POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5122

Public Health: is this post-baccalaureate certificate worth it?

National picture across 8 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$77,605 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$77,605Median year-4 earnings
$19,250Average institution net-price context
$20,716Median federal debt
Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →
A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Public Health

How much do Public Health post-baccalaureate certificate graduates earn?

The national median is $77,605 four years after completion across reportable post-baccalaureate certificate programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $20,716. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Public Health?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $64,264 to $82,996 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Public Health?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$77,605Median reported earnings · year 4
$76,332Average reported earnings · year 5
$20,716Median federal debt
58thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1,002IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
8With year-4 earnings

The award total covers 8 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$36,698
Federal debt
$17,726
Reporting programs
8
7 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$43,403
Federal debt
$21,789
Reporting programs
22
21 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$57,499
Federal debt
$25,875
Reporting programs
256
217 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$77,605
Federal debt
$20,716
Reporting programs
8
8 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$79,533
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
207
207 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$111,411
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
10
10 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings
$77,992
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
5
5 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$95,664
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
9
9 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$64,264National median$77,60575th percentile$82,996
8 programs report year‑4 earnings.
DECISION CHECK

What to compare before choosing a program

The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.

$82,99675th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$20,000Median federal debt across programs that report it
1Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

All reporting colleges Lower-price, higher-earnings quadrantAxes trim the outer 5% for readability; outliers remain pinned to the chart edge. Price is institution-wide context, not exact program tuition.
Compare colleges

Put the same degree side by side.

Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.

Compare 3 programs →
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Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.

8 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Johns Hopkins University$93,5362University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$83,0423Rutgers University-New Brunswick$82,9964University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$77,7765University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$77,4346New York Medical College$76,8617New York Institute of Technology$64,2648University of Baltimore$64,138

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Related occupations, wages and demand

Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$107,310 median wage221,270 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1071+17.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 24.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$59,270$322,020 10th–90th percentileMedical and Health Services Managers$123,860 median wage597,080 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-9111+24.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 62.3k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$73,390$224,340 10th–90th percentileHealth Education Specialists$64,070 median wage65,690 U.S. jobs · SOC 21-1091+5.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$42,990$118,200 10th–90th percentileCommunity Health Workers$51,850 median wage61,660 U.S. jobs · SOC 21-1094+12.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 7k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$38,810$77,180 10th–90th percentileOccupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150 median wage140,610 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-5011+18.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 17.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$55,000$134,950 10th–90th percentileOccupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560 median wage30,590 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-5012+19.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,280$100,160 10th–90th percentilePhysicists$172,250 median wage20,430 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-2012+7.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.3k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$82,110$274,110 10th–90th percentileMedical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410 median wage172,340 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-1042+12.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 10.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$64,800$177,780 10th–90th percentilePhysics Teachers, Postsecondary$100,310 median wage13,090 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1054+2.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$60,200$177,850 10th–90th percentileGenetic Counselors$100,040 median wage3,740 U.S. jobs · SOC 29-9092+10.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.3k annual openingsTypical entry education: Master's degree$78,270$138,760 10th–90th percentileEpidemiologists$87,220 median wage12,090 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-1041+18.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Master's degree$61,270$138,800 10th–90th percentileEnvironmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220 median wage89,250 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-2041+6.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 7.3k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$52,520$140,010 10th–90th percentile

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.

BEST COLLEGES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debtROI statusCost context
1Johns Hopkins UniversityPost-baccalaureate CertificateBaltimore, MD$93,536$18,250WithheldBaseline needed$18,809
2University of Michigan-Ann ArborPost-baccalaureate CertificateAnn Arbor, MI$83,042$21,431WithheldBaseline needed$13,138
3Rutgers University-New BrunswickPost-baccalaureate CertificateNew Brunswick, NJ$82,996$24,000WithheldBaseline needed$24,406
4University of North Carolina at Chapel HillPost-baccalaureate CertificateChapel Hill, NC$77,776$16,203WithheldBaseline needed$11,655
5University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPost-baccalaureate CertificatePittsburgh, PA$77,434$21,500WithheldBaseline needed$30,434
6New York Medical CollegePost-baccalaureate CertificateValhalla, NY$76,861$20,000WithheldBaseline neededNot available
7New York Institute of TechnologyPost-baccalaureate CertificateOld Westbury, NY$64,264Not availableWithheldBaseline needed$22,443
8University of BaltimorePost-baccalaureate CertificateBaltimore, MD$64,138Not availableWithheldBaseline needed$13,868

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.