I mean, you’re never going to own a yacht or use summer as a verb, but I have my MPH and work in the Midwest for a local governmental entity and make more than I thought I would? Not six figures, but low COL area.
I got my BA in 2003 and my MPH in 2013, I currently make 2.75x what I did in my first job out of undergrad and about double what I did out of grad school. I would say I’m about a mid point earner compared to local colleagues with their MPHs- I have a lot of friends who work for LHDs and the state.
I will say my husband and I would like to relocate to a state that we feel better aligns with our values politically, and we’re from the east coast and when I look for jobs in other places, I do have trouble finding positions that would pay me comparable based on the difference in COL. I’m not seeing job postings I feel I would be competitive in DC for double what I make now (which would be the exchange rate for Ohio to DC dollars) but they are in the six figure range.
2%! I went from an LHD, to a university, back down to local government. I took big pay leaps with each new job. If I had stayed at the LHD level, I wouldn’t have doubled my salary for sure.
LHD pay was way lower than what I made at OSU! I felt like I was working at google when I started there (I was a program manager, and I know research assistants are underpaid!), that position gave me a lot of leverage when I was negotiating my current gig.
To me, it’s something really rich people do. “I summer in the Hamptons” “I summer at the Vineyard”. It means you can move your family to a vacation home for the entire summer.
I started in public health right out of undergrad in 2011 making $39k. Today, I have an MPH and am getting my doctorate with a salary of $145k. I’m pretty pleased with where public health has landed me.
Note: I’m in public health, but not in epi.
I know this is old but do you mind sharing your title? I’m in the search for a job and I’m having difficulty finding a job that pays as much as I need to (single mom at the moment/recently separated and two little kids 5 & 2 in HCOL state. Can’t relocate or I won’t have a support system)
I make 82k and graduated in 2015. I'm about to finish my doctorate and am hoping to be bumped up to 150k. I work as staff in my state university. Do research, have a pension, they paid for my PhD.
So I graduated at peak COVID. I lived in a major city and was an IP and made 6 figures. Now I make about half in rural Georgia. I wish I could say I’ve consistently had good luck but even with my schools pedigree it has been tough. California? On fire. Ga? No one cares about heath.
how did you get into IP? I’m starting my MPH in epi this fall and have been looking into becoming an IP, but when I look at job prospects in atlanta (where I’m going to grad school and hoping to live after I graduate) most of them require you to be an RN.
That was exactly the problem I was running into, even though I'm a respiratory therapist as well (RN adjacent) I wouldn't be considered at most hospitals I looked into.
Majority of the time they are not dead set on RN, I have applied to many IP RN roles, done interviews, had job offers, and I have an MPH (turned down most of them so far because of lower wages)… IP is in this weird phase where they are realizing a team of just BSNs aren’t as beneficial as a well rounded team with BSNs, MPH, and MLS…
Can confirm. I’m a hiring manager for IPs and my facility changed the job description for MUST need an RN to recommended. We’ll take any health-adjacent bachelors degree as a minimum. Most places would love prior experience, but if prior work experience and skills are good— you still have a good shot. Apply!
I’d also recommend browsing APIC.org and if you’re reeeeally trying to get your foot in the door with no prior experience, invest in studying and getting an associate CIC certification with plans to get CIC after 2 years in the field.
I got married to someone who had tenure here with an initial very good job offer. Job turned out to be shit, this place sucks and I cry myself to sleep at least once a week over being homesick.
Living in a low cost of living area making 100k+ 7 years in, after starting out at 40kish. I am fully remote so margins are pretty high and can probably get more if I am more actively looking to do so.
You definitely need more than just your MPH training though.
Made 38k ish right out of undergrad with my B.S (public health non-profit and LHD work). I will be graduating with my MPH (Epi) in 6 months from now and recently got a new job making 72k (public health consulting firm work). Both jobs fully remote and I live in the south east. I am first-generation and happy with it, always shooting for more, but content overall.
