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Job outlook for public health analysts in the United States
Are public health analyst jobs in demand?
Public health analyst job and salary trends over time
Public health analyst jobs over time
Public health analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,370 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,459 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,487 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,495 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,464 | 0.00% |
Average public health analyst salary over time
Public health analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $62,803 | $30.19 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $61,380 | $29.51 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $60,268 | $28.98 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $59,957 | $28.83 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $58,990 | $28.36 | +2.1% |
Public health analyst jobs by state
Most common states for public health analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 350 | 50% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 133 | 21% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,306 | 19% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,024 | 18% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,393 | 16% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,051 | 16% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 957 | 16% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 252 | 15% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 110 | 15% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,422 | 14% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 133 | 14% |
| 12 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,526 | 13% |
| 13 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,289 | 13% |
| 14 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 880 | 13% |
| 15 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 807 | 13% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 725 | 13% |
| 17 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 422 | 13% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 142 | 13% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 110 | 13% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 78 | 13% |
Most common cities for public health analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 3 | 11% | $69,898 |
| 2 | Juneau | 3 | 9% | $65,756 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $86,132 |
| 4 | Dover | 3 | 8% | $71,274 |
| 5 | Tallahassee | 8 | 4% | $46,623 |
| 6 | Silver Spring | 3 | 4% | $85,740 |
| 7 | Lansing | 3 | 3% | $64,962 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 10 | 2% | $64,111 |
| 9 | Hartford | 3 | 2% | $90,580 |
| 10 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $55,726 |
| 11 | Denver | 4 | 1% | $59,072 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge | 3 | 1% | $69,085 |
| 13 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $59,028 |
| 14 | Montgomery | 3 | 1% | $62,486 |
| 15 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $75,428 |
| 16 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $76,975 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $75,467 |
| 18 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $54,155 |
Public Health Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of public health analyst experts
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Texas A&M University San Antonio
University of North Florida
University of South Florida
Idaho State University
SUNY College at Oswego
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Baylor University
Tennessee State University
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Michigan State University
North Dakota State University
The University of West Florida
University of San Francisco
University of Baltimore
University of Indianapolis
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Catherine Annis Ph.D.: The jobs that pay top dollar in the public sector are leadership positions or highly specialized roles, so it is important to focus on building your credentials. Utilize resources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to easily explore careers by salary, field of degree, education requirements, predicted job growth, and more. Identify and target the jobs you might want early on. Build experience in the content, skills, and experience that will make you a strong candidate for the job. Keep track of instances where you made a positive impact and demonstrated performance success for future job applications and interviews!
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Catherine Annis Ph.D.: The world continues to become more interconnected, digitized, and globalized. Strong public sector candidates will be able to demonstrate skills related to collaboration, technology, and foreign language proficiency.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Catherine Annis Ph.D.: Seek out those in the career paths that you are interested in and ask to meet. Ask them questions about how they got there and details about their work. In this way, you can assess whether that career trajectory fits you while also building your professional network.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Natalie Stepanian Ph.D., RN: Maximizing your salary is of course an important aspect of starting any career or job. When you are looking for your first job do your homework. You will need to look at the company or agency where you would like to apply for a job. You will need to understand what type a career ladder exists or potential for growth. You will want to know what type of benefits you will receive. Perhaps depending on your current degree, you may want to obtain a Masters in Public Health, will the company or agency help you with tuition? Would there be a career advance if you did obtain an MPH? Sometimes it is not about the highest paying job if the working environment is a healthy one and has room for growth may be more important. Do not dismiss the opportunities that exist in the U.S. Public Health Service (https://www.usphs.gov/) or working with the local, state, or federal Public Health Departments, they have many career opportunities.