Are you looking for a rewarding career that allows you to make a difference and help communities stay healthy? If so, consider a career in public health. This field is perfect for individuals passionate about wellness and wishing to create positive change.
With a career in public health, you’ll have the opportunity to work with various organizations and professionals to promote health, prevent disease, and improve people’s lives. There are many paths in this growing field — and the good news is the job opportunities and earning potential are excellent. So are you ready to dive in and explore the top public health prospects?
Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists are the detectives of the health world. They investigate the causes of diseases and health issues to determine how to prevent them from spreading. As an epidemiologist, your tasks will be to:
- Analyze the distribution and determinants of health events in populations.
- Investigate outbreaks of diseases and health issues in the assigned area
- Figure out why health problems occur and find ways to contain them.
- Educate communities about health risks and prevention.
If you’re passionate about promoting health and stopping the spread of diseases, going into epidemiology may be the perfect choice for you.
To become an epidemiologist, you’ll need a master’s degree in public health, specializing in epidemiology. Many epidemiologists start entry-level jobs as public health advisors, research assistants, or health educators. With experience, you can advance to senior or lead epidemiologist roles.
According to BLS:
- The demand for epidemiologists is estimated to increase by 26 percent from 2021 to 2031
- The median salary for epidemiologists in the U.S. is $78,830 per year.
Health Educators
Health educators work with communities and individuals to encourage healthy lifestyles and choices. They get to spread wellness wisdom in schools, workplaces, and healthcare facilities.
As a Health Educator, You’ll develop and implement programs tailored to specific groups, covering topics like:
- Nutrition: Helping people learn to make balanced meal choices and read nutrition labels.
- Exercise: Creating fitness plans and leading engaging physical activity sessions.
- Disease prevention: Educating about early detection and management of chronic illnesses like diabetes or heart disease.
Health education could be your perfect career if you’re passionate about promoting wellness and helping people develop healthy habits.
To become a health educator, you need a bachelor’s degree in health education, public health, or a related field. Many employers prefer or even require candidates to be Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES).
According to BLS:
- employment of health education specialists and community health workers is estimated to grow 12 percent from 2021 to 2031
- the average median pay for health educators in the U.S. is over $50,000 annually.
Biostatisticians
Biostatisticians use their maths and data skills to help solve critical health problems. Identifying risks, monitoring diseases, and evaluating health programs, significantly impact population health. As health data becomes more available, the need for biostatisticians to analyze is rapidly increasing.
As a biostatistician, you’ll
- Gather and analyze data to identify health trends and risks.
- Design studies, develop data collection methods, and build statistical models to better understand diseases and health issues.
- Work with public health experts, scientists, and physicians to improve population health.
If you love working with data and want to improve people’s lives, a career as a biostatistician could be very rewarding. You’ll use your analytical skills to uncover insights promoting health and well-being.
You’ll need a statistics, mathematics, or a related field degree to become a biostatistician. Many biostatisticians get master’s degrees or PhDs in biostatistics, epidemiology, or public health. Coursework usually includes statistics, mathematics, epidemiology, and public health classes.
- The employment rate of Biostatisticians is estimated to rise about 35% between 2019 and 2029
- Biostatisticians have a median pay of over $80,745 per year in the U.S., according to the Payscale.
Environmental Scientists
Environmental scientists tend to improve public health in a big way by tackling ecological issues like monitoring pollution levels, assessing health risks, and developing solutions to environmental problems.
As an environmental scientist, Your tasks will be to
- Research the effects of pollution, waste, radiation, and other hazards on human health and the environment.
- Develop solutions to problems like pollution, waste management, and sustainability.
- Work with policymakers and the public to implement new environmental regulations and protection measures.
- Educate communities and promote environmental awareness.
- Collect samples, conduct site evaluations, and analyze hazards.
So If you want to protect public health and the planet, environmental science is for you! You’ll get to solve fundamental problems and make a real difference in creating healthier environments.
To become an environmental scientist, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, chemistry, or a related field. Coursework in public health, toxicology, and data analysis is also helpful.
According to BLS:
- The demand for environmental scientists and specialists is estimated to rise 5 percent between 2021 to 2031
- The median pay of Environmental scientists is over $70,000 per year in the U.S.
Nutritionist/Dietician
The field of nutrition encompasses many different areas of study, including food science and technology, dietetics, clinical nutrition, and food policy.
If you want insight into various aspects of human health, such as nutrition education for children and adults, food safety awareness for consumers, and dietary supplement regulation for manufacturers, then opting for a nutrition-related degree would be an apt choice.
The education level for nutrition degrees varies by institution, but most require a bachelor’s degree in the subject area or related field of study. Some institutions may also need you to have at least three years of experience working in one of the nutrition-related fields, such as dietetics or public health.
You can work anywhere from hospitals to private practice offices by pursuing a nutrition degree.
According to BLS:
- It is anticipated that between 2021 and 2031, the employment of dietitians and nutritionists will increase by 7%.
- The median salary for a dietitian or nutritionist is 66,450 per year.
Occupational Health Specialist
Occupational health specialists impact people’s lives daily by inspecting workplaces, educating employers and employees, and helping implement health programs.
You can work as an occupational health nurse, therapist, or physician in the occupational health field. Or become an occupational health and safety specialist or technician.
If you want a purposeful profession where you can spread positivity, support people in living healthier lives, and help shape safe work environments, then occupational health could be the perfect field for you.
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in occupational health, safety, nursing, or a related field to start this career. Some roles require additional certifications or master’s degrees.
According to BLS:
- employment of occupational health specialists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2021 to 2031
- the median salary for Occupational health specialists is $74,870 per year
Conclusion
So there you have it, an insider’s guide to the top 6 public health careers. With the world facing unprecedented health challenges, the demand for public health professionals is increasing. Now’s the perfect time to pursue a meaningful career where you make a real difference in people’s lives daily. Any of these specializations will be an excellent choice if you want an exciting job with growth opportunities. The wages are competitive, and the job security is high. So go after the career that sparks your interest and plays to your strengths, work hard, and help create a healthier future.
