The healthcare industry is a growing field. It is also one that offers stable work. If you decide to earn your Master's degree in Public Health, or MPH, you'll receive training that qualifies you for a career in medical research, general wellness and injury prevention. You can also specialize in the field. Five common specialties in MPH programs include:
• Epidemiology
• Health services administration
• Environmental health science
• Disaster management and emergency readiness
• Biostatistics
Resource: 15 Top Cost-No-Object and 15 Top Affordable Master's in Public Health (MPH) Degree Programs
Epidemiology
If you specialize in epidemiology, you'll be studying how large numbers of people are affected by their health. You'll also be working to ease the challenges that arise during public health crises. In this career field, you may educate people about ways to sustain good health, or you could spend your days in a state or local government health department lab or office. You will also have the qualifications to work in a college or hospital setting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries in this career area are around $115,000.
Health Services Administration
Consider specializing in health services administration if organization comes naturally to you. In this area, you'll be managing, planning and taking care of administrative work. Health service administrators handle health policy analysis and management. You may even find a job where you will oversee health systems, finance or health economics. As an administrator, you will be qualified to manage a facility or supervise a department. In this career field, you may be in charge of overseeing regulation, healthcare law and technology changes. The median salary for health administrators is at $88,000. Those who reach the career's higher levels earn around $150,000.
Environmental Health Science
By specializing in environmental health science, you'll receive training that qualifies you to work with organizations that focus on preventing and managing the public's exposure to physical and chemical agents. If you graduate with a specialty in environmental health science, you'll have the opportunity to work in academia as well as for pharmaceutical or chemical companies. Environmental protection agencies at the federal and state level will want to hire you if you earn your Master's degree in the subject. This specialty is broad, so consider narrowing it down even more to an area like global health, environmental health policy or molecular toxicology. In this field, the average salary is around $110,000.
Disaster Management and Emergency Readiness
If decide to get your MPH with a specialty in disaster management and emergency readiness, you'll learn how to evaluate disasters and execute the proper response. More disasters are occurring with greater frequency. Because of this, there is a high demand in the field for experts who are able to manage and decrease their effects. State and local governments typically employ those who have the educational background to work in the field. However, you could wind up with a job at a hospital, private corporation or nonprofit institution. When you specialize in disaster management and emergency readiness, you can expect to earn from $60,000 to $105,000 annually.
Biostatistics
To work behind the scenes by completing research, consider earning your MPH with a specialty in biostatistics. By focusing on this area of the career field, you'll learn about quantitative methods along with statistical procedures regarding the full spectrum of healthcare research. If you choose to work in biostatistics, then you will likely find employment with government agencies, research companies or medical device manufacturers. Public health organizations and the pharmaceutical industry will want to hire you as well. The salary range for biostatistics varies from $53,000 to $120,000.
An Abundance of Options
When you decide to earn your MPH with a specialization, you'll have plenty of employment options that range from working for a state government to a private hospital. In this line of work, the average salaries are sure to keep you comfortable while a career in the area will provide job satisfaction.