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Key Infor­ma­tion:

  • UNC Chapel Hill and Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan are top schools for a bach­e­lor’s in Pub­lic Health.
  • The best pub­lic health degree pro­grams offer a range of spe­cial­iza­tions, includ­ing epi­demi­ol­o­gy, health pol­i­cy, envi­ron­men­tal health, and bio­sta­tis­tics.
  • Accred­it­ed pro­grams ensure high edu­ca­tion­al stan­dards and eli­gi­bil­i­ty for var­i­ous cer­ti­fi­ca­tions and licen­sure, which are cru­cial for career advance­ment in pub­lic health.
  • Grad­u­ates of these pro­grams are well-pre­pared for careers in gov­ern­ment agen­cies, health­care orga­ni­za­tions, non-prof­its, and inter­na­tion­al health orga­ni­za­tions.

The Pub­lic Health field is incred­i­bly diverse. From Health Edu­ca­tion to Emer­gency Man­age­ment Spe­cial­iza­tions, you can pick and choose from many dif­fer­ent career options. Even if you plan on work­ing out­side the gen­er­al scope of the Pub­lic Health field, hav­ing this type of degree will add depth to your resume that will allow you to work in areas where the two fields blend togeth­er. This is when it is some­times ben­e­fi­cial to have a dual degree. Know­ing both fields will give you a def­i­nite advan­tage. You are able to use what you learned from both degree pro­grams to your fullest advantage.

A Pub­lic Health major will pro­vide you with the skills you need to take on new chal­lenges and respon­si­bil­i­ties. Many peo­ple begin their career by find­ing an entry-lev­el posi­tion and then bas­ing their future employ­ment oppor­tu­ni­ties on that. Once they begin work­ing, how­ev­er, it becomes dif­fi­cult to make time to return to school to com­plete their edu­ca­tion. This is where enrolling in an online Pub­lic Health degree pro­gram is so advan­ta­geous. Online cours­es make it eas­i­er to stay on the fast track when it comes to advanc­ing up the ranks toward a super­vi­so­ry or man­age­r­i­al position.

Methodology: Ranking the Best Public Health Degrees

The edi­tors of Bachelor’s Degree Cen­ter are seri­ous about rank­ing rep­utable, accred­it­ed col­leges and uni­ver­si­ties so prospec­tive stu­dents know what they’re get­ting. The pro­grams ranked among the best pub­lic health degrees are judged accord­ing to data from IPEDS and Niche. Cri­te­ria include cost, poten­tial salary, and stu­dent reviews.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Uni­ver­si­ty of North Car­oli­na at Chapel Hill offers a BS in Pub­lic Health. This pro­gram is one of the best pub­lic health degrees for under­grad­u­ate stu­dents. It includes con­cen­tra­tions in bio­sta­t­ics, envi­ron­men­tal health sci­ences, health pol­i­cy and man­age­ment, and nutri­tion. UNC under­grads typ­i­cal­ly apply to their majors dur­ing sopho­more year because each major requires spe­cif­ic pre­req­ui­sites. The pub­lic health pro­grams here are chal­leng­ing but very worth the effort.

UNC Chapel Hill is a well-known school that sits on a beau­ti­ful cam­pus. This school’s com­mit­ment to the com­mu­ni­ty makes it a great place to learn about pub­lic health. The uni­ver­si­ty encour­ages open-mind­ed­ness and ask­ing ques­tions, so stu­dents here learn to embrace and dis­cuss new ideas. These facts, com­bined with the chal­leng­ing aca­d­e­mics, mean that stu­dents learn to take their careers and their own imag­i­na­tions to the next level.

What We Like: The Gillings School of Pub­lic Health at UNC is the #1 ranked pub­lic school of pub­lic health in the US.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of North Car­oli­na at Chapel Hill BS in Pub­lic Health

2. University of Michigan

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan has two of the best pub­lic health degrees avail­able: the BS in Pub­lic Health Sci­ences and the BA in Com­mu­ni­ty and Glob­al Pub­lic Health. Both of these pro­grams take an inter­dis­ci­pli­nary approach to pub­lic health top­ics. Stu­dents who gra­date from these pro­grams can talk about a wide vari­ety of pub­lic health top­ics and enter all kinds of pub­lic health jobs. They learn not just about the sci­en­tif­ic basis of health but how things like ethics and cul­ture play into the field.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan com­bines old tra­di­tions with new inno­va­tions. It’s a place of chal­lenge and explo­ration where stu­dents can reach their fullest poten­tial. The school thrives in areas like sci­ence and med­i­cine just as much as it thrives in the arts and oth­er cre­ative areas. This school was found­ed before Michi­gan even became a state, and it has a long his­to­ry of inno­va­tion that has helped the com­mu­ni­ty for years.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan is the #1 ranked pub­lic uni­ver­si­ty in the US, accord­ing to QS World Uni­ver­si­ty Rankings.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health Sci­ences or BA in Com­mu­ni­ty and Glob­al Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Michi­gan BS in Pub­lic Health Sci­ences or BA in Com­mu­ni­ty and Glob­al Pub­lic Health

3. Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Pub­lic Health exists to improve over­all pub­lic health, both in Texas and in the wider world. This vision is just one rea­son why Texas A&M has one of the best pub­lic health degrees for today’s stu­dents. Stu­dents in this pro­gram learn about the pub­lic health issues that mean the most to Texas cit­i­zens. The prac­tice-based pro­gram pro­vides a lot of hands-on train­ing for its stu­dents. Texas A&M’s pub­lic health pro­gram has been rec­om­mend­ed both for those who want a pre-pro­fes­sion­al degree and for those who want to apply to a health-relat­ed field in grad­u­ate school.

Texas A&M is a lead­ing school when it comes to sci­ence and tech­nol­o­gy, which makes it a great place to learn about pub­lic health and relat­ed top­ics. Research from A&M has pro­duced tech­nol­o­gy for the health­care field and beyond. This school has become home to many future sci­en­tists, doc­tors, and oth­er health­care-focused stu­dents. It’s helped the Texas com­mu­ni­ty for many years. In fact, it was the state’s first pub­lic university.

What We Like: Texas A&M Uni­ver­si­ty has the sec­ond-largest stu­dent body in the Unit­ed States, and it has the resources to sup­port every student.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

4. University of Texas at Austin

At the Uni­ver­si­ty of Texas at Austin, the BS in Pub­lic Health cov­ers all of the core areas of pub­lic health. It also comes with the option to choose a spe­cial­iza­tion, which is just one of the rea­sons why UT Austin has one of the best pub­lic health degrees in the US. This pro­gram pre­pares stu­dents to take on all kinds of entry-lev­el jobs in the field. The chal­leng­ing cours­es help stu­dents gain what it takes to become lead­ers in pub­lic health as they sup­port the Austin com­mu­ni­ty, Texas, and beyond.

UT Austin is one of the largest, most renowned pub­lic research uni­ver­si­ties in the Unit­ed States. It has no short­age of tal­ent or resources, so stu­dents can rest assure that they’ll always get what they need. The big city loca­tion means lots of oppor­tu­ni­ties, both before and after grad­u­a­tion. It’s a great place to start a career and make con­nec­tions. UT Austin uses hands-on, research-based learn­ing, so stu­dents can gain con­fi­dence in their knowledge.

What We Like: Accord­ing to US News and World Report, UT Austin is one of the top 20 pub­lic uni­ver­si­ties in the Unit­ed States.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Texas at Austin BS in Pub­lic Health

5. University of Florida

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da offers a Bach­e­lor of Pub­lic Health (BPH). In this pro­gram, stu­dents learn all of the core skills they need to get start­ed in a pub­lic health career. Many peo­ple have said that UF offers one of the best pub­lic health degrees in the US. It empha­sizes pub­lic health knowl­edge as well as the lead­er­ship and com­mu­ni­ca­tion skills that stu­dents will need to bring their knowl­edge to com­mu­ni­ties. The pro­gram cov­ers com­mu­ni­ty health­care as well as indi­vid­ual health­care, so stu­dents can pre­pare them­selves for vir­tu­al­ly any pub­lic health situation.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da is a research uni­ver­si­ty ded­i­cat­ed to inno­va­tion and using dis­cov­ery to help the com­mu­ni­ty. Stu­dents ben­e­fit from this inno­va­tion by get­ting the lat­est tools and tech­niques at their fin­ger­tips in the class­room. UF’s learn­ing approach­es also pro­vide flex­i­bil­i­ty. This school empha­sizes lead­er­ship and con­fi­dence, help­ing stu­dents lever­age their own abilities.

What We Like: UF’s fresh­man class of 2020 had an aver­age GPA of 4.5.

Degree: Bach­e­lor of Pub­lic Health (BPH)

Uni­ver­si­ty of Flori­da Bach­e­lor of Pub­lic Health

6. University of California, San Diego

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Cal­i­for­nia, San Diego’s BS in Pub­lic Health is all about help­ing com­mu­ni­ties thrive. It’s one of the best pub­lic health degrees avail­able today. In this pro­gram, stu­dents learn how to improve pub­lic health by pro­vid­ing edu­ca­tion, help­ing peo­ple gain bet­ter access to health­care, and exam­ine the biggest caus­es of health dis­par­i­ties. The pro­gram also focus­es on issues such as ris­ing health­care costs, dis­ease pre­ven­tion, and more. This dynam­ic major pro­vides a lot of mean­ing­ful experiences.

