Health and Wellness: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Health and Wellness is a multidisciplinary field dedicated to promoting optimal physical, mental, and social well-being across diverse populations. This program equips learners with evidence-based knowledge and practical skills to design, implement, and evaluate initiatives that enhance health outcomes in corporate, community, and clinical environments.
- Personal Health: Explores individual behaviors, habits, and self-care practices that contribute to long-term well-being and disease resilience.
- Community Health and Welfare: Focuses on population-level strategies to improve access to care, reduce health disparities, and strengthen public health infrastructure.
- Nutrition Science: Examines the role of dietary intake in disease prevention, metabolic health, and performance optimization across the lifespan.
- Epidemiology: Applies statistical and analytical methods to identify patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions within defined populations.
- Disease Prevention: Emphasizes proactive interventions—such as screenings, immunizations, and lifestyle modifications—to reduce the incidence and progression of chronic and infectious conditions.
- Fitness and Exercise Physiology: Investigates the physiological responses to physical activity and how structured movement programs support cardiovascular health, strength, and functional capacity.
- Health Behavior Change: Studies psychological and social factors influencing individual and group decisions related to health practices, adherence, and long-term lifestyle sustainability.
Health and Wellness Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Health and Wellness Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Health and Wellness degrees, including Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 125,880 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists 21-1091 | $63,000 | $42,210 - $112,900 | 65,150 | $30.29 |
| Community Health Workers 21-1094 | $51,030 | $37,930 - $78,560 | 60,730 | $24.54 |
Health and Wellness Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $42,945 in Mississippi to $91,085 in District of Columbia—a 112% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Maryland, and Georgia. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 125,880 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Health and Wellness by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Health and Wellness programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Health and Wellness is found at Purdue University Global (803 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (386 graduates), Tulsa Technology Center (Tulsa Tech) (336 graduates), University of Houston (UH) (303 graduates), and Carrington College, Phoenix North (127 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 5,188 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University Global |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
803 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdueglobal.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
|
386 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Tulsa Technology Center (Tulsa Tech) |
Other Award
|
336 | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Public | tulsatech.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Bachelor's
|
303 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| Carrington College |
Associate's
|
127 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | carrington.edu |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
124 | Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania | Public | sru.edu |
| Utah Valley University (UVU) |
Other Award
|
124 | Orem, Utah | Public | uvu.edu |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
108 | Portland, Oregon | Private | achs.edu |
| Carrington College |
Associate's
|
101 | Sacramento, California | Private | carrington.edu |
| Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU) |
Bachelor's
|
100 | Prairie View, Texas | Public | pvamu.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Bachelor's
|
93 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Bachelor's
|
92 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) |
Bachelor's
|
86 | New Haven, Connecticut | Public | southernct.edu |
| Pacific College of Health and Science (PCHS) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Master's
|
78 | San Diego, California | Private | pacificcollege.edu |
| Jacksonville State University (JSU) |
Bachelor's
|
75 | Jacksonville, Alabama | Public | jsu.edu |
| Northern Wyoming Community College District (NWCCD) |
Associate's
|
75 | Sheridan, Wyoming | Public | sheridan.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Postbac Cert.
|
71 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
70 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of the Cumberlands |
Master's
|
64 | Williamsburg, Kentucky | Private | ucumberlands.edu |
| University of West Georgia (UWG) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
63 | Carrollton, Georgia | Public | westga.edu |
| State University of New York |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
63 | Oswego, New York | Public | oswego.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTSA) |
Bachelor's
|
61 | San Antonio, Texas | Public | utsa.edu |
| Creighton University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
58 | Omaha, Nebraska | Private | creighton.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Washtenaw Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
|
55 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | wccnet.edu |
| Tuskegee University (TU) |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Tuskegee, Alabama | Private | tuskegee.edu |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | maryville.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
50 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Trinity Washington University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
48 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | trinitydc.edu |
| Texas Woman's University (TWU) |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Denton, Texas | Public | twu.edu |
| Indiana University (IUSB) |
Bachelor's
|
45 | South Bend, Indiana | Public | iusb.edu |
| Northwest Missouri State University |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Maryville, Missouri | Public | nwmissouri.edu |
| University of Vermont (UVM) |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Burlington, Vermont | Public | uvm.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
35 | Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center |
Master's
|
34 | Fort Worth, Texas | Public | unthsc.edu |
| Rowan University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
33 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| Farmingdale State College |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Farmingdale, New York | Public | farmingdale.edu |
| Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Lawrenceville, Georgia | Public | ggc.edu |
| Rice University |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Houston, Texas | Private | rice.edu |
| Laramie County Community College (LCCC) |
Associate's
|
30 | Cheyenne, Wyoming | Public | lccc.wy.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
29 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| Carrington College |
Associate's
|
28 | Boise, Idaho | Private | carrington.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
28 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Lamar University (LU) |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Beaumont, Texas | Public | lamar.edu |
| Carrington College |
Associate's
|
28 | Spokane, Washington | Private | carrington.edu |
| Towson University (TU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
27 | Towson, Maryland | Public | towson.edu |
| Texas Southern University (TSU) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Houston, Texas | Public | tsu.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