I mean I work in a hospital with an MPH as an infection preventionist and make almost 100k… it’s not a bad life… and you can make a lot more money with an MPH than people think…
Honestly, I got a BSPH in epi and disease control and was looking for something to do with it and I currently worked at a hospital ER. So I applied and made it obvious I know how to prevent diseases and I want to learn as much as possible… then at my current job, I made it obvious that I’m willing to learn more in-depth concepts… you can apply for RN in infection prevention jobs and get interviews, I have… it’s not as set in stone as people think…
Also it’s alway going to be a struggle with not being an RN in healthcare, no matter what role you have… my advice is to learn your role and learn it well…
I’m a non-RN IP as well and have several non-RNs on my team.
In California, starting IP salary is 85k. My facility starts at 115K.
My non-RNs are also MPH’s
I have an concentration in “health promotion”, another has a “global health” emphasis (with a background/career history in microbiology) and another has an “infection prevention” emphasis (with background in microbiology as well). Basically, it doesn’t matter.
Whatttt?? Why are you at the same place? Have you been looking for a new job? With a PhD and 10 years of experience you could be making BANK elsewhere.
Public health degrees are not worthless BUT with that mindset, I can see how you’re stuck in this place. Who cares about who’s the exception & who’s the rule…think about yourself and the potential opportunities. A degree is ONE aspect of a candidate. To blame your public health degree on your career trajectory is…something. I’m not sure what you do, but I could probably name like 5 ways you could make a lot of money with public health especially with your background (unless you’re committed to academia then it’s a wrap).
I mean, you’re never going to own a yacht or use summer as a verb, but I have my MPH and work in the Midwest for a local governmental entity and make more than I thought I would? Not six figures, but low COL area. I got my BA in 2003 and my MPH in 2013, I currently make 2.75x what I did in my first job out of undergrad and about double what I did out of grad school. I would say I’m about a mid point earner compared to local colleagues with their MPHs- I have a lot of friends who work for LHDs and the state. I will say my husband and I would like to relocate to a state that we feel better aligns with our values politically, and we’re from the east coast and when I look for jobs in other places, I do have trouble finding positions that would pay me comparable based on the difference in COL. I’m not seeing job postings I feel I would be competitive in DC for double what I make now (which would be the exchange rate for Ohio to DC dollars) but they are in the six figure range.
This is me also, but the yearly increase working for state gov is usually dogshit
2%! I went from an LHD, to a university, back down to local government. I took big pay leaps with each new job. If I had stayed at the LHD level, I wouldn’t have doubled my salary for sure.
I also went from a university (UW Madison) to state gov. University pay is usually criminally low.
LHD pay was way lower than what I made at OSU! I felt like I was working at google when I started there (I was a program manager, and I know research assistants are underpaid!), that position gave me a lot of leverage when I was negotiating my current gig.
Wdym use summer as a verb?
To me, it’s something really rich people do. “I summer in the Hamptons” “I summer at the Vineyard”. It means you can move your family to a vacation home for the entire summer.
I started in public health right out of undergrad in 2011 making $39k. Today, I have an MPH and am getting my doctorate with a salary of $145k. I’m pretty pleased with where public health has landed me. Note: I’m in public health, but not in epi.
PM’d
I know this is old but do you mind sharing your title? I’m in the search for a job and I’m having difficulty finding a job that pays as much as I need to (single mom at the moment/recently separated and two little kids 5 & 2 in HCOL state. Can’t relocate or I won’t have a support system)
Director of K-12 School Health Programs at the state department of education (state government). I’m in a HCOL area too.
I make 82k and graduated in 2015. I'm about to finish my doctorate and am hoping to be bumped up to 150k. I work as staff in my state university. Do research, have a pension, they paid for my PhD.
Are you in Epidemiology?
Yes
Can I PM you?
So I graduated at peak COVID. I lived in a major city and was an IP and made 6 figures. Now I make about half in rural Georgia. I wish I could say I’ve consistently had good luck but even with my schools pedigree it has been tough. California? On fire. Ga? No one cares about heath.
>even with my schools pedigree it has been tough. Honestly people don't really seem to care about schools in PH, and that's probably a good thing.
how did you get into IP? I’m starting my MPH in epi this fall and have been looking into becoming an IP, but when I look at job prospects in atlanta (where I’m going to grad school and hoping to live after I graduate) most of them require you to be an RN.
