The Best Master’s In Public Health Programs

A master of public health (MPH) degree prepares workers who can promote and protect the health and wellness of communities through public health programs, initiatives, and policies. MPH graduates work in various leadership roles such as epidemiologist, biostatistician, health educator, and researcher.

The need for graduates with MPH degrees continues to grow. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), epidemiologists and statisticians earned a respective $81,390 and $104,110 in median annual salaries in 2023.

Want to learn more about the diverse and dynamic MPH degree program? We put together a list of the best MPH degree programs in the nation. All are designed to prepare the modern student for a career in healthcare and research.

Degree seekers can complete an MPH degree in 1-2 years, although some schools give part-time MPH students up to six years to complete the program.

The MPH curriculum contains between 42-80 credits. MPH programs focus on five core public health knowledge areas established by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH): biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and health policy and administration.

Public health schools also offer a variety of tracks designed to develop experts for specializations such as epidemiology, biostatistics, community health education, and/or health systems administration and policy. MPH enrollees apply what they learn during field experience and as they complete capstone research projects.

Once you’re ready to apply to an MPH degree program, it’s important to review each school’s website to determine their application requirements. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, some programs may require prerequisite coursework and/or relevant work experience. Applicants must submit an application with the required admission materials.

Programs typically charge an application fee ranging from $50-$75.

All programs on this ranking hold institutional and programmatic accreditation. CEPH is the accrediting organization for public health schools and programs in the United States. CEPH is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the gold standard to ensure public health programs meet established criteria for high-quality academic programming.

Many employers of MPH graduates, including federal and state governmental agencies, will only hire graduates from a CEPH-accredited program.

A CEPH-accredited MPH degree also provides eligibility to sit for the certified in public health exam administered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Doctoral programs and many fellowships also require or prefer MPH degrees from accredited schools.