degree do you need to be a public health advisor?

The most common degree for public health advisors is bachelor's degree, with 60% of public health advisors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 29% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Master's, 29%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a public health advisor?

You should major in public health to become a public health advisor. 18% of public health advisors major in public health. Other common majors for a public health advisor include psychology and business.

Most common colleges for public health advisors

Public health advisors often get their degrees at City College of New York of the City University of New York, The, York College, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for public health advisors in the US based on their resumes.
Public health advisor common collegePercentages
City College of New York of the City University of New York, The10.07%
York College9.35%
New York University7.19%
Hunter College of the City University of New York6.47%
George Washington University, The6.47%

Best majors for public health advisors

RankMajorPercentages
1Public Health17.8%
2Psychology11.6%
3Business9.0%
4Health Education7.8%
5Biology6.9%

Best colleges for public health advisors

The best colleges for public health advisors are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A public health advisor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for public health advisors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become public health advisors.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

5. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$43,884

Enrollment

6,917

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

20 best online courses for public health advisors

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1. Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice

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Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving...

2. Global Health Policy

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In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health...

3. Health Data 101

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4.4
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An Introduction to Health Data for data analysts...

4. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Health & Wellness

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4.7
(594)

Learn about holistic health, wellness, key biomarkers, good sleep and ways to optimize your health...

5. Systems Thinking In Public Health

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This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and...

6. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives

coursera

Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of...

7. Mental Health Ambassador Certificate

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4.6
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Be a leader in improving society's mental health and learn to provide mental health first aid...

8. Public Health in Humanitarian Crises 2

coursera

This course, Public Health in Humanitarian Crises 2, addresses public health issues of people affected by disasters, both natural or conflict-related. It discusses the many changes that occur in people’s lives when they are uprooted by a disaster, including many important topics related to humanitarian crises, such as when there is an epidemic a public health emergency; what do we mean with the humanitarian development nexus; what are the basics of disaster epidemiology and surveillance;...

9. The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health

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The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health provides an engaging overview of the incredible accomplishments and promise of the public health field. The first module includes interviews with legendary public health figures whose work led to millions of lives saved with vaccines, air bags and car seats, and the federal Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. The second module brings key public health tools to life -- including use of data, communications, and policy - through...

10. Major Depression in the Population: A Public Health Approach

coursera

Public Mental Health is the application of the principles of medicine and social science to prevent the occurrence of mental and behavioral disorders and to promote mental health of the population. This course illustrates the principles of public health applied to depressive disorder, including principles of epidemiology, transcultural psychiatry, health services research, and prevention. It is predicted that by 2020 depressive disorder will be the most important cause of disease burden in the...

11. Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

coursera

The Center for Humanitarian Emergencies is a partnership between CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch and the Rollins School of Public Health that drives global collaboration, research and evidence based training to improve the lives and well-being of populations impacted by humanitarian emergencies. - Center for Humanitarian Emergencies: http://www.che.emory.edu/ - CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch: http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/errb/index.html This course...

12. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

13. Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy

coursera

Welcome to "Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy". One Health is the concept that human, animal, and environmental/ecosystem health are linked. The concept provides a useful framework for examining complex health issues such as food safety and security, emerging and vector-borne diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. It can be used to analyze government policies to determine if they are effective in improving health and well-being. Agriculture is the foundation of...

14. Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease

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This course aims to provide current understanding about extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their role in health and diseases. The EVs are known to be involved in cell to cell communication. Apart from maintaining normal cell physiology, EVs deliver messages that can drive or influence the progression of a disease. This course discusses recent advances made in the field to give an introduction on their function in health as well as in disease.This course includes four modules. Module 1 is an...

15. Foundational Skills for Communicating About Health

coursera

Effective communication is a core skill that nearly every health professional will need and use during their careers. Yet, few health professionals receive even basic training in how to design communications to be clear and successful. As “foundational skills,” the content in this course can be applied to both oral and written communication, within and beyond health. Learners will develop the skills to: analyze and tailor a communication effort for different audiences, develop clear messages,...

16. Introduction to Digital health

coursera

This course introduces the field of digital health and the key concepts and definitions in this emerging field. The key topics include Learning Health Systems and Electronic Health Records and various types of digital health technologies to include mobile applications, wearable technologies, health information systems, telehealth, telemedicine, machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data. These technologies are assessed in terms of the key opportunities and challenges to their use...

17. Population Health: Syndemics

coursera

Do you wish to contribute to breaking cycles of ill-health in disadvantaged populations? And explore co-occurrence of diseases, such as substance abuse, infectious and chronic disease, and the relation with social factors (disparities)? Are you disappointed in the poor effectiveness of interventions for combined social and medical problems? Then this syndemics course might provide you with some answers. In medicine, diseases are generally approached as distinct entities, in isolation from other...

18. The Influence of Social Context on Health

coursera

Why are some groups healthier than others, and how do these differences emerge and persist over the life course? How do social policies (e.g., housing, transportation, employment) relate to health and health inequalities? Why are there health disparities even in countries that have free universal health care? This course will address conceptual models for understanding health disparities in the US and internationally, how population science identifies the main sources of these disparities, and...

19. Health Systems Development: Introduction to Health Systems

coursera

This specialization is intended for people interested in health systems and how they function. Participants will learn about the global health systems landscape and the challenges and opportunities to achieve better health outcomes. This specialisation is divided into three courses which are offered as massive online open access courses (Courses 1-3), and a fourth course which is offered as part of the Online MPH degree (capstone). The Health Systems Development specialisation is geared toward...

20. Comparative Health Systems

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This course uses comparative analysis of health care systems to gain a better understanding of health care systems in several high-income, middle-income and low-income countries. One focus of analysis in this course will therefore be to develop a better knowledge of these health care systems. A second focus will be to use to this analysis to gain a better understanding of the health care system in the United States. This analysis is relevant for those who are directly interested in the United...

Top 10 most affordable universities for public health advisors

The most affordable schools for public health advisors are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for public health advisors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for public health advisors.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for public health advisors

The hardest universities for public health advisors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for public health advisors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for public health advisors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

7. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for public health advisors

The easiest schools for public health advisors to get into are Barry University, adventhealth university, and marymount university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a public health advisor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for public health advisors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

3. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

4. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

5. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average public health advisor salary by education level

Public health advisors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $52,610 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, public health advisors earn a median annual income of $45,267 compared to $39,555 for public health advisors with an Associate degree.
Public health advisor education levelPublic health advisor salary
Master's Degree$52,610
High School Diploma or Less$38,517
Bachelor's Degree$45,267
Some College/ Associate Degree$39,555

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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