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International Public Health

Types of Degrees International Public Health Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing International Public Health may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	406
Master’s Degree	1,065
Doctor’s Degree	29

What International Public Health Majors Need to Know

Studies in International Public Health build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that International Public Health graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing International Public Health emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a International Public Health program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to International Public Health careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Public Health graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Public Health professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Publisher	Desktop publishing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Blackbaud The Raiser’s Edge	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Public Health graduates include:

• Nursing Administrator
• Mental Health Program Manager
• Nursing Home Manager
• Nurse Manager
• Nurse Administrator
• Healthcare System Director
• Healthcare Manager
• Medical Information Manager
• Health Care Facility Administrator
• Hearing Therapy Director
• Health Care Manager
• Medical Records Manager
• Laboratory Administrative Director (Lab Admin Director)
• Health Unit Coordinator
• Public Health Director

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to International Public Health graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	41.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	26.0%
Master’s degree	16.1%
Postsecondary certificate	5.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.3%
Some college courses	2.5%
Post-doctoral training	2.5%
First professional degree	2.5%
Doctoral degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Public Health?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 79.6% of International Public Health degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,194	79.6%
Men	306	20.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of International Public Health graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	593	39.5%
Asian	259	17.3%
Hispanic or Latino	168	11.2%
Black or African American	145	9.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	63	4.2%
Race Unknown	35	2.3%
International Students	231	15.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Public Health Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of International Public Health graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$50,939
4 years	$60,432
5 years	$70,561

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $70,561 — roughly 39% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online International Public Health Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for International Public Health. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	10	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in International Public Health Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, International Public Health graduates earn a median of $60,432 four years after completion — roughly 59% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Public Health	51.22
Behavioral Aspects of Health	51.2212
Community Health and Preventive Medicine	51.2208
Environmental Health	51.2202
Health Services Administration	51.2211
Health/Medical Physics	51.2205
Maternal and Child Health	51.2209
Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene	51.2206
Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality	51.2213
Public Health Education and Promotion	51.2207
Public Health Genetics	51.2214
Public Health, General	51.2201

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.