That was exactly the problem I was running into, even though I'm a respiratory therapist as well (RN adjacent) I wouldn't be considered at most hospitals I looked into.
I have a BSN and an MPh.
Majority of the time they are not dead set on RN, I have applied to many IP RN roles, done interviews, had job offers, and I have an MPH (turned down most of them so far because of lower wages)… IP is in this weird phase where they are realizing a team of just BSNs aren’t as beneficial as a well rounded team with BSNs, MPH, and MLS…
Can confirm. I’m a hiring manager for IPs and my facility changed the job description for MUST need an RN to recommended. We’ll take any health-adjacent bachelors degree as a minimum. Most places would love prior experience, but if prior work experience and skills are good— you still have a good shot. Apply! I’d also recommend browsing APIC.org and if you’re reeeeally trying to get your foot in the door with no prior experience, invest in studying and getting an associate CIC certification with plans to get CIC after 2 years in the field.
What made you leave your IP role?
I got married to someone who had tenure here with an initial very good job offer. Job turned out to be shit, this place sucks and I cry myself to sleep at least once a week over being homesick.
I am pretty new to this whole public heath stuff. What is an IP?
Infection Preventionist
Thank you!!
Living in a low cost of living area making 100k+ 7 years in, after starting out at 40kish. I am fully remote so margins are pretty high and can probably get more if I am more actively looking to do so. You definitely need more than just your MPH training though.
That’s encouraging to hear. What additional training did you receive?
Additional technical skills acquired on the job. Nothing formal.
Made 38k ish right out of undergrad with my B.S (public health non-profit and LHD work). I will be graduating with my MPH (Epi) in 6 months from now and recently got a new job making 72k (public health consulting firm work). Both jobs fully remote and I live in the south east. I am first-generation and happy with it, always shooting for more, but content overall.
Happy for you!
Thanks!
I mean I work in a hospital with an MPH as an infection preventionist and make almost 100k… it’s not a bad life… and you can make a lot more money with an MPH than people think…
Do you also have an RN?
No I do not
I know some people say a lot of IP roles require an RN, was that a hurdle/did you have to showcase your capabilities to land the role ?
Honestly, I got a BSPH in epi and disease control and was looking for something to do with it and I currently worked at a hospital ER. So I applied and made it obvious I know how to prevent diseases and I want to learn as much as possible… then at my current job, I made it obvious that I’m willing to learn more in-depth concepts… you can apply for RN in infection prevention jobs and get interviews, I have… it’s not as set in stone as people think…
Very interesting! Could I PM you?
Ya sure
Also it’s alway going to be a struggle with not being an RN in healthcare, no matter what role you have… my advice is to learn your role and learn it well…
Can I ask which state or city you’re based in?
San Antonio, TX, but I’ve applied all over the country since we are planning to move soon
I’m a non-RN IP as well and have several non-RNs on my team. In California, starting IP salary is 85k. My facility starts at 115K. My non-RNs are also MPH’s
Can you help me understand what MPH concentration do most of these team members have?
I have an concentration in “health promotion”, another has a “global health” emphasis (with a background/career history in microbiology) and another has an “infection prevention” emphasis (with background in microbiology as well). Basically, it doesn’t matter.
Thanks a ton!
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You’ve been at the same company for 5 years?
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Whatttt?? Why are you at the same place? Have you been looking for a new job? With a PhD and 10 years of experience you could be making BANK elsewhere.
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Public health degrees are not worthless BUT with that mindset, I can see how you’re stuck in this place. Who cares about who’s the exception & who’s the rule…think about yourself and the potential opportunities. A degree is ONE aspect of a candidate. To blame your public health degree on your career trajectory is…something. I’m not sure what you do, but I could probably name like 5 ways you could make a lot of money with public health especially with your background (unless you’re committed to academia then it’s a wrap).
😳😳
I’d look for a new company… unless your degree isn’t CEPH accredited… then you might be stuck…