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Natalie Stepanian Ph.D., RN: Having a degree in Public Health can provide you many opportunities in the job market. There are a wide variety and levels of jobs that are available depending on the degree or degrees you hold. When you are first starting to look at possible venues you would like to work for start with a good internet search. There are many opportunities within the U.S. Public Health Service which most people are unaware of. You can also look at the Department of Health and Human Services with the federal government where Public Health is under their umbrella. This is a federal agency, there are also state and local Public Health Departments that have a variety of jobs. Some of the categories for jobs are: Epidemiology, Disaster and Emergency Specialists, Natural Science Managers, Public Health Nurses, Water Quality Planner, Healthcare Manager, Public Health Educator, Environmental Health Scientist, Biostatistician, Infection Preventionist, Public Health Consultant, Public Health Nutritionist, Health Policy Analyst, Biomedical Researcher, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Clinical Research Coordinator, Research Assistant, Nonprofit Coordinator, Nonprofit Executive Director, Social and Community Service Manager, just to name a few. Before you jump in see if you can arrange to shadow someone that is in a Public Health job so you can really see what the job will entail before you pursue it.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Natalie Stepanian Ph.D., RN: Since the Covid Pandemic of 2020 happened it has been very apparent that our Public Health infrastructure needs to be strengthened at the local, state, and federal levels. Currently there is a great need for individuals with Public Health degrees and training. I only see this need to continue to rise. The U.S. government is making efforts to fortify and strengthen our Public Health services. Between climate change, manmade and natural disasters, viral, bacterial, prion, and vector born illnesses new or emerging outbreaks are continuing.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Shawn Gibbs PhD, MBA, CIH: There are plenty of jobs available in the field of public health. However, the exact position you want may not be in the exact location you want at the exact time that you want. So, it is important to be flexible in your job search. Setting yourself apart from the rest of the applicant pool is also important, you can demonstrate this through your skillsets or through additional certifications that others may not have. Of course, I am biased, but I would also recommend a Texas A&M; University School of Public Health degree; we are a land-grant, space-grant, sea-grant, member of the Association of American Universities so we have everything you could need to set you up for success in your career.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shawn Gibbs PhD, MBA, CIH: The field of public health offers so many opportunities. I would recommend that you come into the field with a plan but be willing to adapt that plan when new opportunities or interests present themselves to you. This will allow you to accomplish your goals and set new goals as you learn more about public health and how it relates to your own interests and life goals.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Shawn Gibbs PhD, MBA, CIH: Public Health has a rich history. I think the ability to manage change in the field, including the applicability of new and evolving technologies. Communication is a skillset that always has value, you need to know your audience and be able to meet your audience where they are with your communications.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Stephanie Hooper MPH, HTL: Attaining degrees and additional credentials like certifications and licensures will certainly help with job options as well as salary increases. If there is an area of public health that is of particular interest (i.e., nutrition, physical activity, etc.), researching credible certifications or licenses and attaining them shows a mastery in that area, and dedication to continual education in order to maintain that credential. If there are many applicants competing for the same job, but you are able to show that you have advanced degrees or additional credentials, it could be the difference in landing the position over someone else. Additionally, it is important to recognize that even if you have advanced degrees and credentials, often times in life we have to be willing to start at a lower salary than we had hoped for and work our way up. Many times, public health students are offered positions following an internship role, but the pay may be less than anticipated. It is important to remember that hard work and experience are also essential for getting our salaries to where we want them to be.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Stephanie Hooper MPH, HTL: One of the most important things to do is volunteer or shadow at places that align with your future professional goals. Not only does doing these types of activities show potential employers that you are ambitious and willing to put in the time needed to be successful, sometimes we think that a career might be the one for us but once we get out there and try it, our opinion changes. Public health is an extremely broad field so getting hands-on experience can be extremely beneficial for helping to narrow down the choices and save time and money in the long run by eliminating what you are not interested in.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Stephanie Hooper MPH, HTL: In the next 5 years I think it will be extremely important to have basic computer skills in many areas including Microsoft Office and even data analysis software. No matter what area of public health we work in, data is collected and used to determine population health issues, resources available/lacking, and effectiveness of health or education programs. Therefore, if young professionals are able to utilize the basic data collection and analysis tools, they will be best prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, public speaking skills are essential in this field. Even if you land a job that does not require speaking at a conference, we are always tasked with presenting our public health findings to a wide variety of players including community members and various stakeholders; so, having presentation skills and being comfortable speaking in front of others is very useful. Aside from the aforementioned skills, I also believe that communication skills are necessary in public health. As I mentioned previously, we are interfacing with all sorts of groups, and with large populations of people. Therefore, aside from having the ability to speak publicly, understanding how to create written materials (i.e., fact sheets), and using social media to create health content is invaluable. Being that technology is continually expanding, and along with that means of communication are shifting, it is important to stay on top of trends and familiarize ourselves with new communication platforms as they allow us to reach large audiences in real-time.