UC San Diego does­n’t just serve its own stu­dents. It also serves the wider com­mu­ni­ty. For its own stu­dents, it offers chal­leng­ing aca­d­e­mics that help learn­ers reach beyond their com­fort zones and expand their hori­zons. It’s a top uni­ver­si­ty for research and inno­va­tion. Plus, the San Diego cam­pus pro­vides beau­ti­ful views and access to some of the most tal­ent­ed fac­ul­ty mem­bers in the world.

What We Like: UC San Diego is Amer­i­ca’s top pub­lic research uni­ver­si­ty for social mobil­i­ty, research, and pub­lic service.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Cal­i­for­nia, San Diego BS in Pub­lic Health

7. University of Georgia

At the Uni­ver­si­ty of Geor­gia, stu­dents can earn either a BS in Envi­ron­men­tal Health or Health Pro­mo­tion. Both pro­grams are count­ed among the best pub­lic health pro­grams in the coun­try. The envi­ron­men­tal health degree focus­es on how a com­mu­ni­ty’s sur­round­ings can impact their health. The health pro­mo­tion degree focus­es on spread­ing aware­ness and edu­ca­tion. Both pro­grams impart the skills and knowl­edge that stu­dents will need to suc­ceed in a pub­lic health career.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Geor­gia is known as the “birth­place of pub­lic high­er edu­ca­tion in Amer­i­ca.” It con­tin­ues that tra­di­tion by meet­ing the aca­d­e­m­ic needs of today’s stu­dents, using inno­va­tion to focus on the biggest chal­lenges of today. This school may be old, but it’s always grow­ing and evolv­ing. Stu­dents here don’t just get learn­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties. They also get hands-on expe­ri­ences and chances to sharp­en their lead­er­ship skills. The Uni­ver­si­ty of Geor­gia is a leader in sci­ence and technology.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Geor­gia has been ranked among the Top 5 uni­ver­si­ties in the Unit­ed States.

Degree: BS in Envi­ron­men­tal Health or Health Promotion

Uni­ver­si­ty of Geor­gia BS in Envi­ron­men­tal Health or Health Promotion

8. University of California, Irvine

At the Uni­ver­si­ty of Cal­i­for­nia, Irvine, stu­dents can earn either BS in Pub­lic Health or BA in Pub­lic Health Pol­i­cy. These majors are quick­ly grow­ing and evolv­ing to meet today’s most press­ing pub­lic health needs, which is one of the rea­sons why they are two of the best pub­lic health degrees. Cours­es include both core class­es and spe­cial­ty class­es. Stu­dents can also take advan­tage of study abroad oppor­tu­ni­ties, so they can see pub­lic health in action around the world.

UC Irvine is the youngest mem­ber of the Asso­ci­a­tion of Amer­i­can Uni­ver­si­ty. As young as it is, it’s accom­plished a lot in its short time as a uni­ver­si­ty. It pro­vides the same resources and ben­e­fits as the main Uni­ver­si­ty of Cal­i­for­nia cam­pus. It has also pro­duced Nobel Lau­re­ates. UC Irvine pro­duces a lot of inno­va­tion, par­tic­u­lar­ly in the areas of sci­ence and tech­nol­o­gy. Plus, its loca­tion in a thriv­ing city means a lot of career oppor­tu­ni­ties for Irvine graduations.

What We Like: UCI is the #8 pub­lic research uni­ver­si­ty in the US, accord­ing to US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health or BA in Pub­lic Health Policy

Uni­ver­si­ty of Cal­i­for­nia, Irvine BS in Pub­lic Health or BA in Pub­lic Health Policy

9. Rutgers University

The BS in Pub­lic Health from Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the best pub­lic health degrees. It pre­pares stu­dents for all sorts of entry-lev­el careers in the pub­lic health­care field. Stu­dents learn key pub­lic health top­ics such as dis­ease pre­ven­tion and com­mu­ni­ty edu­ca­tion. The pro­gram focus­es espe­cial­ly on under­served com­mu­ni­ties and the health issues that impact these com­mu­ni­ties the most.

Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty is unique because it thrives in both the arts and the sci­ences. This school is known for pro­vid­ing excel­lent edu­ca­tion across the state of New Jer­sey. It’s focused espe­cial­ly on research. In fact, it’s a top-ranked pub­lic research uni­ver­si­ty. As a result of its research and inno­va­tion, Rut­gers Uni­ver­si­ty is rais­ing up lead­ers to serve New Jer­sey and the rest of the world.

