Better Outcomes Begin Here

Public health careers are broad and varied, and for those who are passionate about changing lives for the better, they present an immense opportunity to fill growing needs in the field. A Master of Public Health degree demonstrates your pursuit of advanced knowledge, desire to lead and a set of professional skills needed to succeed in a variety of healthcare careers and public health roles.

Set yourself apart in a field that’s expected to see unprecedented growth in the next several years.1

By putting you in touch with peers from diverse professional backgrounds, broadening your knowledge and challenging your understanding of how public health functions across different sectors, an MPH from Kent State University can help you build the confidence and competence to succeed in a number of public health careers.

MPH Outcomes by the Numbers

Because master’s degree holders nationally earn, on average, 18% more in salary than those with bachelor’s degrees alone,2 a Master of Public Health degree could help you reach salary outcomes at or near the upper end of these ranges.

$66,000
Average MPH graduate salary3
$87,068
National average post-graduation salary for Epidemiologists4
$78,482
National average post-graduation salary
for Medical Writers5
$90,652
National average post-graduation salary for Hospital Administrators6
$84,199
National average post-graduation salary for Management Policy Advisors7
$265,162
National average post-graduation salary for Chief Medical Officers8

Top Employment Sectors for MPH Graduates9-12

MPH graduates can be found in many employment sectors, with different industries and career roles based on the degree concentration. In general, the top sectors for MPH graduates are:

  • Federal, state and local government
  • Life sciences research and development organizations
  • Hospitals; state, local and private
  • Healthcare organizations
    • Individual and family services
    • Nursing and residential care facilities

Learn More About Specializations
Epidemiology
Health Policy and Management
Social and Behavioral Sciences

HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS

Tony Eljallad MPH Graduate

Tony Eljallad MPH ’17

“Working in the field, you learn to master your role in public health. The MPH program opens your mind up to the entire public health system, so you understand why your role exists and understand many of the required policies associated with your profession.”

Epidemiology Career Paths

Our MPH graduates who have specialized in Epidemiology have gone on to pursue roles that include:

  • Researchers in universities, medical schools, and pharmaceutical companies
  • Disease prevention specialists in hospitals
  • Surveillance managers in state and local health departments

Epidemiology Program Overview

HPM Career Paths

Online MPH graduates who have specialized in Health Policy and Management (HPM) have gone on to pursue roles that include:

  • Policy analysis in health planning organizations and governmental agencies
  • Health maintenance organizations
  • Emergency management
  • Health insurance companies
  • Occupational health and safety services
  • Health education
  • Administrative and management positions in:
    • Hospitals
    • Clinics
    • State and local health departments
    • Nursing homes
    • Mental health facilities

HPM Program Overview

SBS Career Paths

Graduates of the online MPH program who specialized in Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) have been successful in the following careers:

  • Health education and promotion programs
  • Clinical and nonprofit settings
  • Program design and evaluation
  • Curriculum development for state and local health departments, corporate wellness programs, hospitals, international health agencies, mental health centers, and nonprofit organizations
  • Public or government agencies
  • Occupational health and safety services
  • Individual health coaching and business ownership

SBS Program Overview

What can you do with a Master of Public Health?

Public health infographic thumbnail
Check out our infographic for six ways in which an MPH can help your career grow.

View Infographic

Start Making an Impact in Public Health

To submit a successful application, follow the steps in our application checklist.

Gain Career Traction

Make your success your top priority. Apply to Kent State today.

An Immersive Curriculum

Designed for busy working professionals and students seeking to expand their career options.

Featured Articles

August 31, 2023
Public health policies are essential building blocks of better health equity that can help break down socioeconomic barriers and allow broader access to healthcare. Read about examples of public health policies and their impact on health equity, along with some of the challenges to promoting health equity and strategies for overcoming them.
May 11, 2023
Although they don’t receive as much attention as rising healthcare premiums or drug breakthroughs tend to, public health concerns that affect communities at large are among the biggest challenges on the nation’s healthcare landscape.
May 03, 2023
In this post, we introduce you to three of the COPH professors who are actively engaged with their communities and their students, and with advancing knowledge in their areas of expertise.
May 01, 2023
To better understand the needs of Cleveland's residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, the Kent State University College of Public Health (CPH) launched the Greater Cleveland LGBTQ+ Community Needs Assessment project led by Andrew Snyder, CPH adjunct instructor. Learn more about the project here.
April 27, 2023
Earning a bachelor’s degree is a big commitment. Life and work can easily get in the way, so it’s no surprise that many people pause their educational pursuits so they can take care of family, career, or health-related concerns.
April 21, 2023
Learn more about Dr. Jeffrey Hallam, professor and associate dean for Research and Global Affairs.
March 07, 2022
Organized public health efforts began in seventeenth-century Europe in response to the plague. Modern western public health systems, including hospitals for the ill and public sanitation services, started developing alongside scientific advances in the early nineteenth century and continue to evolve alongside science and culture today.
February 06, 2022
The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) is one of the core professional journals for the field, reflecting the profession's diversity and addressing current public health issues. Read more here about the American Journal of Public Health, other notable professional resources, current issues in public health, and public health careers.
January 03, 2022
With the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis and other global health challenges on the horizon, there is perhaps no more important field today than public health.
December 30, 2021
Public health experts have never been more important than they are in the world today. From cancer to Ebola to COVID-19, major health events affect us all. As globalization, climate disasters and economic and social disruptions expand, we need trained professionals to help mitigate those threats.
November 30, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define epidemiology as the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states and events in specified populations. To complete this study of “health-related states and events”, scientists use a tool called the epidemiologic triangle, or the epidemiologic triad.
November 29, 2021
As 2021 comes to a close, we’re taking a look at some of the top public health problems that faced the world in the past year. While some are more obvious than others, they all tie together to form a picture of the biggest challenges facing humanity today and give us a clue as to what to expect in the future.
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