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH
Director of Marketing and CommunicationWhat general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH: Attached are responses from Claire Brown, MPH, Director for Student Experiences & Alumni Affairs, Rutgers School of Public Health.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH: Attached are responses from Claire Brown, MPH, Director for Student Experiences & Alumni Affairs, Rutgers School of Public Health.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Ms. Michelle Edelstein MPH: Attached are responses from Claire Brown, MPH, Director for Student Experiences & Alumni Affairs, Rutgers School of Public Health.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Laura Rusnak MPH, CPH, CHES: People need to know their specific area within public health and understand the salary potential for that specific field. They also need to realize that for-profit organizations are going to pay folks very differently than non-profits or governmental organizations. While salary is important, so are benefits like healthcare, educational assistance, work-life balance, and many others. Graduates need to consider the whole compensation package and do their research on the industry, as well as employer, within their field of interest.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laura Rusnak MPH, CPH, CHES: Find your passion and jump in to gain experience. Many students don't know "what I want to do with my life" and feel stuck. They don't know how to figure that out. It doesn't come from thinking about it. It comes from DOING it and gaining some hands-on experience. Part-time jobs, volunteering, and internships all provide invaluable experience that students need to figure out the best fit for them in the beginning of their careers. I advise students to get out there and gain experience early on, even before they graduate if they can. Getting into the field will help you decide if you're doing what you should be doing, and the steps you need to take to cultivate your career in public health.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Laura Rusnak MPH, CPH, CHES: Technology skills are essential, as are people skills. Being able to leverage technology is essential to improving health outcomes. But public health professionals also need to be able to deal with people. Technology is going to be able to do many of the tasks that people used to do. But it is people who will have to effectively leverage that technology and make sure that it is being used correctly/ethically. And people want to get health services from humans, not computers. Computers can't do what we do in public health. So we need to be able to leverage technology and keep doing what computers can't, personalizing public health activities.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Kristin Van De Griend PhD, MPH: Try to gather as much information as you can about current trends in salaries in the field. Ask your colleagues, professors, and career counselors, and then negotiate for yourself before you accept a job offer. Often, you can negotiate salary, paid time off, parental leave, and startup costs for research.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kristin Van De Griend PhD, MPH: According to the Council on Education for Public Health, graduates of public health programs should be skilled in explaining and addressing the 'cultural, social, political, and economic determinants of health and how the determinants relate to population health and health inequities.' They should also understand how globalization impacts population health, with special attention to disparities among different populations. The focus in public health has moved from individual behaviors and behavior change to communities and partnerships.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Kristin Van De Griend PhD, MPH: To maximize your salary potential, try to gather as much information as you can about current trends in salaries in the field. Ask your colleagues, professors, and career counselors, and then negotiate for yourself before you accept a job offer. Often, you can negotiate salary, paid time off, parental leave, and startup costs for research.