What We Like: Rut­gers is the #1 uni­ver­si­ty in the world for dis­abil­i­ty and employ­ment research, a sub­ject that should inter­est stu­dents who want to go into pub­lic health.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

BS in Pub­lic Health — Rut­gers University

10. University of Southern California

The Uni­ver­si­ty of South­ern Cal­i­for­nia offers two pub­lic health degrees: One is a BS in Glob­al Health, while the oth­er is a BS in Health Pro­mo­tion and Dis­ease Pre­ven­tion. Both degrees pro­vide a well-round­ed edu­ca­tion that focus­es on all aspects of pub­lic health, and both degrees are count­ed amount the best pub­lic health degrees. Top­ics include men­tal health, finan­cial cir­cum­stances, envi­ron­men­tal health, and more. Stu­dents may also focus on spe­cif­ic areas of study such as HIV/AIDs prevention.

USC is a pres­ti­gious pri­vate research uni­ver­si­ty. It has chal­leng­ing class­es, hands-on learn­ing, and class­room inno­va­tion. This inno­va­tion has impact­ed health and tech­nol­o­gy around the world, which makes USC a great place for pub­lic health stu­dents. USC attracts achiev­ers and go-get­ters, and it helps those achiev­ers and go-get­ters make con­nec­tions for after graduation.

What We Like: USC’s 2020 fresh­man class had 310 Nation­al Mer­it Scholars.

Degree: BS in Glob­al Health, BS in Health Pro­mo­tion and Dis­ease Prevention

Uni­ver­si­ty of South­ern Cal­i­for­nia BS in Glob­al Health BS in Health Pro­mo­tion and Dis­ease Prevention

11. The Ohio State University

In Ohio State Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Pub­lic Health, stu­dents can focus on either Glob­al Pub­lic Health or Epi­demi­ol­o­gy. Both pro­grams com­bine many health and well­ness dis­ci­plines. They help stu­dents serve com­mu­ni­ties and improve health on a com­mu­ni­ty-wide scale. These pub­lic health pro­grams are chal­leng­ing, and the stu­dents in these pro­grams get to grow and sharp­en their skills. Over­all, these pro­grams help peo­ple live bet­ter, health­i­er lives, which is why they’re two of the best pub­lic health degrees avail­able today.

Ohio State Uni­ver­si­ty is a well-respect­ed col­lege with a love­ly cam­pus and a thriv­ing stu­dent com­mu­ni­ty. This school chal­lenges stu­dents and pro­vides mean­ing­ful expe­ri­ences along the way. With the help of Ohio State, many stu­dents have devel­oped ful­fill­ing careers. That’s because Ohio State helps turn pas­sions into road maps for suc­cess. This school con­nects stu­dents to oppor­tu­ni­ties, help­ing them make the most of their resources.

What We Like: US News and World Report has ranked Ohio State #1 for “Amer­i­ca’s Best Col­leges” in Ohio.

Degree: BS Pub­lic Health — Glob­al Pub­lic Health or Epidemiology

Ohio State Uni­ver­si­ty BS Pub­lic Health — Glob­al Pub­lic Health or Epidemiology

12. Arizona State University

The BS in Pub­lic Health from Ari­zona State Uni­ver­si­ty focus­es on reduc­ing dis­ease by edu­cat­ing com­mu­ni­ties and address­ing the health issues that impact those com­mu­ni­ties the most. Stu­dents learn about all of the major pub­lic health domains, such as envi­ron­men­tal health, dis­ease con­trol, san­i­ta­tion inter­ven­tion, and more. In this pro­gram, stu­dents pre­pare for their careers by par­tic­i­pat­ing in intern­ships, so they get plen­ty of hands-on expe­ri­ence before grad­u­a­tion. This pro­gram pre­pares learn­ers for a wide range of poten­tial careers, which is part of the rea­son why Ari­zona State has one of the best pub­lic health degrees.

Ari­zona State Uni­ver­si­ty is known for its inno­va­tion, and stu­dents get to see this inno­va­tion in action in the class­room. This school is also com­mit­ted to cre­at­ing a thriv­ing econ­o­my in Ari­zona, pro­duc­ing cut­ting-edge research, and help­ing stu­dents get the best edu­ca­tion pos­si­ble. Stu­dents can lead­er­ship skills and flex­i­bil­i­ty for what­ev­er their future careers may bring. Plus, it pro­vides hands-on expe­ri­ences that help stu­dents gain career confidence.

