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Public health worker education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a public health worker. Public health workers usually study social work, business, or criminal justice. 36% of public health workers hold a high school diploma, and 34% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 1,363 real public health worker resumes to see exactly what public health worker education sections show.
The most common colleges for public health workers are the The University of Alabama and the The University of Alabama.
There are also many online public health worker courses to help get the education required to be a public health worker.
There are certain public health worker certifications that you should consider. These public health worker certifications include Certified in Public Health (CPH) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a public health worker?
What degree do you need to be a public health worker?
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Bachelor's, 34%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a public health worker?
- Social Work, 27%
- Business, 16%
- Criminal Justice, 7%
- General Studies, 6%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for public health workers
| Public health worker common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | 17.71% |
| Troy University | 10.42% |
| Jacksonville State University | 8.33% |
| University of North Alabama | 7.29% |
| University of Montevallo | 5.21% |
Best majors for public health workers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Work | 27.3% |
| 2 | Business | 15.8% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 7.1% |
| 4 | General Studies | 5.7% |
| 5 | Psychology | 4.7% |
Best colleges for public health workers
The best colleges for public health workers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A public health worker 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 workers. 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 workers.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
20 best online courses for public health workers
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1. The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health
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...
2. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives
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...
3. Press Coverage, Publicity & Public Relations For Branding
Public relations to reach 100,000+ people with influencer marketing, publicity, and press coverage for personal branding...
4. Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking
Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking - Presentation Skills - Communication Skills and Storytelling...
5. Systems Thinking In Public Health
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. Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice
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...
7. Occupational Health & Safety Training
Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...
8. Public Health in Humanitarian Crises 2
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. Major Depression in the Population: A Public Health Approach
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...
10. Foundations of Public Health Practice
This specialisation will enable you to reflect on and cultivate the behaviours you require to become an effective public health professional –whether as an academic, practitioner, clinician, manager or leader.The specialisation is shaped into four courses covering the origins of public health, health improvement, behaviour change, and health protection. The specialisation will draw upon learning from the Statistics for Public Health and Epidemiology for Public Health specialisations, and builds...
11. Biostatistics in Public Health
This specialization is intended for public health and healthcare professionals, researchers, data analysts, social workers, and others who need a comprehensive concepts-centric biostatistics primer. Those who complete the specialization will be able to read and respond to the scientific literature, including the Methods and Results sections, in public health, medicine, biological science, and related fields. Successful learners will also be prepared to participate as part of a research team...
12. Leadership for Public Health Crises
Leadership for Public Health Crises will enable current and prospective managers, directors, unit heads, and elected officials to effectively lead their organizational response to profound health-related emergencies and to build leadership capacity across multiple sectors, agencies, organizations, and divisions. This series of courses prepares graduate students (in, e.g., public administration, public health, social work, business, homeland security, education, and related fields) and...
13. Epidemiology in Public Health Practice
This specialization is intended for people working or aspiring to work in the field of public health at the local, regional, and national level. Over five courses taught by faculty from the preeminent school of public health, you'll learn to use the core epidemiologic toolset to measure the health of populations, assess interventions, collect and analyze data, and investigate outbreaks and epidemics...
14. Participatory Approaches in Public Health
This specialisation guides learners through the process of designing an appropriate participatory approach to a given public health challenge, focusing on the history, theory and practice of participatory approaches to public health. You'll gain an understanding of the impact of social and cultural contexts in which public health programmes exist, as well as, why participatory approaches could better assist in meeting the population’s needs and solving certain health-related challenges...
15. Hypothesis Testing in Public Health
Biostatistics is an essential skill for every public health researcher because it provides a set of precise methods for extracting meaningful conclusions from data. In this second course of the Biostatistics in Public Health Specialization, you'll learn to evaluate sample variability and apply statistical hypothesis testing methods. Along the way, you'll perform calculations and interpret real-world data from the published scientific literature. Topics include sample statistics, the central...
16. Climate Change, Sustainability, and Global Public Health
The third course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will introduce you to two major environmental health challenges facing the world today. The first is climate change –the preeminent threat to public health today, and a threat that will impact every human and ecosystem on the planet. We will evaluate the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as policies and approaches that can be used to reduce the impacts of climate change on human health. The...
17. Qualitative Research Design and Methods for Public Health
This specialization will enable public health professionals and researchers to design effective qualitative studies addressing a range of public health issues, select and implement appropriate qualitative methods to meet their study's objectives, and generate and analyze qualitative data...
18. Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health
In this specialization, you will explore how many public health outcomes are directly influenced by human contact with the environment. The four courses in this series will introduce you to the environmental health sciences (EHS) discipline; you'll examine the hazards of air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, radon, and noise; identify the major challenges posed by climate change and unsustainable practices; and use risk assessment to evaluate the health of population,...
19. Foundational Skills for Communicating About Health
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,...
20. Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets
What we eat and how we produce that food have significant effects on human health and the sustainability of our planet. But what is a ‘sustainable’ diet? A sustainable diet, as defined by the FAO, promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations. This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex...
Top 10 most affordable universities for public health workers
The most affordable schools for public health workers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - fullerton.
If the best universities for public health workers 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 workers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for public health workers
The hardest universities for public health workers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for public health workers 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 workers 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. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Tulane University
New Orleans, LA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,428
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for public health workers
The easiest schools for public health workers to get into are Barry University, nyack college, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a public health worker 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 workers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
5. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
6. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
7. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
8. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,102
Average public health worker salary by education level
| Public health worker education level | Public health worker salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,699 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,087 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,158 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,025 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025