Top 12 Highest-Paid Public Health Jobs (2022)
The public health field offers tremendous opportunities to pursue high-paying careers, and even though it can be challenging most of the time, hard work eventually pays off, and your degree helps you find a rewarding job. But which jobs are we talking about?
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12 Highest-Paid Public Health Jobs
Let's look at the 12 highest-paying careers in public health administration and see where you find yourself.
Biostatistician
A biostatistician provides advanced statistical expertise and guidance to researchers and scientists in health-related studies. As a biostatistician, you will often design, develop, and report various research studies and clinical trials.
Some of the duties and responsibilities of a biostatistician are:
Designing, analyzing, and reporting findings on statistical search studies.
Planning and documenting computer data file structures.
Using various advanced statistical software, methods, and techniques in their research.
Gathering, analyzing, and interpreting research data.
Job outlook and salary
The average salary for a biostatistician is $91,160, though this may depend on your previous experience. Overall, the employment of biostatisticians is projected to grow 33% in the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Computer and information system managers in healthcare
Working as a computer and information system manager means you’ll be planning, coordinating, and directing computer-related activities in various healthcare settings. Moreover, your help will determine your organization’s technology goals and implement computer systems that meet such goals.
Other duties and responsibilities of computer and information system managers include:
Analyzing the organization’s computer needs and recommending preferable upgrades.
Installing and maintaining computer hardware and software.
Determining short-term and long-term needs for their department.
Ensuring the organization’s network security.
Job outlook and salary
The median annual salary for computer and information system managers in healthcare is $151,150; however, based on your skills and experience, you can get paid up to $166,770 per year. As for the job outlook, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts an 11% growth in the following decade, faster than average.
Health and safety engineer
Health and safety engineers design systems that protect people from injuries and property damage. By combining their health and engineering knowledge, they ensure that chemicals, furniture, or pieces of machinery don't cause harm to people or damage any property.
Other duties and responsibilities of health and safety engineers are:
Maintaining and applying current health and safety policies knowledge.
Identifying and correcting potential hazards.
Inspecting facilities and safety equipment.
Installing safety devices on different machines.
Job outlook and salary
The average yearly salary of a health and safety engineer is $94,240, but you can get paid up to $103,160 if you work in the engineering services industry. BLS predicts a 6% growth for this profession in the following ten years, which is as fast as average.
Medical and health services managers
Medical and health services managers, also known as healthcare executives, deal with planning, directing, and coordinating healthcare providers' business activities. They usually work in healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes.
If you manage to land a job as a medical and health services manager, here's what is expected from you:
Improve healthcare services' efficiency and quality.
Develop the department's goals and objectives.
Create work schedules.
Communicate with medical staff members and department heads.
Recruit and train staff members.
Job outlook and salary
Working as a medical and health services manager means that you'll be earning an annual salary of $104,280, which can go up to $116,380 if you work in the government. This career seems to have a bright future, as BLS predicts a 32% growth in the next decade, which is much faster than average.
Public health attorney
Mainly, public health attorneys deal with laws and policies that intend on stopping health problems. They advocate and advise people, communities, or government agencies in various criminal or civil trials. Moreover, public health attorneys often counsel their clients regarding legal rights and obligations and suggest their next possible steps.
Other duties and responsibilities of this career include:
Advising and representing clients in law courts.
Communicating with clients.
Conducting research regarding public health matters.
Filing legal documents like lawsuits, briefs, or appeals.
Job outlook and salary
As of January 2022, the national average pay for public health attorneys is $70,959 per year, though some may earn as much as $136,500. The overall employment outlook for this category is expected to be around 10% in the following decade.
Public health program manager
A public health program manager ensures that the health services program mission is being achieved. They typically manage individual departments or facilities and are responsible for the health services there. Moreover, public health program managers are responsible for maintaining patient records and being up-to-date with current health legislation.
Other duties include:
Planning, scheduling, and coordinating personnel work to ensure effective program operations.
Planning and programming initiatives and operations.
Preparing grant applications and administering grant funds.
Hiring and supervising professional staff.
Job outlook and salary
Currently, the average annual salary for public health program managers is $70,894, though that depends on many important factors like education, certifications, and previous experience. Similar to other medical and health services manager careers, the job outlook for public health program manager in the next ten years is projected to grow 32%, much faster than the average.