What We Like: Times High­er Edu­ca­tion ranks ASU #1 in the US for mak­ing a glob­al impact. ASU has earned many oth­er top rank­ings as well.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

BS in Pub­lic Health — Ari­zona State University

13. Tulane University

The BS in Pub­lic Health from Tulane Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the best pub­lic health degrees. It address­es health­care needs at a com­mu­ni­ty-wide lev­el. This pro­gram focus­es on health­care in com­mu­ni­ties of all sizes, from neigh­bor­hoods to entire coun­tries. It teach­es health on a pol­i­cy lev­el, envi­ron­men­tal lev­el, and more. The pub­lic health pro­gram is one of the fastest-grow­ing pro­grams at Tulane., attract­ing the atten­tion of stu­dents from all over the country

Tulane Uni­ver­si­ty began as a med­ical col­lege, so it has a unique his­to­ry that focus­es on health top­ics. It blends cut­ting-edge inno­va­tion and bold projects with a small-school feel. Tulane also requires com­mu­ni­ty ser­vice from all of its stu­dents, so stu­dents can use their new­ly-devel­oped career skills to give back to the com­mu­ni­ty. Tulane is a leader in sci­ence fields, includ­ing pub­lic health. It’s a mem­ber of the Asso­ci­a­tion of Amer­i­can Uni­ver­si­ties, a pres­ti­gious group with strict mem­ber­ship requirements.

What We Like: Tulane Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the top uni­ver­si­ties in the Unit­ed States, accord­ing to US News and World Report.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

BS in Pub­lic Health — Tulane University

14. University of Houston

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Hous­ton offers a BS in Health with a Pub­lic Health con­cen­tra­tion. This pro­gram rec­og­nizes that there’s an increased demand for pub­lic health pro­fes­sion­als. It empow­ers stu­dents to view pub­lic health from mul­ti­ple per­spec­tives and impart those per­spec­tives to com­mu­ni­ties. The pro­gram is designed to help stu­dents meet the most impor­tant health­care needs in the world today, which is why it’s one of the best pub­lic health degrees for those who want a deeply rel­e­vant edu­ca­tion. The pro­gram has three tracks to choose from, so stu­dents can cus­tomize their edu­ca­tion accord­ing to their career goals.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Hous­ton thrives in many areas, includ­ing sci­ence, the arts, and more. It’s a big com­mu­ni­ty of learn­ers ben­e­fit­ing from an excel­lent edu­ca­tion. The Uni­ver­si­ty of Hous­ton has cut­ting edge pro­grams and tal­ent­ed fac­ul­ty mem­bers who help stu­dents reach their career goals. Plus, the city of Hous­ton is a great place for stu­dents who are look­ing for career oppor­tu­ni­ties and net­work­ing options.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Hous­ton is a Tier One col­lege campus.

Degree: BS in Health — Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Hous­ton BS in Health with a Pub­lic Health

15. New York University

The BS in Glob­al Pub­lic Health from New York Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the best pub­lic health degrees in the world. One rea­son is because it comes with 11 con­cen­tra­tion options. Those con­cen­tra­tions include nutri­tion, psy­chol­o­gy, glob­al health and the media, and much more. In this pub­lic health pro­gram, chal­leng­ing cours­es help stu­dents meet their career goals. Stu­dents get a sol­id foun­da­tion of core cours­es before mov­ing into their con­cen­tra­tions. This pro­gram pro­vides prepa­ra­tion for both entry-lev­el jobs and grad­u­ate school.

NYU is a well-known and deeply respect­ed uni­ver­si­ty. It has its own school of pub­lic health, which means that pub­lic health stu­dents enjoy many ded­i­cat­ed resources. The pub­lic health pro­grams come with all of the main ben­e­fits of going to school at NYU, includ­ing the big city loca­tion. NYU empha­sizes crit­i­cal think­ing, lead­er­ship, and career con­nec­tions. It’s the per­fect place for stu­dents to take advan­tage of opportunities.

What We Like: NYU’s school of pub­lic health main­tains top scores from US News and World Report.

Degree: BS Glob­al Pub­lic Health — 11 concentrations

BS in Glob­al Pub­lic Health — New York University

16. Temple University

Tem­ple Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Pub­lic Health is one of the best pub­lic health degrees in the US. It focus­es on cre­at­ing inter­ven­tions that help com­mu­ni­ties enjoy health­i­er lives. The pro­gram includes a range of top­ics that focus on the most press­ing pub­lic health con­cerns. In this pro­gram, stu­dents become strate­gic thinkers with excel­lent com­mu­ni­ca­tion skills. Stu­dents also ben­e­fit from field­work experience.

Tem­ple Uni­ver­si­ty is a large research uni­ver­si­ty with a rep­u­ta­tion for inno­va­tion. It pre­pares stu­dents for ful­fill­ing and excit­ing careers. Tem­ple Uni­ver­si­ty’s Philadel­phia loca­tion means plen­ty of oppor­tu­ni­ties for net­work­ing and mak­ing career con­nec­tions. Tem­ple excels in sci­ence and health top­ics, which is why it’s a top loca­tion for pub­lic health students.

