{"id":14413,"date":"2025-11-06T11:59:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T16:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/?p=14413"},"modified":"2025-11-06T11:59:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T16:59:01","slug":"public-health-career-guide-choosing-the-right-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/public-health-career-guide-choosing-the-right-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Health Career Guide: Choosing the Right Career for You"},"content":{"rendered":"

Public health is an integral part of our society and the communities in which we live, work, and play. Public health professionals work hard to prevent disease, track epidemics, respond to public health threats, educate others about healthcare, and facilitate access to health services when communities are in need.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in a career in public health, the work you will do is purposeful. However, with the vast array of public health paths available, it can be tough to narrow down your options for the road ahead. This public health career guide is designed to help you pursue, land, and launch a job you love.<\/p>\n

What public health career is right for me?<\/h2>\n

The public health sector is a growing industry<\/a> with many interesting roles available. If you\u2019re drawn to this field, you\u2019re probably wondering: What public health career is right for me?<\/p>\n

Public health promotion<\/h3>\n

Primary focus:<\/strong> Health maintenance and illness prevention.<\/p>\n

Public health promotion specialists spend much of their time designing health programs. These programs aim to encourage the public to adopt healthier lifestyle choices. In this position, you\u2019d be working with schools, community organizations, and workplaces to promote your program.<\/p>\n

An example of a public health promotion program is a campaign to improve healthy lunch choices in public schools. To promote this cause, you\u2019d work closely with schools and parent organizations in the community to spread awareness about the importance of nutrition for developing children and the limitations of their current lunch options. Public health promotion is a great career path for those who are social, communicative, and enjoy meaningful outreach.<\/p>\n

Public health education<\/h3>\n

Primary focus:<\/strong> Empowering communities through shared knowledge.<\/p>\n

Public health educators primarily work to educate communities, populations, and\/or organizations about improving health and wellness. Public health professionals first assess each population\u2019s needs, then design programs to help address those needs on a broad scale.<\/p>\n

You may design and teach health classes, for example, to children or teach a team of laboratory professionals about job safety and hygiene. Educators may also assess the current classes available and provide feedback on how to optimize those programs. Public health education draws people who are outgoing, enjoy public speaking, and like working directly with communities.<\/p>\n

Public health administration<\/h3>\n

Primary focus:<\/strong> Managing the non-clinical side of healthcare.<\/p>\n

Public health administrators work to keep public health programs running. Often found behind the scenes, in this career, you likely wouldn\u2019t have any direct interaction with the public but would collaborate with others to ensure that programs, campaigns, and public health facilities operate as they should.<\/p>\n

You might be responsible for things like budgeting for a campaign or program, billing, staffing, and creating programs to optimize efficiency. Public health administrative careers are optimal for those with great organizational and leadership skills.<\/p>\n

Public health research<\/h3>\n

Primary focus:<\/strong> Understanding trends and finding solutions.<\/p>\n

Public health researchers study public health data. In this career, your primary goal would be to find health patterns, identify commonalities, and risks. From there, you would work to establish solutions. Your research could influence public health policy and legislation.<\/p>\n

As a researcher, your work can benefit a number of organizations. Many people in public health research careers work in labs, at large universities, government agencies, and research institutions. This would be a great career choice for you if you\u2019re a naturally curious person who appreciates using data for large-scale problem solving.<\/p>\n

Public health epidemiology<\/h3>\n

Primary focus:<\/strong> Investigating disease patterns within populations.<\/p>\n

Epidemiologists work by monitoring and launching responses to disease outbreaks. Particularly crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, epidemiologists analyzed how the disease was spreading and came up with strategies to prevent further spread. In this career, you\u2019d be working with tons of data to inform policymakers and public health leaders on the particulars of any given situation.<\/p>\n

You would track case numbers, make modeling trends, and guide public health leaders on the best response. Epidemiologists might be the right career path for you if you\u2019ve got an interest in science, statistics, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n

There are many career pathways open to you within the public health field. These are just a few of the many options available.<\/p>\n

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Begin your Public Health career at Goodwin<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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Public health career and salary outlook<\/h2>\n

The public health field is a promising career choice with a great job outlook. Jobs in the healthcare field are expected to rise<\/a> faster than the average for other occupations over the next decade. Below, you\u2019ll find some average salaries for popular public health careers:<\/p>\n