Best Online Master’s in Public Health (MPH)

Earning a master’s in public health (MPH) can help you positively impact your community. With this degree, you can work across a variety of fields related to healthcare, including as a community educator, biostatistician, or epidemiologist.

This interdisciplinary master’s degree builds on various skills and offers you the opportunity to impact individuals, communities, and even national policy for generations to come. Additionally, the program’s scope widens your options and gives you transferable skills to work on many different issues.

Let’s dive into some of the best online MPH programs, how to choose one, and what you can do with your degree.

An online master’s degree in public health trains you in epidemiology, public health policy, and environmental health. While pursuing your MPH degree, you can often choose a specialization like biostatistics, public health policy, or health administration.

Most online MPH programs incorporate an internship or practicum experience. Depending on the program, your internship may require 6-12 months to complete. Earning a master’s in public health degree online typically takes two years of full-time study. However, some programs offer accelerated options to expedite the graduation timeline.

Earning an MPH joint/dual degree can prepare you for specialized roles. For example, a dual MPH/master’s in healthcare administration program offers training for management roles in healthcare.

MPH dual degrees offer complementary graduate training in less time. Earning an MPH and a master of business administration (MBA) individually would likely take at least 3-4 years, but joint MBA-MPH programs usually require just two years. MPH dual-degree program options include:

Earning a master’s in public health degree prepares you for careers in healthcare settings, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector. An MPH degree can lead to job opportunities as a health educator, public health specialist, epidemiologist, or healthcare administrator. This degree can also prepare you to pursue a doctorate in public health.

The following table summarizes common public health careers, including median annual salaries and projected job growth rates.

The typical salaries for MPH graduates encompass a wide range that depends on your position, geographical location, and experience. However, according to Payscale data from May 2024, the average annual salary for workers with an MPH was about $73,000.

Many jobs in the healthcare field are projected to see increased demand in the coming years. This is especially true for epidemiologists, medical and health services managers, and biostatisticians — these positions are each projected to grow ~5-6 times faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.

Many professionals in the public health space have either an MPH or Ph.D. MPH programs emphasize the practical aspects of public health necessary to work as a researcher, disease investigator, educator, and/or advocate.

With a master’s in public health, you can qualify for advanced positions in public health, including within healthcare centers, nonprofits, and government agencies. An MPH degree is often well worth the time and effort for those seeking a career in public health.

Most MPH programs take around two years for full-time students. Programs that incorporate internships may require additional time. Incoming students with transfer credits and those who choose accelerated programs can earn MPH degrees in less time.

A master’s degree in public health (MPH) helps qualify you for meaningful public health leadership roles in the private and public sectors. The curriculum for a public health degree varies between programs, but most schools offer similar foundational coursework.

This typically includes training in areas like infectious diseases, public health policy, and public health education. These courses help strengthen your research and analytical skills to prepare you for advanced careers in the public health field.

The answer to this question depends on your goals. A master’s in healthcare administration is a more business-focused credential. However, both MPH and MHA degrees provide leadership skills and can be earned through an online program. Additionally, some dual-degree MPH programs also give you the option of completing an MHA degree.