Public Health Careers
Improve the health and well-being of communities
Careers in public health
Public health careers focus on preventing disease, promoting healthy habits and shaping health policies to keep everyone safe and well.
Whether you want to become a doctor, nurse, or lawyer, create impactful health programs, or advocate for better health policies, public health offers endless ways to do meaningful work that improves lives and strengthens communities.
Values and interests
If the following values and interests resonate, a career in public health could be a great fit.
Values
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Community engagement
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Continuous learning
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Environmental responsibility
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Health equity
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Helping others
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Social justice
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Supporting underserved communities
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Sustainability
Interests
- Access to health care
- Advocating for health policy changes
- Effects of climate change on human health
- Global health challenges
- Health administration
- Health promotion
- Improving systems for public health
- Managing chronic disease
- Occupational impacts on health
- Preventive health care
- Preventing and managing disease outbreaks
- Health care careers
What can you do with a public health degree?
Public health prepares you for careers in medicine, law, research and community health. Many graduates go on to medical, nursing, or physician assistant school, while others pursue law degrees in health policy and advocacy.
If you’re drawn to data and research, you might become an epidemiologist, biostatistician or environmental health analyst. Others work in health education, policy, or public health program management, creating initiatives that improve community well-being.
No matter the path, public health graduates make a lasting impact on people’s lives.
Public health career paths
Explore public health jobs and graduate programs secured by our undergrad alumni:
Job titles
- Health administrative analyst
- Environmental health and safety technician
- Health educator
- Nurse epidemiologist
Organizations
- PeaceCorps
- Marquis Companies
- American Health Association
- Inpria
- Oregon State University
- County health departments
- Child Protective Services
- Samaritan Health Services
MPH programs
- Oregon State University
- The City University of New York
- Emory University
- Boston University
Medical schools
- Oregon Health and Sciences University
Nursing schools
- University of San Diego
- Johns Hopkins University
Other graduate programs and fellowships:
- Master of Healthcare Administration, The George Washington University
- CDC-UCLA John R. Lewis Public Health Scholar
Want to work in health care?
Public health is a popular major for OSU students who aspire to become nurses, physician assistants, physicians, veterinarians, pharmacists or dentists.
Major in public health for a career in health care.
Career outlook
$65,000
Annual average salary
BLS
19% growth
Job outlook 2016-26
College Factual
Accelerated Master's Platform
Get a jump-start on your Master of Public Health (MPH) degree while working on your undergraduate degree in public health.
Public health internships
Internships in our public health program give you hands-on experience while building problem-solving, leadership, and resilience—so you're ready to tackle real-world health challenges with confidence.
You'll also gain a competitive edge in the job market, with many College of Health public health graduates securing jobs where they interned.
What do recent public health graduates say?
Public health is social justice in action
“Public health is a social justice perspective. You’re looking at why people are coming to the hospital or why certain populations are suffering outcomes while others aren’t. It looks at community organizing, policy action and the root causes of health issues.”
Ammara Molvi, ’20
Majored in: Public health - Health promotion and health behavior
Next step: Attending medical school at Oregon Health and Sciences University
Denna Alnasser, ’24
Majored in: Public health
Now: Environmental health and safety technician, Inpria
Prevent disease, prolong lives, optimize health and well-being for all
“What inspired me to choose a degree in public health is wanting to help prevent disease, prolong lives and help others achieve a better quality of life.
My overall goal is to help people achieve optimal health and well-being, no matter who they are or what their background is.
I truly believe that everyone deserves equal treatment and quality of care.”
Everyone deserves health care
“If you’re passionate about taking care of others and believe that everyone deserves health care, then public health is the right field for you.
Most people who think of health care may think of going into medicine, nursing or other allied health route, which are much needed professions. But there are other ways to make a difference in the health care world outside of those options.”
Liberty Pertiwi, ’12
Majored in: Public health - Health management and policy
Now: Director of primary care services, Samaritan Health Services
Joe Page, ’23, MPH ’24
Accelerated MPH graduate
Majored in: Public health - Health management and policy
Next step: MPH - Health systems and policy, ’24
Now: Health care policy fellow, Office of U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Shaping health policy and law
“A strong understanding of public health principles is so important in shaping the laws and policies that impact our health and well-being.
I’m currently a health care policy fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse at the United States Senate, where I’m applying my background in health law and policy to tackle the issues most important to Sen. Whitehouse, including payment reform and the opioid crisis.”
Everyone deserves health care
“A large part of my role is conducting a community health assessment and improvement plan. This project centers health equity to address health needs and the social determinants of health across the region.
I love this project because I get to leverage my Oregon State education to take on big and complex problems and identify creative solutions.”
Katie Hart, MPH ’23
Majored in: MPH - Health systems and policy
Now: Community engagement manager, Umpqua Health Alliance
Laura Syron, MPH '10, PhD '18
Majored in: MPH
Next step: PhD - Environmental and occupational health, OSU, ’18
Now: Epidemiologist, CDC/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Preventing human suffering
“By focusing on our environment – including the workplace – we can improve entire populations’ quality of life. Preventing human suffering is a worthwhile pursuit.”
Start your public health career path
Majoring in public health opens pathways to dynamic and in-demand careers where you can improve health and well-being for all.