25 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| Simpson College |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Indianola, Iowa | Private | simpson.edu |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Edinburg, Texas | Public | utrgv.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Tyler, Texas | Public | uttyler.edu |
| Shepherd University |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Shepherdstown, West Virginia | Public | shepherd.edu |
| Roosevelt University |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | roosevelt.edu |
| University of Saint Francis (USF) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Private | sf.edu |
| SUNY Buffalo State University |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Buffalo, New York | Public | suny.buffalostate.edu |
| University of North Dakota (UND) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
22 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Public | und.edu |
| Arkansas State University (A-State) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Public | astate.edu |
| Central Wyoming College (CWC) |
Associate's
|
20 | Riverton, Wyoming | Public | cwc.edu |
| Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center (EOC Tech) |
Other Award
|
20 | Choctaw, Oklahoma | Public | eoctech.edu |
| Indiana University (IUK) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Kokomo, Indiana | Public | iuk.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
|
19 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| North Greenville University (NGU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Tigerville, South Carolina | Private | ngu.edu |
| Lone Star College System (LSC) |
Associate's
|
19 | The Woodlands, Texas | Public | lonestar.edu |
| Jacksonville University (JU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Jacksonville, Florida | Private | ju.edu |
| Maryville College |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Maryville, Tennessee | Private | maryvillecollege.edu |
| Merrimack College |
Master's
|
17 | North Andover, Massachusetts | Private | merrimack.edu |
| Holy Family University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | holyfamily.edu |
| Tyler Junior College (TJC) |
Associate's
|
16 | Tyler, Texas | Public | tjc.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Other Award
|
14 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| Clarke University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Dubuque, Iowa | Private | clarke.edu |
| Monroe College |
Associate's
|
13 | Bronx, New York | Private | monroecollege.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | Superior, Wisconsin | Public | uwsuper.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
12 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Daemen University |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Amherst, New York | Private | daemen.edu |
| SUNY Westchester Community College |
Associate's
|
12 | Valhalla, New York | Public | sunywcc.edu |
| Vermont State University (VTSU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Randolph, Vermont | Public | vermontstate.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy |
Residency
|
12 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | soma.edu |
| Benedictine University (BenU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Lisle, Illinois | Private | ben.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Other Award
|
11 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Culver-Stockton College (C‑SC) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Canton, Missouri | Private | culver.edu |
| McMurry University (McM) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Abilene, Texas | Private | mcm.edu |
| Parker University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Dallas, Texas | Private | parker.edu |
| California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) |
Master's
|
10 | San Francisco, California | Private | ciis.edu |
| Pacific Union College (PUC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Angwin, California | Private | puc.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Master's
|
10 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| Piedmont University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
10 | Demorest, Georgia | Private | piedmont.edu |
| North Park University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | northpark.edu |
| Rockhurst University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Kansas City, Missouri | Private | rockhurst.edu |
| Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Butte, Montana | Public | mtech.edu |
| University of Dayton (UD) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Dayton, Ohio | Private | udayton.edu |
| Paul Quinn College (PQC) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Dallas, Texas | Private | pqc.edu |
| Utah Tech University (UT) |
Other Award
|
10 | Saint George, Utah | Public | utahtech.edu |
| Hampton University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Hampton, Virginia | Private | hamptonu.edu |
| Herzing University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Madison, Wisconsin | Private | herzing.edu |
| Touro University Worldwide (TUW) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Los Alamitos, California | Private | tuw.edu |
| University of Maine (UMF) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Farmington, Maine | Public | umf.maine.edu |
| Oakland University (OU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Rochester Hills, Michigan | Public | oakland.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Health and Wellness programs
How much can I earn with a Health and Wellness degree?
Salaries for Health and Wellness graduates vary by role and location. Health Education Specialists earn a median of $63,000 annually, while Community Health Workers earn around $51,030. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $91,085 compared to $42,945 in Mississippi. Approximately 125,880 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Health and Wellness programs?
Currently 200 accredited institutions offer Health and Wellness degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Purdue University Global (803 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (386 graduates), and Tulsa Technology Center (Tulsa Tech) (336 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Health and Wellness growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 576 in 2010 to 5,611 in 2023-24. This represents a 874% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Health and Wellness degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Health Education Specialists, Community Health Workers, . Related occupations employ approximately 125,880 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Related Health Programs
Explore similar degree programs within the Health field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
A program that focuses on the application of biomedical, psychological, and physical principles to the study of the scientific bases, development, and treatment...
Audiology
A program that prepares individuals to diagnose and treat hearing loss and other disorders involving the ear, advise patients on means to use...
Speech-Language Pathology
A program that prepares individuals to evaluate the speaking, language interpretation, and related physiological and cognitive capabilities of children and/or adults and develop...
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
An integrated program that prepares individuals to work as both audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Includes instruction in a variety of communication disorder studies,...
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Any instructional program in communications disorders sciences and services not listed above.
Dentistry
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of dentistry/dental medicine, encompassing the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders,...