What We Like: Tem­ple researchers are at the fore­front of many med­ical break­throughs, includ­ing break­throughs in HIV research.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

Tem­ple Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Pub­lic Health

17. University of South Carolina

The Uni­ver­si­ty of South Car­oli­na offers a BA and a BS in Pub­lic Health. The BA focus­es most­ly on social and behav­ioral sci­ences, while the BS focus­es most­ly on the nat­ur­al sci­ences. Gen­er­al­ly, stu­dents choose the BA if they want to go into grad school and the BS if they want to go straight into an entry-lev­el job. Either way, both pro­grams rank among the best pub­lic health degrees. They both impart core knowl­edge and spe­cial­ized skills, and com­bine in-class­room learn­ing with real-world experiences.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of South Car­oli­na empha­sizes excel­lence in learn­ing so that stu­dents can reach their fullest poten­tial. This research school val­ues inno­va­tion. It also imparts lead­er­ship skills so that stu­dents can stand out in their fields after grad­u­a­tion. This school is con­stant­ly evolv­ing and has been evolv­ing since it was found­ed over 200 years ago.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of South Car­oli­na was one of the first pub­lic schools in the nation to offer both a BA and a BS in Pub­lic Health.

Degree: BA or BS in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of South Car­oli­na BA and a BS in Pub­lic Health

18. University of Alabama

The BS in Pub­lic Health from the Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma empha­sizes pro­mot­ing health prac­tice and pre­vent­ing dis­ease. It’s one of the best pub­lic health degrees in its region. It instills skills that are trans­ferrable across a range of set­tings, so stu­dents can pre­pare for a vari­ety of career paths. Stu­dents may choose from a few con­cen­tra­tion options if they want to tai­lor their degrees to a spe­cif­ic career. For exam­ple, the pub­lic health edu­ca­tion con­cen­tra­tion helps stu­dents devel­op lead­er­ship and com­mu­ni­ca­tion skills.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma is a thriv­ing com­mu­ni­ty of schol­ars and award-win­ning fac­ul­ty mem­bers. This school focus­es both on career readi­ness and well-round­ed aca­d­e­mics, so stu­dents get the best of both worlds. This chal­leng­ing edu­ca­tion is worth the effort. The Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma car­ries a pas­sion for “build­ing tomor­row’s leg­ends.” It helps stu­dents har­ness their own pas­sions and turn those pas­sions into reward­ing careers.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Alaba­ma is rec­og­nized as a Very High Research Activ­i­ty institution.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

BS in Pub­lic Health — Uni­ver­si­ty of Alabama

19. University of Arizona

At the Uni­ver­si­ty of Ari­zona, stu­dents can earn either a BS or BA in Pub­lic Health. These pro­grams, which are two of the best pub­lic health degrees in the region, focus on chang­ing the world through health and well­ness. They come with sev­er­al minor and con­cen­tra­tion options, and stu­dents can help com­mu­ni­ties by doing hands-on work as they earn their degrees. As a result, stu­dents get to active­ly build their careers before they graduate.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Ari­zona is a diverse uni­ver­si­ty where stu­dents bring many views and back­grounds to the table. This school is rec­og­nized for its val­ue, and stu­dents can get a lot for their tuition dol­lars here. At the same time, the Uni­ver­si­ty of Ari­zona pro­vides a chal­leng­ing and worth­while edu­ca­tion. It also pre­pares stu­dents for their careers, help­ing them gain the tools and skills they need for success.

What We Like: The Uni­ver­si­ty of Ari­zona is one of the top 50 schools of pub­lic health in the US, accord­ing to US News and World Report.

Degree: BS or BA in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Ari­zona BS or BA in Pub­lic Health

20. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Pub­lic Health is one of the best pub­lic health degrees for today’s stu­dents. It’s a sci­ence-focused degree for stu­dents who like to see the big pic­ture. This up-to-date edu­ca­tion focus­es on today’s most impor­tant pub­lic health issues and chal­lenges. The pro­gram includes things top­ic like social media and its impact on peo­ple’s health. Plus, this pro­gram is a ser­vice-based pro­gram, so stu­dents can start mak­ing a dif­fer­ence right away.

Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty is a Jesuit school that pro­vides a well-round­ed edu­ca­tion. Being a Jesuit col­lege, it pro­vides excel­lent aca­d­e­mics and a unique focus on social jus­tice. Stu­dents are chal­lenged in the class­room, and they get to blend faith and ser­vice into their learn­ing expe­ri­ences. Plus, Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty pro­vides great val­ue in its education.

What We Like: Wall Street Jour­nal and Times High­er Edu­ca­tion ranked Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty #6 among Catholic schools.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

Saint Louis Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Pub­lic Health

21. Duquesne University

Duquesne Uni­ver­si­ty offers the only bachelor’s in pub­lic health pro­gram in Pitts­burgh, PA, mak­ing it pret­ty impor­tant for prospec­tive pub­lic health pro­fes­sion­als in the area. Duquesne offers both a BS and a BA, depend­ing on the direc­tion stu­dents want their career to take — BS for areas like epi­demi­ol­o­gy and infec­tious dis­ease, BA for focus on com­mu­ni­ty health or health admin­is­tra­tion. The option of a more defined pro­gram makes Duquesne’s pub­lic health bachelor’s one of the top.