Public healthcare consultant
As a public healthcare consultant, you're expected to work along with businesses, communities, and healthcare facilities with the main goal of improving the overall health of a population. By providing essential information to these entities, public healthcare consultants try to enhance programs and policies that directly impact the future health of the public.
As a public healthcare consultant, you'll be:
Conducting professional research and finding ways to improve issues and challenges that the public health sector's problems and challenges.
Presenting your findings and opinions to government agencies.
Counseling families and introducing them to the best available options to improve their health.
Consulting with hospitals regarding improved policies.
Job outlook and salary
At the moment, the average public healthcare consultant's yearly salary is $83,102, though the majority of people who work in this profession earn six-digit figures.
Health and wellness manager
Generally, health and wellness managers are responsible for managing the health and wellness of individuals or groups of people. They can work in fitness centers, individual clients, or private corporations that want to improve their employees' well-being.
As a health and wellness manager, here's what is expected from you:
Designing and implementing policies that improve the overall health of individuals or groups of people.
Working closely with business leaders to prevent illness and improve the overall health of a facility.
Gathering data and using them to determine the extra steps to enhance the success of the running programs.
Presenting regular reports on how the individuals or groups improved their well-being using their program.
Job outlook and salary
As of January 2022, a health and wellness manager makes around $94,232 per year, and until 2029, BLS predicts a 13% growth in the job outlook for the industry.
Natural sciences manager
Natural sciences managers supervise scientists' work, including chemists, biologists, and physicists. They direct scientific research activities and coordinate activities like testing, quality control, and production. Typically, natural sciences managers are former scientists, and they continue their own research even after becoming managers.
Natural sciences managers typically have the following duties and responsibilities:
Developing strategies for researchers and developers.
Hiring, supervising, and evaluating scientists.
Monitoring projects' progress.
Ensuring that laboratories are stocked with the necessary equipment.
Job outlook and salary
Natural sciences managers have an average annual wage of $137,940, and BLS predicts a 6% growth in the job outlook in the following decade.
Infectious disease specialist
An infectious disease specialist investigates how viruses and bacteria cause illnesses and provides solutions to prevent and control their spread. Working in this profession allows you to not only use your skills to treat life-threatening diseases but also be able to use some of the latest laboratory technology.
Key responsibilities of an infectious disease specialist include:
Working with internists to diagnose and treat infections.
Order specialized tests to diagnose reoccurring infections.
Prescribe antibiotics.
Work with epidemiologists to end a pandemic outbreak.
Job outlook and salary
The average Infectious Disease Physician currently makes $191,289 per year, making it one of the highest-paying jobs in the industry. Moreover, it seems like many new employees will benefit from such a high salary, as the job outlook for this profession is projected to increase by 24%.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists investigate patterns and causes of several diseases. Through research and community education, they work to reduce the risk and occurrence of severe health outcomes. Also, epidemiologists may research trends in survivors' populations of several diseases and identify effective treatments.
Additionally, epidemiologists deal with the following:
Planning and directing public health problems studies.
Collecting and analyzing information that helps you find the causes of diseases.
Supervising professional and technical personnel.
Writing grant proposals to fund research.
Job outlook and salary
Epidemiologists are paid on average $74,560 per year; however, they can earn an annual salary as high as $99,020 if they work in scientific research and development services. The job outlook for epidemiologists is also high, as BLS predicts a 30% growth in the following decade, which is much faster than average.
Health service administrator
Health service administrators complete day-to-day administrative tasks at medical offices. These tasks include managing budget and billing, ordering medical supplies, and supervising the general staff. Moreover, this job position requires creating employee work schedules, maintaining patient records, and being up-to-date with state laws and regulations.
Other duties and responsibilities of health service administrators include:
Coordinating with doctors and nurses to identify their needs.
Responding to doctors' and nurses' questions in a timely manner.
Informing employees regarding new policies or other changes.
Continuously updating medical records.
Job outlook and salary
The average yearly salary of health service administrators varies between $71,786 and $89,830, with the median being $80,724. Health service administration continues to be a great career choice, as BLS projects a 32% growth from 2019 to 2029 for this profession.
Conclusion
Though public health administration jobs offer attractive salaries, we know that most of you are looking to enter this field because you have a great desire to serve the greater good and make changes with your skills and expertise. Pursuing a public health degree, such as a healthcare administration degree, will open endless doors that make your career one to remember.