Public health focuses on improving the health of populations by preventing diseases, promoting wellness and addressing health inequities. It offers diverse career opportunities, whether you are interested in combating infectious diseases, designing health programs or helping underserved communities. Unlike clinical health care, which treats individuals, public health aims to protect and improve the well-being of entire populations.
With a growing need for public health professionals, especially considering workforce shortages, the field presents numerous in-demand jobs with attractive benefits. Programs like the online Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address these pressing public health challenges.
The Growing Demand for Public Health Professionals
According to Health Affairs, the public health workforce faces significant shortages due to burnout, low pay, retirements and other factors. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these challenges, and although public health workers saw their roles highlighted, many chose to leave the field. By 2025, over 100,000 state and local public health employees are expected to leave their jobs, threatening the resilience of the healthcare system. To address this, recruitment and retention strategies must improve.
An article from Health Economics, Policy and Law explores how “need,” “demand” and “supply” in healthcare impact public health staffing. While need refers to population health requirements based on epidemiological and social factors, demand involves what individuals can access or afford. The supply of public health workers often falls short of the need due to budget limitations, recruitment challenges and job dissatisfaction.
This gap worsens with rising health crises like the pandemic and chronic diseases, emphasizing the need for workforce planning, policy changes and investment in public health infrastructure. Matching workforce supply with community health needs is necessary to improve healthcare access and outcomes.
Careers in Public Health
A public health degree opens doors to various impactful careers addressing community health at multiple levels. By pursuing a degree in public health, individuals position themselves to meet the growing needs of communities while also enjoying a rewarding career.
Additionally, many public health professionals enjoy competitive salaries that often exceed $60,000 annually, depending on their specialization and experience, according to Indeed. This higher earning potential is partly due to critical workforce shortages, making public health an attractive field for those seeking stable and well-paying careers. Career options include the following:
- Program manager: oversees the budget of public health programs, oversees projects and guides other managers
- Community health education specialist: develops programs to promote healthy behaviors
- Policy consultant: advocates for policy improvements
- Occupational health and safety leader: monitors health and safety risks in the workplace, trains employees on safety and health standards, and creates policies aimed to prevent accidents
- Researcher: conducts literature reviews, gathers and analyzes public health data, and supports public health projects
Public health careers offer flexibility, allowing professionals to engage in research, policy or direct interventions. Public health provides financial and professional benefits while contributing to the health and wellness of communities at local, national and global levels.
The Future of Public Health
The future of public health emphasizes utilizing data and technology to enhance health outcomes through six mutually reinforcing dimensions. These dimensions include:
- Governance: establishing effective leadership and accountability
- Workforce: developing a skilled, adaptable public health workforce
- Data and technology: using analytics for informed decision-making
- Partnerships: building collaborations across sectors
- Financial resources: securing sustainable funding for initiatives
- Community engagement: promoting active community participation to improve health
The future of public health requires professionals to maintain a complex understanding of various elements. By investing in digital tools and fostering collaboration between healthcare and education, public health systems can better address health crises, tackle root causes of health issues and promote overall well-being in communities.
The Online BSPH Program From The University of Texas at Arlington
UTA offers an online BSPH program that equips students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in public health careers. The flexibility of UTA’s online program allows students to balance their education with work or personal commitments, making it ideal for those looking to transition into public health or advance their careers without interrupting their lives.
Courses like Health Issues in Diverse & Vulnerable Populations teach students about the health disparities affecting marginalized groups, while Emergency Preparedness and Management provides essential skills for responding to public health emergencies like pandemics or natural disasters. Additionally, the Health and Human Disease course explores the scientific aspects of how diseases affect populations, giving students the tools to understand and address community health challenges. By choosing UTA’s online BSPH program, students position themselves to become effective advocates for community health, equipped with the skills to address health disparities and respond to emergencies, making an impact in the public health field.
Learn more about UTA’s online Bachelor of Science in Public Health program.