Dr. Jessica Harris CHES
Assistant Professor of Health Promotion and Wellness Management at SUNY Oswego, Assistant Associate Director of the Honors Program at SUNY Oswego, Part-time Instructor at Syracuse University Exercise Science Falk College, and Certified Health Education SpecialistSUNY College at Oswego
Gerontology
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Dr. Jessica Harris CHES: Adapting to evolving trends, technologies, and population needs will be critical for success in the health promotion field in the coming years. Alongside this trend, digital health literacy is set to become increasingly important, with virtual care delivery and integration of digital health technologies into everyday practice. Furthermore, cultural awareness and diversity awareness will remain essential as the field continues to serve diverse populations, requiring professionals to tailor interventions that resonate with different cultural backgrounds.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jessica Harris CHES: Acquiring additional certifications or specialized training in high-demand areas can significantly enhance your qualifications and marketability, thereby potentially increasing your earning potential. Secondly, actively seek out opportunities for career advancement and professional growth within your organization or through networking with industry peers and mentors.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jessica Harris CHES: For graduates stepping into their career field, I suggest fostering a curious and adaptable mindset. This is crucial as many fields are constantly evolving, with new research, technology, and approaches emerging regularly. Staying updated on current trends, best practices, and advancements can be achieved through seizing learning opportunities like workshops and conferences. Furthermore, strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for effective collaboration and engagement with diverse populations.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Gerard Carrino PhD, MPH: Many public health jobs are in the public and nonprofit sectors, which offer a lot of autonomy, authority, and visibility, while providing a good paycheck, great benefits, and solid job security. You can maximize your earning potential in these sectors by learning a few skills that most graduates and many in the workforce don’t have, such as project management, budgeting, and managing disaster scenarios. You can also double down on some highly sought-after skills like mathematical modeling of disease or working with Big Data, if that’s your skillset. More and more, private industry is recognizing the extraordinary value of the public health degree - which helps make it the second fastest-growing undergraduate degree in the nation - because our graduates hit the ground running and are able to apply real-world skills like critical thinking, evaluating evidence, and project management immediately after graduation.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gerard Carrino PhD, MPH: Public health professionals must be curious, open-minded, systematic, and adaptable to rapidly changing situations. Now and in the near future, being creative and cool-headed and having an entrepreneurial spirit will certainly help too. At the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, we teach all our students to think critically; to evaluate facts and evidence fairly, systematically, and dispassionately; and to make tough decisions when situations are uncertain. By the time you graduate from a public health program, you should have a command of common tools like Microsoft Excel, you should understand the great promise and potential peril of artificial intelligence, you should be able to interpret Big Data to make important decisions, and you should be able to spot misinformation and disinformation from a mile away.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Gerard Carrino PhD, MPH: Be curious, and be open to a very different way of thinking about health, healthcare, illness, and wellness. Rather than working to cure disease or to fix people up after they get sick or hurt, public health professionals work to make sure they don't get sick or injured in the first place. At the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, our goal is to ensure the well-being of entire communities and populations, analyzing trends, identifying root causes, and implementing interventions to promote health and wellness on a large scale.
Gabriel Benavidez MPH, PhD
Assistant Professor - EpidemiologyBaylor University
Public Health
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Gabriel Benavidez MPH, PhD: I think students can maximize their salary potential by having a strong technical skill set. The more a graduate knows how to do, the more valuable they make themselves to future employers. Another important aspect is networking. Graduates should also attempt build a large network of individuals from a variety of different career fields. Building a strong professional network can open doors to opportunities that may not be advertised publicly. Attend industry conferences, join professional organizations, and connect with alumni to expand your network
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gabriel Benavidez MPH, PhD: Many skills in the field of public health are likely to become more crucial due to technological advancements and evolving health priorities. Proficiency in data analytics and digital health tools will be extremely important as public health increasingly relies on big data and telehealth technologies for decision-making and health management. Skills in health equity and cultural competency will be essential, with a growing focus on designing inclusive health programs that address disparities and reach diverse communities effectively. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and crisis management. Public health professionals will need to adeptly manage cross-sector partnerships and navigate complex crisis scenarios, including emergency preparedness and response. Effective communication and policy advocacy skills will also be critical for conveying public health messages and influencing health policies in response to emerging global health challenges and misinformation.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Gabriel Benavidez MPH, PhD: I would tell recent public health graduates, both grad and undergrad, not to underestimate their skills. Public health training equips students with a robust and diverse range of skills that are highly applicable across various roles and fields, even outside traditional public health paths. So, when you're out there job hunting, think outside the box. Your public health skills are not just applicable to traditional public health roles; they’re applicable and needed across a spectrum of careers.
