Highest Paid Public Health Jobs

This list will break down some of the highest paying career options and explain what the job is, what an individual may need to be considered for employment, and how much the profession can pay. After you’re finished reading about the top careers in public health, view our What Can You Do With a Public Health Degree page  to learn more about public health jobs.

1. HEALTH AND SAFETY ENGINEER

Summary: $91,410 per year / Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (BLS Health and Safety Engineer Page)

Health and safety engineers work primarily in scientific and technical services but are also employed in construction and with the government. Manufacturing has used health and safety engineers historically to help with cutting costs and to provide safer consumer products and safer work environments. The job of a health and safety engineer is to design systems and procedures that prevent people from getting sick or injured. Health and safety engineers must have keen critical thinking, observational and problem-solving skills along with creativity to solve sometimes complex, multi-faceted problems. Health and safety engineers will identify potential hazards, ensure compliance to health and safety regulations, review safety programs, and also investigate accidents.

Degree Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in engineering, public health, or occupational/industrial hygiene is required for entry-level jobs in health and safety engineering. Coursework in systems engineering, occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental health and safety are just some of options an individual interested in health and safety engineering should take during their undergraduate degree. Experience is also highly sought after by employers, so internships or work experience should also be considered.

• Recommended or Popular Degrees:
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Salaries & Wages

Careers in health and safety engineering are expected to grow at the same pace as all other occupations, around 5% by 2028. Advancements in software safety engineering and biomedical engineering will likely contribute to this growth. Health and safety engineers make, on average, between $53,650 and $143,880 annually, with the median annual wage being just over $91,410. Those in professional, scientific and technical services tend to make more than those in government or construction.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS

Summary: $71,360 per year / Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (BLS Environmental Scientist Page)

Using their knowledge of natural sciences, environmental scientists protect both environmental and human health. Many do this through land reclamation after pollution or developing regulations that restrict air and soil pollution. Environmental scientists do this through data collection, plan development, and sharing information with the government, business or the public. The majority are employed by state and local government, but many also work as consultants. Most of their time will be spent in a laboratory or office, with some field work collecting data and monitoring conditions.

Degree Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering or public health is enough for most entry-level jobs in environmental sciences (such as field analysis or research assistants). For more advanced careers, a master’s level degree is often required. Coursework for an individual looking for a career in environmental sciences should include biology, geology, physics, and more specialized courses such as waste management, fluid mechanics, data analysis, and computer modeling. Communication and interpersonal skills can be useful to environmental sciences as many careers require individuals to explain findings to a variety of people. Additionally, the ability to think analytically and use problem-solving are powerful tools.

• Recommended or Popular Degrees:
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Salaries & Wages

The median wage for Environmental Scientists is $71,360 but can range from less than $42,810 to more than $124,760 depending on employer, experience and education. The federal government pays the highest average wage for environmental scientists followed by the engineering and consulting industries. The employment of environmental scientists will grow 8% between 2018 and 2028, in part due to a growing population and public interest in environmental safety.

3. Medical and Health Services Managers

Summary: $100,980 per year / Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (BLS Medical and Health Services Managers Page)

A healthcare services manager supports a clinic, department or group of physicians by directing and coordinating health services. The main goal of a healthcare manager is to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. Duties range from billing and scheduling to representing their team at board meetings or with governing bodies. Healthcare administrators (also known as medical and health service managers or healthcare executives) work in hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory health services, clinics and rarely in a government position.

Degree Requirements

At a minimum, healthcare administrators must have a bachelor’s degree, but master’s degrees are more common. A degree specific in health administration will cover the basic knowledge requirements such as accounting, budgeting, health economics, strategic planning, and hospital organization and management. For those with a bachelor’s degree, experience working in a hospital is highly desired for employers. A certification or license may also be required by employers or the state.

• Recommended or Popular Degrees:
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Salaries & Wages

The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was over $99,700 in 2018 and ranged from less than $58,000 to more than $182,600. This range correlated with the type and size of organization. Medical and health services managers working with smaller numbers of physicians tend to earn less than those working in larger practices.

4. BIOSTATISTICIAN

Summary: $91,160 per year / Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Public Health (BLS Statisticians Page)

Statisticians are a vital part of public health research. Statisticians design experiments, questionnaires and surveys to collect data on people and health. They will not only collect the data but will analyze it and create reports explaining their findings. Statisticians can work in many fields, but most are employed in government, healthcare, or research and development. Biostaticians in particular, use the tools of statistics to research questions related to medicine and biology. They may look into new drugs on the market or the causes of diseases.

Degree Requirements

An undergraduate degree in statistics will suffice for some entry-level jobs, but the vast majority require a master’s degree. Coursework in statistics and mathematics are necessary for entry into a master’s program. A master’s degree in statistics when paired with biology, sociology, and public health courses will best allow an individual to work in public health as a statistician, or more commonly called in health, a biostatistician.

• Recommended or Popular Degrees:
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Salaries & Wages

Job growth for statisticians in all occupations is on the rise, especially in the pharmaceutical industry and the government. The top 10% of statisticians earn $146,770 on average, while the median annual wage for all statisticians was $91,160 per year in 2019. 

5. EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Summary: $70,990 per year / Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Public Health (BLS Epidemiologist Page)

Epidemiologists work to reduce negative health outcomes by recognizing and researching the causes of disease and injury among populations. They do this through research, policy, and education. Developing and directing studies along with analyzing data are the main functions of an epidemiologist. Communicating findings to the public and policymakers is one of the most important duties of an epidemiologist.

Degree Requirements

A master’s level degree is required to work as an epidemiologist. The degree could be in epidemiology or another related public health field. The coursework however must include statistics, analysis, survey design, public health, biostatistics and some natural sciences. An attention to detail, clear communication and critical thinking skills are needed for a career in epidemiology.