Health Humanities: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Health Humanities integrates the arts, sciences, and humanistic inquiry to critically examine the complex dimensions of health, illness, and medical practice. This interdisciplinary field fosters deep understanding of the cultural, ethical, and historical contexts that shape healthcare experiences and systems.
- Medical Ethics: Explores moral dilemmas in clinical practice, research, and public health policy, emphasizing principles like autonomy, justice, and beneficence.
- Medical Anthropology: Investigates how culture, belief systems, and social structures influence health behaviors, illness perceptions, and healthcare delivery across diverse populations.
- Health and Literature: Analyzes narratives in fiction, memoir, and poetry to understand personal and collective experiences of illness, healing, and vulnerability.
- Philosophy of Medicine: Engages with foundational questions about the nature of health, disease, personhood, and the goals of medical intervention.
- Religion and Spiritual Thought: Examines how religious traditions and spiritual practices inform patient values, end-of-life decisions, and the meaning of suffering.
- History of Medicine: Traces the evolution of medical knowledge, institutions, and practices from ancient times to the present, highlighting shifts in theory and practice.
- Visual and Performing Arts in Health: Uses visual art, film, theater, and music to explore emotional, psychological, and social dimensions of health and illness.
- Science and Technology Studies: Critically assesses the societal, ethical, and cultural implications of emerging biomedical technologies and data-driven healthcare.
- Cultural Studies and Health: Interrogates how power, identity, race, gender, and class shape access to care, health outcomes, and medical narratives.
- Health Writing and Communication: Develops skills in narrative, persuasive, and reflective writing to enhance patient-provider communication and public health storytelling.
Health Humanities Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Health Humanities Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Health Humanities degrees, including Sociologists, Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other and Geographers. 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 221,580 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociologists 19-3041 | $101,690 | $60,710 - $168,590 | 2,950 | $48.89 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other 19-3099 | $100,340 | $62,570 - $160,810 | 36,970 | $48.24 |
| Geographers 19-3092 | $97,200 | $62,390 - $133,680 | 1,380 | $46.73 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 25-1199 | $78,490 | $39,720 - $172,850 | 151,530 | N/A |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other 25-1069 | $75,040 | $45,280 - $176,350 | 17,540 | N/A |
| Historians 19-3093 | $74,050 | $38,630 - $128,500 | 3,140 | $35.60 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists 19-3091 | $64,910 | $44,510 - $104,510 | 8,070 | $31.21 |
Health Humanities Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $59,997 in Tennessee to $108,494 in Hawaii—a 81% difference. The highest-paying states include Hawaii, Oregon, and District of Columbia. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 221,580 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 Humanities by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 29 institutions offering Health Humanities 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 Humanities is found at The University of Texas (UTSA), San Antonio (84 graduates), Baylor University (54 graduates), Montclair State University (49 graduates), The University of Texas, Austin (25 graduates), and Harding University (20 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 352 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas (UTSA) |
Bachelor's
|
84 | San Antonio, Texas | Public | utsa.edu |
| Baylor University |
Bachelor's
|
54 | Waco, Texas | Private | baylor.edu |
| Montclair State University |
Bachelor's
|
49 | Montclair, New Jersey | Public | montclair.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
Other Award
|
25 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Harding University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Searcy, Arkansas | Private | harding.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Master's
|
19 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| Missouri State University |
Other Award
|
14 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | missouristate.edu |
| Drew University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Madison, New Jersey | Private | drew.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Master's
|
7 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
6 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Winona, Minnesota | Private | smumn.edu |
| Hiram College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Hiram, Ohio | Private | hiram.edu |
| Elizabethtown College |
Postbac Cert.
|
5 | Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania | Private | etown.edu |
| Stephen F Austin State University (SFASU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Nacogdoches, Texas | Public | sfasu.edu |
| Salem College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | salem.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Other Award
|
3 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| D'Youville University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Buffalo, New York | Private | dyu.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Abington, Pennsylvania | Public | abington.psu.edu |
| Quinnipiac University (QU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Hamden, Connecticut | Private | qu.edu |
| Bellarmine University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Louisville, Kentucky | Private | bellarmine.edu |
| MCPHS University (MCPHS) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | mcphs.edu |
| Creighton University |
Master's
|
2 | Omaha, Nebraska | Private | creighton.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Baker University (BU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Baldwin City, Kansas | Private | bakeru.edu |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) |
Other Award
|
1 | Natchitoches, Louisiana | Public | nsula.edu |
| Lebanon Valley College (LVC) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Annville, Pennsylvania | Private | lvc.edu |
| Wilson College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | Private | wilson.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWEC) |
Other Award
|
1 | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | Public | uwec.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Health Humanities programs
How much can I earn with a Health Humanities degree?
Salaries for Health Humanities graduates vary by role and location. Sociologists earn a median of $101,690 annually, while Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other earn around $100,340. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Hawaii average $108,494 compared to $59,997 in Tennessee. Approximately 221,580 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 Humanities programs?
Currently 29 accredited institutions offer Health Humanities degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include The University of Texas (UTSA), San Antonio (84 graduates), Baylor University (54 graduates), and Montclair State University (49 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.
What career paths are available with a Health Humanities degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Sociologists, Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other, and Geographers. Related occupations employ approximately 221,580 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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