Charles Brown Ph.D., M.Ed.
Associate ProfessorTennessee State University
Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Charles Brown Ph.D., M.Ed.: Recent graduates should strive to acquire skills that are transferrable throughout various sectors of the health field. For instance, project management, business, and collaboration skills are imperative and tends to offer individuals numerous opportunities when seeking to maximize their overall salary potential.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Charles Brown Ph.D., M.Ed.: In the next 3-5 years, it will be important for graduates to become proficient in collecting, analyzing, and reporting data to better understand the barriers, facilitators, and effective strategies that may be used to help people improve their overall health.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Charles Brown Ph.D., M.Ed.: My advice to recent graduates is to become more self-aware of your professional strengths and areas for improvement in the field. With this in mind, pursuing opportunities that offers the ability to work on areas for improvement and utilizing key strengths may be the best approach for recent graduates. This realization may lead graduates to their next set of experiences in the field.
Amy Lee MD, MPH, MBA
Professor and Program DirectorNortheast Ohio Medical University
Public Health
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Amy Lee MD, MPH, MBA: For any field, including public health, I would advise a graduate to network—speak to everyone and find mentors. If you aspire to be promoted in your organization, talk to people who are in a job that you want and find out what they would advise that you do to grow and develop your career.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amy Lee MD, MPH, MBA: To maximize your salary potential, young professionals should keep on top of their field. This includes finding mentors, expanding your network, asking questions, finding out what others are doing.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Amy Lee MD, MPH, MBA: Public health is diverse! However, general skills that will be more important in the next few years are communication and the ability to collaborate. Being able to address misinformation and being able to use multiple channels of communication, including social media is important to deliver evidence-based information to the public. Collaboration is important to mobilize resources and to change systems to improve the community’s health.
Dr. Darline El Reda DrPH, MPH
Associate Director, Master of Public HealthMichigan State University
Public Health
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Dr. Darline El Reda DrPH, MPH: Data management skills and policy and health advocacy skills will continue to be very important skills in the near future, and this includes communication skills. We saw this during Covid-19 worldwide and we continue to see this regardless of the public health topic area. It goes without saying that as a society we are generating data in an unprecedented fashion (variety, volume, and velocity) and this will not change anytime soon. Our ability to leverage data to describe the drivers of sub-optimal health and communicate risk reduction strategies to those impacted will only be strengthened with advanced data manipulation skills, ability to leverage insights to advocate for and communicate to members of the public and policy makers.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Darline El Reda DrPH, MPH: Prioritize continuing to enhance skills that were developed or introduced in your public health studies. For example, you may have learned data analytic skills or a coding language; consider taking courses to earn a certification in a coding language or package (there are plenty of low cost of free trainings online); this demonstrates initiative and may save your Employer time and resources required to onboarding you. An employee that is viewed as entering the workforce ready to roll up their sleeves will be more likely to negotiate a higher salary. Also, do not forget to invest in field agnostic skills like project management and coaching employees; these are important for individual contributors and even more important for Managers or Directors. Ability to manage people and projects result in higher paid roles.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Darline El Reda DrPH, MPH: Public health is a broad field, and it may take you a few years (and, maybe a few positions) to discover what specific topics or areas of public health practice interest you the most. Be patient with this process because exposure to a wide variety of topics and interest areas will ultimately make you a stronger public health practitioner.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Akshaya Bhagavathula PhD: My daily tasks include: collecting and analyzing health-related data, conducting research, planning and evaluating public health programs, preparing reports, and collaborating with diverse teams to address public health challenges.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Akshaya Bhagavathula PhD: I strongly believe that pursuing a career as a Public Health analyst is an excellent choice in the current context. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of public health professionals in responding to health crises, protecting population health, and promoting health equity.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Akshaya Bhagavathula PhD: Public health analysts often find their work highly rewarding and fulfilling, as they have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on population health outcomes and reduce health disparities.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Wesley Farr MD, MPH: The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized how important it is to research current health issues, develop solutions, and analyze the effectiveness of existing and newly implemented programs. Ongoing infectious disease problems and future pandemics require a state of constant vigilance and preparedness. Health care requirements and utilization continue to expand, and demonstration of the effectiveness of programs is essential to optimize resources under budgetary constraints.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wesley Farr MD, MPH: A Public Health Analyst researches public health issues and creates programs to solve these public health problems. They research existing programs to determine if they are effective and need to be modified or expanded. Public Health Analysts advise other health and government officials on the extent of the issues and their recommended solutions. They also communicate with the public and the media through posters, reports, and news releases.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Wesley Farr MD, MPH: A Public Health Analyst research public health issues and create programs to solve these public health problems. Public Health Analysts research existing programs to determine if they are effective and need to be modified or expanded.
Public Health Analysts advise other health and government officials on the extent of the issues and their recommended solutions. They also communicate with the public and the media through posters, reports, and news releases.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Leland Ackerson ScD, MPH: For career advancement, students should learn, improve and demonstrate their soft skills directly relevant to the position, such as critical thinking, time management, communications, team work and willingness to take on challenges. It is important for new graduates to show that they can apply what they learned in classrooms to solve real-world problems, prove a strong ability to learn by themselves in new environments, and demonstrate their value to the company or organization.
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Leland Ackerson ScD, MPH: The use of data is becoming more important in all job fields, including public health. Skills in informatics and technology will be crucial in the coming years to allow public health professionals to collect, analyze, store, and communicate this information so they can optimize population health outcomes. Learning to use software for data visualization, information management, and statistical analysis will improve your ability to plan better public health strategies, and can really give a boost to your career prospects.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Leland Ackerson ScD, MPH: Networking is as crucial as ever. Accredited public health programs require a student to complete some kind of internship or practicum experience to graduate. Students have the most success after graduation if they use this practicum experience to gain, not just job skills, but also connections in their field and the people skills required to cultivate these connections. Any interaction can provide you with an important opportunity if you keep an open mind.
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Helisse Levine Ph.D.: Start building your resumes early and network before and during employment. Build
relationships! Research the market in terms of salary ranges and qualifications, and
don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Knowing your value is an essential part of the
negotiation process! If you are in service, ask for feedback, take on added
responsibilities, and be a good co-worker. Being personable goes a long way!
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Helisse Levine Ph.D.: While your MPH degree will provide the academic credentials and specialized
knowledge that employers want, take advantage of volunteer opportunities, fellowships,
workshops, internships, research projects, and practicum experiences that your
Program offers. As a recent MPH graduate embarking on a public health career, keep
in mind that career paths may not be linear, and your first position will most likely not be
your last. As artificial intelligence, healthcare systems, value-based care, and cross-
sector partnerships, such as business and government collaborations have become
more of the norm than the exceptions, and risk factors for emerging infectious disease
transmission have increased, familiarize yourself with the areas where public health
graduates are needed; remember the field is innovative and dynamic.
There are many rewarding career pathways for MPH graduates that lead to professional
and personal growth including community health, finance, strategic management,
healthcare administration, policy development, research, advocacy, and leadership.