Duquesne Uni­ver­si­ty is one of the most respect­ed Catholic research uni­ver­si­ties in the world. With a stu­dent body of under 10,000, Duquesne is small enough for stu­dent to feel sup­port­ed and men­tored, but large enough (and well-fund­ed enough) to be high­ly influ­en­tial in acad­e­mia and on the job market.

What We Like: Duquesne is the only uni­ver­si­ty found­ed by mem­bers of the Con­gre­ga­tion of the Holy Spirit.

Degree: BS or BA in Pub­lic Health

Duquesne Uni­ver­si­ty BS or BA in Pub­lic Health

22. University of Minnesota — Duluth

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Min­neso­ta — Duluth offers a BAS in Pub­lic Health. This unique degree is count­ed among the best pub­lic health degrees. It pre­pares stu­dents for a range of career options, from work­ing in com­mu­ni­ty set­tings to pur­su­ing nurs­ing school. Core health top­ics include nutri­tion, envi­ron­men­tal health, and com­mu­ni­ty health. The pro­gram empha­sizes com­mu­ni­ca­tion skills, and it pro­vides an option for a school health edu­ca­tion concentration.

The Uni­ver­si­ty of Min­neso­ta Duluth val­ues dis­cov­ery and explo­ration in edu­ca­tion. It pro­vides prepa­ra­tion for the future by help­ing stu­dents har­ness their cur­rent pas­sions and turn their long-term dreams into step-by-step plans. The Duluth cam­pus is small­er than Min­neso­ta’s main cam­pus, but it does pro­vide many of the same resources that the Min­neso­ta cam­pus has to offer.

What We Like: Duluth has earned high rank­ings for sus­tain­abil­i­ty, arts edu­ca­tion, val­ue, and more.

Degree: BAS in Pub­lic Health

Uni­ver­si­ty of Min­neso­ta — Duluth BAS in Pub­lic Health

23. Western Michigan University

West­ern Michi­gan Uni­ver­si­ty’s BS in Pub­lic Health focus­es on pre­vent­ing poor pub­lic health out­comes, includ­ing pan­demics like COVID-19. Because of its con­tem­po­rary and rel­e­vant approach, it’s one of the best pub­lic health degrees in the coun­try. The pro­gram uses small class­es where stu­dents get to be a part of a com­mu­ni­ty and get to know their peers. The pro­gram also comes with high edu­ca­tion­al stan­dards and top-qual­i­ty career preparation.

At West­ern Michi­gan, stu­dents get the atten­tion and per­son­al­iza­tion that they need for suc­cess. This school pro­vides a career-focused edu­ca­tion, and most stu­dents are employed very short­ly after grad­u­a­tion. This school is one of the nation’s top 100 uni­ver­si­ties, and with good rea­son. It helps stu­dents pre­pare for long-term career fulfillment.

What We Like: WMU is ranked #1 in Michi­gan for grad­u­ate earnings.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

West­ern Michi­gan Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Pub­lic Health

24. Winona State University

Winona State Uni­ver­si­ty offers BS in Pub­lic Health with three pos­si­ble con­cen­tra­tions. It focus­es on the essen­tial, crit­i­cal work of pub­lic health and helps stu­dents learn how to serve com­mu­ni­ties in the ways that are need­ed the most. This pro­gram is one of the best pub­lic health degrees, focus­es on every­thing from con­trol­ling dis­ease out­breaks to cre­at­ing over­all health­i­er envi­ron­ments. Stu­dents in this pro­gram enjoy the flex­i­bil­i­ty to per­son­al­ize their degree options.

Winona State Uni­ver­si­ty boasts a high stu­dent suc­cess rate. It’s designed to get stu­dents to where they want to go. Winona State’s career-focused edu­ca­tion empow­ers stu­dents to find employ­ment quick­ly. Many stu­dents become employed very short­ly after they grad­u­ate. Because most stu­dents at Winona State receive finan­cial aid, they get a lot of val­ue for their education.

What We Like: Winona State has been rec­og­nized as one of the most afford­able col­leges in the Unit­ed States.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health — 3 concentrations

Winona State Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Pub­lic Health

25. Western Illinois University

West­ern Illi­nois Uni­ver­si­ty offers a BS in Pub­lic Health. As one of the best pub­lic health degrees, this pro­gram focus­es on core dis­ci­plines that range from men­tal health­care to epi­demi­ol­o­gy. Stu­dents may choose from sev­er­al areas of con­cen­tra­tion. The pro­gram helps stu­dents pre­pare for a wide range of poten­tial careers. All stu­dents in this pro­gram com­plete a cap­stone intern­ship, so they get the hands-on expe­ri­ence they need to devel­op con­fi­dence in their skills.

