Public Health Education and Promotion: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Public Health Education and Promotion equips professionals to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based initiatives that advance community well-being through informed decision-making and behavior change. This program emphasizes the strategic use of education and communication to address critical health challenges across diverse populations and life stages.
- Human Development Across the Lifespan: Explores physical, cognitive, and social growth patterns from infancy through older adulthood to inform age-appropriate health interventions.
- Population-Specific Health Issues: Investigates health disparities and unique challenges affecting underserved, marginalized, or high-risk groups, including racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic communities.
- Principles and Methods of Public Health Education: Focuses on theory-driven approaches to health literacy, curriculum development, and culturally competent teaching strategies within public health contexts.
- Health Education Campaign Administration: Teaches the planning, coordination, and management of large-scale outreach efforts to promote vaccination, disease prevention, and healthy lifestyle adoption.
- Evaluation Methods: Develops skills in assessing program effectiveness through quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and reporting to ensure continuous improvement.
- Public Communications: Builds expertise in crafting clear, impactful messages using media, digital platforms, and interpersonal techniques to engage diverse audiences.
- Application to Public Health Domains: Applies core principles to real-world issues such as chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, mental wellness, substance use, and environmental health.
Public Health Education and Promotion Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Public Health Education and Promotion Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Public Health Education and Promotion degrees, including Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, 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 355,600 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1071 | $105,620 | $51,760 - $239,200 | 229,720 | N/A |
| 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 |
Public Health Education and Promotion Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $55,383 in Hawaii to $114,667 in District of Columbia—a 107% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Arkansas, and Washington. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 355,600 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 Public Health Education and Promotion by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Public Health Education and Promotion 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 Public Health Education and Promotion is found at Brigham Young University (BYU–I), Idaho (270 graduates), East Carolina University (ECU) (259 graduates), University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Greensboro (123 graduates), University of Delaware (UD) (115 graduates), and University of Georgia (UGA) (111 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,613 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University (BYU–I) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
270 | Rexburg, Idaho | Private | byui.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
259 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
123 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
115 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
111 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Postbac Cert.
|
103 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| College of Charleston (CofC) |
Bachelor's
|
103 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | cofc.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
|
94 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Master's
|
92 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| University of Michigan |
Bachelor's
|
84 | Dearborn, Michigan | Public | umdearborn.edu |
| CUNY Lehman College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
68 | Bronx, New York | Public | lehman.edu |
| Coastal Carolina University (CCU) |
Bachelor's
|
65 | Conway, South Carolina | Public | coastal.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
64 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
63 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | jhu.edu |
| Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
62 | University Center, Michigan | Public | svsu.edu |
| Walden University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
57 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | waldenu.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
56 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
56 | Houston, Texas | Public | uth.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
|
50 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
49 | Turlock, California | Public | csustan.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Liberty University |
Bachelor's
|
45 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | liberty.edu |
| Widener University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
44 | Chester, Pennsylvania | Private | widener.edu |
| Dine College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
43 | Tsaile, Arizona | Public | dinecollege.edu |
| Mississippi University for Women (MUW) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Columbus, Mississippi | Public | muw.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Bachelor's
|
43 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
42 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
| Northampton County Area Community College (NCC) |
Associate's
|
42 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Public | northampton.edu |
| Emporia State University (ESU) |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Emporia, Kansas | Public | emporia.edu |
| Elon University |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Elon, North Carolina | Private | elon.edu |
| Lehigh University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
38 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Private | lehigh.edu |
| Emory University |
Master's
|
37 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USCB) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Bluffton, South Carolina | Public | uscb.edu |
| Weber State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Ogden, Utah | Public | weber.edu |
| Purdue University Global |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdueglobal.edu |
| Salisbury University (SU) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Salisbury, Maryland | Public | salisbury.edu |
| Truman State University |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Kirksville, Missouri | Public | truman.edu |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) |
Associate's
|
28 | New York, New York | Public | bmcc.cuny.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| North Carolina Central University (NCCU) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Durham, North Carolina | Public | nccu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of the Ozarks (U of O) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Clarksville, Arkansas | Private | ozarks.edu |
