Public health is a field that can potentially increase public awareness of vulnerability and disease, which is what all residents deserve. There are many public health programs available at all degree levels in Pennsylvania, but the most common one is some variation/concentration of the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. There are 3 schools in Pennsylvania that offer accredited MPH programs from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Depending on the school and concentration, these MPH programs are available on campus, online, or in both formats, with a variety of concentrations. Unsurprisingly, public health careers in Pennsylvania are booming. BLS shows strong national growth in some public-health-adjacent roles (example: medical & health services managers projected 23% growth, 2024–2034).

At these universities above, students can choose specializations that allow them to work on international issues, such as global health, as well as smaller-scale health-related disciplines, such as health policy and management. Depending on your individual interests, you may find different specializations available that are more fitting for your personality. CEPH accreditation is another important component to consider when choosing a degree program. Accreditation provides assurance of quality, which is vital for careers that require licensure or for students who may want to move forward into doctoral level programs in the future. As mentioned above, there are 11 CEPH-accredited MPH programs in Pennsylvania for students to choose from.

Meanwhile, online MPH programs are growing in popularity all over the country. If you are one of the many students interested in trying this option out for your degree, Pennsylvania has options for you. 

Epidemiologists in the state of Pennsylvania are tasked with working hard to better educate the public. It is up to these professionals to develop helpful prevention practices that can protect the public from acquiring and spreading diseases within their areas. If you might be interested in being a part of this dynamic field within public health, degree programs are available in several public health schools across Pennsylvania. 

Compared to national trends, public health careers in Pennsylvania appear bright. Three public health-related job titles—health education specialists, environmental science and protection technicians, and occupational health & safety specialists—typically earn more in Pennsylvania than they do nationally. And all jobs except health education specialists and environmental science and protection technicians are expected to see faster job growth in the next decade than the national average for all other occupations. The table below shows the demand and earning potential for public health careers in Pennsylvania, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024).

Information last updated: December 2025

Sponsored Online Public Health Programs

University and Program Name	Study Length	Test Requirement	Number of Credits
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Master of Public Health (MPH) info AD	As few as 20 months	No GRE Required	42
George Washington University Master of Public Health info AD	As few as 12 months	No GRE Required	45
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Professions Masters of Health Administration info AD	12-24 Months	No GMAT or GRE Required	36
University of Surrey MSc Public Health info AD	24 Months	No GMAT/GRE Required	180
George Washington University Doctor of Public Health info AD	36 months	No GRE Required	48

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