Public Health
Want to make a big impact? Then let’s talk about public health, where you can help entire communities become safer and healthier. How? By proactively reducing environmental risk factors, focusing on the root causes of diseases and injuries, and encouraging community-wide healthy behaviors. As one of our students said, “you’re affecting people at a population level, instead of waiting for someone to come with you with a specific issue.” So stop waiting—and keep reading.
What will I learn?
How do we collect health data from the public? What cultural and social factors contribute to health disparities? How does stress affect health for individuals, families and communities? These are just some of the topics you might explore as you learn about diseases, health interventions and how the public health system works. In addition to classes in public health, you’ll also have opportunities to take courses in related disciplines such as psychology, political science, sociology and statistics.
What can I do with a public health degree?
Workplace health and safety specialist at Amazon. Case manager for the New York State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These are just a few of the places where UB's public health grads have helped make a difference.
Whether you choose to work for a government agency, hospital, research lab, academic institution, nonprofit organization or a business, you’ll find that a public health degree gives you career choices, including:
- Care coordinator.
- Community health worker.
- Family engagement coordinator.
- Harm reduction specialist.
- Health educator.
- Lab manager.
- Maternal health advocate.
- Medical assistant.
- Patient care liaison.
- Research coordinator.
In addition, many students decide to get a graduate or professional degree in public health, nursing, physical therapy, medicine or a related field.
By the Numbers
Check out salary ranges and career outlooks straight from the U.S. Department of Labor to see the return on investment for your degree.
| Occupation Title | Mean Annual Wage | Mean Hourly Wage | Future Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $88,780.00 | $42.68 | Rapid Growth |
| Health Education Specialists | $100,730.00 | $48.43 | Rapid Growth |
| Community Health Workers | $63,560.00 | $30.56 | Rapid Growth |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $113,840.00 | N/A | Rapid Growth |
Data provided by the and DOL data from 2024.