Public health graduates have opportunities to work in government health, the
pharmaceutical industry, public hospitals, and the nonprofit and private sectors. Stay
the course and keep an open mind!
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Helisse Levine Ph.D.: Potential employers of MPH graduates seek skills that combine hard skills (e.g.,
data analysis, and program planning management achieved through your graduate
work) and soft skills that you can demonstrate. For example, be prepared to illustrate
with concrete examples that you work well in groups, both as a team leader and team
player, and can express how to solve problems effectively. According to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS Occupational Handbook), both Medical and Health Service
Managers and Epidemiologists are in the top ten of the fastest-growing occupations with
the highest projected percent change of employment between 2022-2032. The BLS
recommends analytical skills to improve efficiency and meet goals, written and speaking
communication skills to effectively convey information to all stakeholders, high levels of
detail orientation, and strong critical thinking skills in responding to a public health
problem. Importantly, to reduce systemic and structural barriers that result in health
inequities, public health officials must apply principles of ethics, diversity, equity, and
inclusion in the workplace. Financial management, including financial data
interpretation and communication, is also a value-added skill for success in your public
health career. Having the ability to assess and correct the organization's financial status
will set you above most MPH graduates.
Laura Chyu
Associate Professor, BSPH and MPH Program DirectorUniversity of San Francisco
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Public Health Analyst?
Laura Chyu: Explore volunteer and internship opportunities to gain practical experience and expand your perspectives. Valuable public health experience can be gained in settings outside of paid employment. Being involved in these learning opportunities demonstrates to employers the diversity of your experiences and your commitment to improving the health of communities, as well as your underlying values.
Be a lifelong learner. Seek professional development opportunities, including microcredentials, certifications, and online courses, to expand your technical skill set and/or content area knowledge. For example, you might consider learning a new statistical software package or get a certificate in disaster preparedness. If you plan on pursuing an advanced degree, prepare by fulfilling coursework or work experience requirements to make yourself a strong applicant.
Connect with others and build your professional network.
Stay connected with peers and colleagues and meet new contacts through LinkedIn or other online forums. Alumni networks are rich sources for connections and opportunities and can be tapped into via online spaces and in-person events. Conduct informational interviews with public health professionals to learn more about different career options, paths, and public health-related sectors (e.g. nonprofit, government, etc.) Consider finding a mentor to help guide you on your public health journey and support your professional growth
What Public Health Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laura Chyu: Communication and information management
Communication has always been central to public health, and writing and oral communication will continue to be essential skills. We also have to evolve with a rapidly changing information ecosystem and become adept with new forms of communication. This involves leveraging technology and social media to deliver accurate, reliable, evidence-based, culturally appropriate, and creative public health information. A written report or a Powerpoint presentation are appropriate in certain contexts, but public health information shared on social media via an infographic, video, or sound byte have become increasingly common and influential ways to reach a diverse range of audiences and dispel disinformation and misinformation.
Data science and analytics
In a world where we are swimming in data, skills in data analytics and data science are increasingly in high demand. In addition to traditional public health surveillance methods, we need to leverage innovative technologies to identify, prevent, manage, and predict disease and health behavior trends. Novel data sources (e.g. geolocation, mobile phone tracking, social media, search query, wastewater, etc.) have powerful and practical applications in public health, and we need public health professionals who are trained to utilize both traditional and innovative data sources.
Leadership
Diverse, skilled, and resilient leaders are much needed to strengthen our public health infrastructure and efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed the detrimental impact of inadequate leadership on the health and well-being of communities and conversely, how effective leadership resulted in evidence-based action and policy that averted illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. Essential public health leadership skills and characteristics include emotional intelligence, cultural humility, adaptability to dynamic circumstances, integrity and ethical standards, ability to develop strategic partnerships and collaborations, and advocacy for the marginalized.
What will help Public Health Analysts increase their earning potential?
Laura Chyu: Showcase your skills, strengths, assets, and qualifications. Be prepared to articulate the unique value you would bring to the potential employer and the organization.
