Public Health Schools and MPH Programs in Idaho

Public health professionals in Idaho have the opportunity to educate residents of this largely rural state by letting them know about the resources available to them and the preventive programs available to safeguard their health.

By exploring public health schools in Idaho, you can find MPH programs that may prepare you for a public health career in the state.

Idaho State University is the state’s only school accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The MPH program in Pocatello, Idaho, offers both on-campus and online classes in recognition that many of its students live in rural areas or may hold a job while pursuing their master’s in public health. This MPH program in ID is part of Idaho State University’s Department of Community and Public Health.

Earning an MPH may help you contribute to your community’s overall health without having to make the time commitment required for a medical degree. Though there aren’t many public health schools in Idaho, you can also explore a more comprehensive list of programs in our guide to master’s in public health degrees.

Public Health Schools and Highlights in Idaho

As the only school to offer a CEPH-accredited Master of Public Health in Idaho, Idaho State University also supports and participates in public health research. Courses for this online MPH program in Idaho are asynchronous and guided by set due dates.

Idaho State University College of Health

650 Memorial Drive, Building 66, Room 202 Pocatello, ID

Idaho State University’s College of Health houses departments that help equip students to fill a variety of roles in the healthcare system. Along with the Department of Community and Public Health, other departments include nursing, rehabilitation, counseling, dental health, emergency services, medical laboratory sciences, nutrition, physician assistant studies and radiographic science. The College of Health is based in Pocatello, Idaho, but also manages various ISU health clinics in Pocatello and Meridian.

Idaho State University offers an MPH program as well as a Bachelor of Community and Public Health, a degree that helps prepare students for a career teaching health or working in community/worksite health education and promotion. The Department of Community and Public Health also offers an 18-credit Graduate Certificate in Public Health. 

Email: chp@isu.edu 

Online MPH Programs in Idaho

An online MPH program may make it easier to earn a degree in public health, especially in a state like Idaho, where students may have to drive long distances to reach campus. Asynchronous online courses may help you arrange classwork around your job and family responsibilities while still meeting your instructors’ deadlines. 

If you need to contact your professors for assistance, you may be able to take advantage of teleconferencing tools and meet with an instructor from your home. Professors who lead online MPH programs in Idaho may set office hours when they are available for Zoom calls or email chats.

Idaho State University offers an online MPH option with a community health emphasis. However, it doesn’t offer MPH concentrations. If you’d rather find a program with a specific concentration, explore online MPH programs to view available options.

Public Health Careers Outlook in Idaho 

In the table below, we compare the average salaries and job growth rates of public health careers in Idaho and the United States as a whole, as reported by O*NET OnLine. The job growth rate for health educators, occupational health specialists, medical records and health information technicians, dietitians and nutritionists, and health informatics specialists is greater in Idaho than it is for those positions at the national level.

For additional public health career opportunities in Idaho, view the table below for salaries and projected job growth data. 

Job TitleAvg. Salary in ID (Yearly)Avg. Salary in U.S. (Yearly)Projected Job Growth in ID, 2018–2028Projected Job Growth in U.S., 2019–2029
$107,650
$91,160
0%
35%
$93,970
$97,320
9%
21%
$59,440
$71,360
2%
8%
No data available*
$70,990
No data available*
5%
$88,160
$100,980
20%
32%
$54,260
$55,220
12%
11%
$74,870
$74,100
13%
4%
$44,680
$49,850
20%
8%
$47,590
$61,270
14%
8%
$79,800
$90,920
9%
7%

*Estimate not released/provided by O*NET

Specializations To Consider in Idaho

As you can see in the table above, the average pay in Idaho is lower than the average wage nationally in most public health job categories tracked by O*NET. The occupation where the average salary far exceeds the national average is for biostatisticians, whose average salary in Idaho was almost 20% above the U.S. average. However, projected job growth for biostatisticians is flat in Idaho, compared to the 35% growth rate nationally.

On the other hand, job growth for occupational health specialists, medical records and health information technologists, and dietitians and nutritionists in Idaho is expected to outpace the projected national growth rate. Additionally, occupational health and safety specialists in Idaho have an average salary that’s slightly above the national average. In Idaho Falls, it’s even higher. The median salary for occupational safety and health specialists in Idaho Falls was $97,660 in 2019, more than $23,000 above the median pay for that job category throughout the United States.  

Based on these insights, you may choose to explore a Master of Public Health in Idaho that helps prepare you for one of these careers.

Organizations To Work for With a Public Health Degree in Idaho

Idaho has a statewide network of public health districts, providing career opportunities in many areas of the state. Depending upon your education, experience and interests, you may find a variety of public health jobs in the state.

Below are some resources students or graduates of MPH programs in Idaho can use to look for public health positions.

  • Idaho Department of Health and Welfare: In Idaho, the DHW handles all of the state’s health and human services programs, including public health, Medicaid, family and community service, and behavioral health. The department’s website lists job openings, internships and recruiting events.
  • Idaho Public Health Districts: Idaho has seven health districts, which are independent local agencies that provide various services. Each district’s website maintains a jobs list.
  • Idaho Public Health Association: This is a non-profit group whose members include public health professionals, non-profits, businesses and educators. Members may attend networking events and have access to job information.
  • ISU Public Health Student Association: MPH students at Idaho State University can join this student organization, which engages in public outreach, education and networking.

State Health InformationState Health Information About Idaho 

As a largely rural state, Idaho’s public health challenges include a low high school graduation rate and a low percentage of fluoridated water, according to the United Health Foundation’s annual report, America’s Health Rankings 2020. On the plus side, the state’s rate of preventable hospitalizations is low, and income inequality is not a large problem.

The report ranked Idaho as 39th in access to care and noted that 14.5% of state residents have avoided seeking clinical care because of costs. There’s also a shortage of primary care providers in the state, which ranks 43rd for that category.

Idaho has about 1.75 million residents, with about 16% of the population older than 65 and almost 27% under the age of 18, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). The percentage of children in Idaho is above the percentage of children in the United States as a whole, where about 24% of the population is under 18.

Life expectancy in Idaho is slightly longer than the national average. From 2010 to 2015, life expectancy at birth was 79.4 years in Idaho vs. 78.7 years across the U.S., the KFF reports.

Additionally, roughly 90% of Idaho residents have some form of medical insurance, with 49% receiving it through their employer, according to the KFF. About 15% of the population is on Medicare, and nearly 16% received Medicaid in 2019.

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

Information last updated February 2021