| CUNY York College |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Jamaica, New York | Public | york.cuny.edu |
| Western Oregon University (WOU) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Monmouth, Oregon | Public | wou.edu |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology (NYCCT) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | citytech.cuny.edu |
| University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
24 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Public | uco.edu |
| Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | Public | mtsu.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
22 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| University of Indianapolis (UIndy) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | uindy.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
|
22 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Lander University |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Greenwood, South Carolina | Public | lander.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Master's
|
21 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| University of Northern Iowa (UNI) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Public | uni.edu |
| Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Richmond, Kentucky | Public | eku.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| Tufts University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
20 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| Morgan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | morgan.edu |
| University of Lynchburg |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | lynchburg.edu |
| Concord University |
Master's
|
19 | Athens, West Virginia | Public | concord.edu |
| Southern Illinois University (SIUE) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Edwardsville, Illinois | Public | siue.edu |
| Simmons University |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | simmons.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| Caldwell University |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Caldwell, New Jersey | Private | caldwell.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Master's
|
17 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| American College of Education (ACE) |
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | ace.edu |
| Loma Linda University (LLU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Loma Linda, California | Private | llu.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMD) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Duluth, Minnesota | Public | d.umn.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR‑MSC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | rcm.upr.edu |
| Eastern Michigan University (EMU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
14 | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Public | emich.edu |
| SUNY College of Technology (SUNY Canton) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Canton, New York | Public | canton.edu |
| Biola University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | La Mirada, California | Private | biola.edu |
| Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) |
Master's
|
13 | Portland, Oregon | Public | ohsu.edu |
| Mount Mercy University (MMU) |
Master's
|
12 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Private | mtmercy.edu |
| Saint Francis University (SFU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Loretto, Pennsylvania | Private | francis.edu |
| Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 | Laurel, Maryland | Private | muih.edu |
| Winona State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Winona, Minnesota | Public | winona.edu |
| College of the Marshall Islands (CMI) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
11 | Majuro, Marshall Islands | Public | cmi.edu |
| University of North Dakota (UND) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Public | und.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OUHSC) |
Master's
|
10 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Public | ouhsc.edu |
| Linfield University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | McMinnville, Oregon | Private | linfield.edu |
| Western Kentucky University (WKU) |
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
9 | Bowling Green, Kentucky | Public | wku.edu |
| Central Michigan University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | cmich.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTEP) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | El Paso, Texas | Public | utep.edu |
| St Catherine University (St. Kate’s) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stkate.edu |
| Johnson C Smith University (JCSU) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Private | jcsu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
7 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Dominican University of California (DU of C) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | San Rafael, California | Private | dominican.edu |
| Benedictine University (BenU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | Lisle, Illinois | Private | ben.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Master's
|
7 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Post-Master's
|
7 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) |
Other Award
|
7 | Belcourt, North Dakota | Private | tm.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Post-Master's
|
7 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) |
Master's
|
7 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | web.musc.edu |
| Marymount University |
Master's
|
7 | Arlington, Virginia | Private | marymount.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Master's
|
6 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Public Health Education and Promotion programs
How much can I earn with a Public Health Education and Promotion degree?
Salaries for Public Health Education and Promotion graduates vary by role and location. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $105,620 annually, while Health Education Specialists earn around $63,000. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $114,667 compared to $55,383 in Hawaii. Approximately 355,600 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 Public Health Education and Promotion programs?
Currently 157 accredited institutions offer Public Health Education and Promotion degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Brigham Young University (BYU–I), Idaho (270 graduates), East Carolina University (ECU) (259 graduates), and University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Greensboro (123 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 Public Health Education and Promotion growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,101 in 2010 to a peak of 4,492 in 2020, before declining slightly to 3,785 in 2023-24. This represents a 80% 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 Public Health Education and Promotion degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, Health Education Specialists, and Community Health Workers. Related occupations employ approximately 355,600 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.
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