Be prepared to negotiate your salary. Become familiar with average and median salaries and salary ranges for comparable positions in your geographic location, and use market benchmarks in your negotiation. In addition to salary, also consider other benefits including retirement plans, health insurance, and professional development opportunities.
Stay current on relevant skills for your job. Seek opportunities for certification or involvement in projects to learn new skills that will make you a more competitive candidate.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Public Health Analysts?
Tina Di Franco: Computer skills, including proficiency in excel, data visualization platforms, and PowerPoint. Staying current in healthcare technology advancements and data analytics is of utmost importance.
Dr. Kara Cecil
Assistant Professor of Public HealthUniversity of Indianapolis
Department Of Kinesiology, Health & Sport Science
What skills stand out on Public Health Analyst resumes?
Dr. Kara Cecil: When reviewing a number of resumes with similar academic preparation, it is the real-world experience that stands out. Students and graduates who have applied their growing skillset in the field bring a different level of preparation to the workforce. We all begin our education in the classroom with textbooks. However, students who have taken the initiative to apply what they have learned in the real work have much more to offer. Students with this experience have already started to identify strategies to address office politics, communication styles and expectations, and how to apply theories to real-world situations. When we teach from a textbook, we are doing so in a sterile environment. In the real world, things go wrong, projects are underfunded, and unexpected competing priorities emerge. That all requires flexibility and a problem-solving mindset. The best way to develop those skills is to practice.
What soft skills should all Public Health Analysts possess?
Dr. Kara Cecil: There is more to success in the workplace than technical understand and a mastery of the literature and best practice. The most expert practitioner in the world makes no difference if he or she cannot work and communicate well with a variety of people. That requires two-way communication skills, e.g., listening for understanding, listening for what isn't said aloud, and speaking up when something is unclear. Graduates today are digital natives, but they also likely spent significant time learning remotely. As such, they likely missed out on key opportunities to develop important skills. The sheer task of showing up to the right place at the right time and being well-prepared is a baseline requirement of success in the workplace. Graduates who completed much of their coursework online may have missed some of this skill development. It may sound small or obvious, but think back to your first job and recall all the details you had to learn from where to park, what clothing is office appropriate, anticipating small delays, and still arriving on time.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Public Health Analysts?
Dr. Kara Cecil: I hear from our internship supervisors and managers in the field that many graduates lack adequate skills in common word processing systems like Excel. So many school systems have moved to a Google-based system. Students may be proficient in these systems, but in the workforce, I am hearing most workplaces utilize traditional Word programs such as Microsoft Office. Students can intentionally develop this skill set by choosing to complete some work in these programs. Proficiency in one will facilitate the use of another. But, when a graduate has a new position with 40 hours per week of work expected, spending time learning the idiosyncrasies of an unfamiliar program gets in the way of success. In addition to this, I would suggest graduates keep a lifelong learning mindset. Your coursework cannot possibly prepare you for every work challenge. The field is evolving too fast to rest on your laurels. We should always stay curious, keep reading, and continue to look for new ways to improve our work and world.
What skills will help Public Health Analysts earn the most?
Dr. Kara Cecil: There are certainly subfields in public health that command higher salaries. Typically, careers in biostatistics, healthcare informatics, health and safety engineers, and epidemiologist result in the highest earning potential. Students that excel in statistics, computing, and management will likely earn the most in these areas. However, I encourage students to think about what they want out of life besides money. Absolutely, a decent salary is necessary to pay for necessities. But, I also encourage students to think through what they want their typical workday to include. I always encourage students looking to learn more about a particular field to ask a few working professionals for a short informational interview and to include questions about a day in the life of that job. Some people may thrive with unpredictable schedules, projects, and quick timelines. Other students may find success with more consistent and predictable hours and work. I think it is important for students to think about what they want their life to look like and not just how much they want to earn.