Exploring Growing Public Health Careers

Are you considering choosing a career in public health? Good for you because there are plenty of career options in this field. If you love promoting a healthy lifestyle, opting for a public health career for the common good might be the right choice. There’s a long list of career options if you want to work in public health, from mental health careers as detailed by sites like My Pysch Degree, to medical and educational careers. So, in this post, let’s look at some of the several opportunities that are awaiting you.

Why Choose A Public Health Career?

People who work in public health aim to improve the well-being of society by tackling existing health issues. With the growing population, there’s no doubt that careers in the public health sector are at an all-time high, and their importance cannot be understated. According to research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health job opportunities are expected to expand by 13% from 2021 to 2031.

Those who work in this field have a common goal, i.e., encouraging healthy practices in society for healthy living and controlling or preventing infectious diseases. The job role in this line may include educating children about personal hygiene, analyzing health data, identifying the cause of illness, and more.

Some reasons to choose a career in public health:

• Attractive salary packages and lots of opportunities to boost your career growth.
• A chance to work all around the nation and expand your career.
• Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries, and healthcare professionals are in high demand.
• Plays a vital role in improving the nation’s population’s health.
• Opportunity to travel and work around the world.
• Bringing a change in the world.
• You can save lives.

Top 4 Public Health Careers

1. Biostatistician

Biostatisticians use statistics to analyze and report their studies in medicine and biology. The responsibility of a biostatistician is to conduct research studies on public health, animals, and the environment. Statisticians play a vital role in medical and agricultural research for collecting and analyzing data. Using statistics, a biostatistician can answer demanding questions, such as what causes cancer, how infections are spread, how chemicals harm the body, the effectiveness of a new drug, the survival rate of cancer, etc.

Educational Requirements To Be A Biostatistician

• An undergraduate degree may help you get entry-level jobs.
• Most positions require a Master’s in mathematics, economics, statistics, or computer science.
• A doctoral degree may also be required for a higher position.

Salary Of A Biostatistician

As of 2023, the average salary of a biostatistician is $125,616 a year. Mathematicians and statisticians are one of the most demanding positions in healthcare and are expected to grow by 31% from 2021 to 2031.

2. Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists are also often referred to as “Disease Detectives.” They study and investigate the cause of diseases and injuries and work to eliminate or reduce societal adverse health effects. By using research and studies, they unveil health problems and issues to the public. Most epidemiologists specialize in maternal, genetic, mental, and environmental health. Epidemiologists are among the most sought-after in various fields, such as NGO, private sector, government sector, or pharmaceutical companies.

Educational Requirements To Be An Epidemiologist

• A Master’s degree in public health or epidemiology is required to work as an epidemiologist.
• You might also require a doctorate to apply for advanced positions.

Salary Of An Epidemiologist

The salary of epidemiologists ranges between $89,938 and $125,635. It can vary depending on skills, additional qualifications, experience, and certifications.

3. Health Educator

Health educators are trained professionals who guide people toward living a healthy lifestyle. This career might be suitable if you love encouraging people to develop healthy habits.

They educate organizations, schools, and communities about proper healthcare with thorough research through programs and deliver customized materials. Materials can be in the form of videos, booklets, posters, and images. Besides, they also coordinate with healthcare professionals to develop goals and plans for health education.

Educational Requirements To Be A Health Educator

• Health educators require a bachelor’s degree with a major in health education, public health, or related field.
• Some jobs may require you to be a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Salary Of A Health Educator

The salary of a health educator can range from $61,125 to $78,629, depending on the job location, certification, and education.

4. Social And Community Service Manager

Social and community service managers work to support the well-being of the public. They coordinate with community organizations, funders, and stakeholders to create projects to foster support for specific groups like children, drug abuse, older adults, or mental health.

Social and community service managers work with organizations and juggle multiple projects or tasks.

Educational Requirements To Be A Social And Community Service Manager

• You need a bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, or related field. 
• Some positions may require a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) degree.

Salary Of A Social And Community Service Manager

The average salary of a social and community service manager is around $74,000 and can vary depending on qualification level, location, and others. It’s also projected that by 2031, job growth will increase by 12%.

Though we’ve listed only four public health career options, there are still several opportunities, like hospital administrator, clinical trials scientist, healthcare consultant, and public health attorney, to name a few. There are thousands of job openings yearly in the public health sector, and employment growth in this field will keep growing.