West­ern Illi­nois Uni­ver­si­ty helps turn raw poten­tial into a roadmap for career suc­cess. It has a low stu­dent-to-fac­ul­ty ratio, so learn­ers get all the help and per­son­al­iza­tion they need in their edu­ca­tions. This school uses inno­v­a­tive teach­ing and research that focus­es on a wide vari­ety of per­spec­tives. It val­ues com­mu­ni­ty and col­lab­o­ra­tion in learning.

What We Like: West­ern Illi­nois Uni­ver­si­ty is a Mil­i­tary-Friend­ly school.

Degree: BS in Pub­lic Health

West­ern Illi­nois Uni­ver­si­ty BS in Pub­lic Health

Why Should I Major in Public Health?

With more and more peo­ple return­ing to col­lege to com­plete their edu­ca­tion, enrolling in a Pub­lic Health degree is an excel­lent choice. It opens the door to future oppor­tu­ni­ties and will add val­ue to the expe­ri­ence you are already earn­ing. As you con­tin­ue to move through your degree pro­gram, you may be offered oppor­tu­ni­ties for advance­ment that would not have oth­er­wise been pos­si­ble. Hav­ing a BS in Pub­lic Health will allow you to pick and choose the oppor­tu­ni­ties that best suit your career goals. It will also have a direct impact on your future earn­ing potential.

With a Bach­e­lor’s degree in Pub­lic Health, you can actu­al­ly begin work­ing in an entry-lev­el posi­tion while you are still in school. Once you have your foot in the door, you can begin to look more close­ly at what oth­er employ­ment oppor­tu­ni­ties may be avail­able. In some cas­es, you may be able to start your career in one area and then tran­si­tion to anoth­er area that is bet­ter suit­ed to your skills and abil­i­ties. The expe­ri­ence you earn in both areas will serve you well through­out your entire career.

How Do I Choose a Bachelor’s in Public Health Degree?

When choos­ing a Pub­lic Health degree pro­gram, you will have to take a vari­ety of things into con­sid­er­a­tion. Under­stand­ing your needs and find­ing a col­lege or uni­ver­si­ty that will offer you what you need to suc­ceed is extreme­ly impor­tant. The course mate­r­i­al must be of the high­est qual­i­ty if you expect to be able to work with­in this com­pli­cat­ed field. While the field itself is quite diverse in terms of spe­cial­iza­tions, each spe­cial­iza­tion is high­ly focused and very detailed in terms of the type of infor­ma­tion that is offered. If you have an idea of what area you want to spe­cial­ize in, choos­ing your degree pro­gram becomes much eas­i­er. If not, take the gen­er­al cours­es first and then begin to explore your options.

CAPH accred­i­ta­tion cri­te­ria are also an essen­tial com­po­nent for this type of edu­ca­tion­al pro­gram. Accred­i­ta­tion ensures that the course mate­r­i­al meets or exceeds the stan­dards for a cho­sen indus­try. CAPH accred­i­ta­tion is required for Pub­lic Health occu­pa­tions that must include a cer­ti­fi­ca­tion. Accred­i­ta­tion is ben­e­fi­cial for sev­er­al rea­sons. Not only do stu­dents have access to the most up-to-date and accu­rate course mate­ri­als, the mate­r­i­al is also cer­ti­fied to be the most in-depth and informative.

The choice between online and on-cam­pus degree pro­grams is also some­thing you have to con­sid­er. On-cam­pus degrees are restric­tive when it comes to time man­age­ment. A full class sched­ule can take up most of your time and make it hard to work a full-time job. An online degree pro­gram is rather flex­i­ble and will allow you to work full-time and also car­ry a full class sched­ule. There is no com­mute time and you are able to study when it is con­ve­nient. This allows you to ful­ly com­mit to your cours­es with­out cut­ting time from your fam­i­ly or oth­er obligations.

Per­son­al choice is also impor­tant. Don’t choose a degree pro­gram that you don’t like. Look for a Bach­e­lor’s in Pub­lic Health degree pro­gram that will give you what you need. You should also enjoy tak­ing the class­es. It may be hard work, but if you don’t enjoy learn­ing, the cours­es will be bor­ing and you may not com­plete your degree. Choose a school and degree pro­gram that works for you. That is the best way for you to look for­ward to com­plet­ing your goals and mov­ing for­ward with your career.

Relat­ed Rankings: 

15 Best Online Bach­e­lor’s in Pub­lic Health

10 Fastest Online Bach­e­lor’s in Pub­lic Health

10 Most Afford­able Bach­e­lor’s in Pub­lic Health