What Is Public Health Administration? Requirements, Job Outlook, and Salary
Have you been considering a career in public health administration but don’t have enough information about this field? Do not worry, we’ve got you. The public health field is a broad one with numerous career paths, so it’s normal to be confused. Essentially, it has to do with the prevention of diseases and the managing of healthcare organizations, but there is so much more to it. Keep on reading to find out about this very popular healthcare field, its job outlook, responsibilities, and salary.
What Is Public Health Administration?
Public health administration is a branch of the public health field that ensures all healthcare organizations are running successfully. It is responsible for the effective operation of healthcare facilities, and it houses many different roles that make public health administration possible. This area of administration deals with the theoretical part of different fields, primarily management.
What Do Public Health Administrators Do?
Public health administrators carry out tasks similar to those of administrators in other fields; some of these overlapping tasks include evaluating results, supervising employees, monitoring budgets, preparing programs, etc. However, the specific duties of a public health administrator have to do mostly with the well-being of a larger section of the population and the prevention of diseases. They do this, for example, by preparing educational programs on health for the community to inform them on how to prevent diseases.
Some of the daily tasks of a public health administrator include:
Managing human resources
Measuring and improving performance
Maintaining a good relationship with the government and the media for marketing
Drafting reports on trends that are related to public health
Creating budgets that are related to health organizations
Securing grants, fundraisers, for health organizations
How to Become a Public Health Administrator
Becoming a public health administrator may be a challenging journey, but it is definitely a rewarding one. As with any other medical field, one must go through college and an optional but advisable license. Developing certain skills will also be important for becoming an excellent public health administrator. Let’s discuss in detail the requirements to become one.
Education
Since jobs in healthcare are highly technical, education is a top requirement to work in this industry. To become a public healthcare administrator, you will at least need a bachelor’s degree, which takes four years to complete. Many healthcare professionals begin their careers with a bachelor’s degree and later on decide to continue their education to open up their employment opportunities.
Although not required, it is highly recommended that you complete a master’s degree in healthcare administration, which takes 2 to 4 years to complete, depending on your preferred modality: part-time or full-time. Students who choose to pursue a master’s degree are better prepared for leadership roles, and their salary is higher since they are considered to be better prepared. In fact, having a master’s degree is slowly becoming the standard for public health administrators.
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Qualifications
After getting an undergraduate or graduate degree, you may choose to obtain accreditation. The general credential for public health administrators is CPH (Certified in Public Health). This certification is provided by the National Board of Public Health Examiners, and it is important in order to show that you follow a national standard and keep up with the new developments in the public health field. However, CPH isn’t the only certification you can obtain; you can earn a variety of certifications in specific healthcare fields, such as:
Certified Safety Professional
Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control
Advanced Public Health Nursing Certification
Certified Correctional Health Professional
National Healthcare Disaster Certification
Public/Community Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
National Registry of Certified Microbiologists
Skills
Becoming a public health administrator requires years of education and additional certifications. Moreover, along with these requirements, you will also need to possess particular skills that will help you stand out. An excellent public health administrator will develop skills such as:
Analytical and adaptable
Strong work ethic
Proficiency with technology
Self-motivation
Communication and listening skills
Public speaking
Public Health Administration Careers
There are many career paths to pursue in the field of public health administration. We’ve rounded up a few careers you are able to pursue in this highly diverse field. These roles are all typically responsible for educating the community on healthcare and improving their health.
Public health advisor
A public health advisor’s duties include providing assistance and guidance to healthcare organizations and departments to ensure the effectiveness of public health work while simultaneously reaching national objectives on healthcare.
According to Payscale, the average base salary for a public health advisor is $62,922.
Public health policy analyst
If you love data and research, this is the career path for you! Public health policy analysts are responsible for writing reports on healthcare, doing research, and managing healthcare programs. This role can usually be found in governments, hospitals, research labs, etc.
The average base salary for a public health policy analyst is around $66,962.
Health educator
Health educators’ duties are, as the name suggests, educating the public on healthcare services. They are responsible for promoting wellness in the community, collecting data, and discussing healthcare strategies in numerous health programs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for a health educator or community health worker was $48,140 in 2020, and employment in this profession is expected to grow by 17% from 2020 to 2030.
Public health engineer
A public health engineer’s duties are hybrid, meaning they work in the office and out in the field. They collect data and lab reports to ensure health and safety. They also evaluate sanitation in different institutions such as restaurants, parks, hotels, and other public places to prevent the spreading of diseases in the community.
BLS reports that the median annual salary for a health engineer was $94,240 in 2020, and employment is projected to grow 6% from 2020 to 2030.
Emergency management directors
Emergency management directors are responsible for formulating an emergency response plan in cases of emergencies such as natural disasters. So their main duty is to provide helpful responses before, during, and after emergencies. This role usually works with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, public safety officials, etc.
According to BLS, the median annual salary for an emergency management director was $76,250 in 2020, and employment is projected to grow 6% from 2020 to 2030.
Where Do Public Health Administrators Work?
Public health administrators’ duties are similar to other healthcare administrators, except their main focus is population health. Should you choose to become a public health administrator you can work in places such as insurance companies, hospitals, government agencies, non-profit organizations, etc. Despite working in an office, public health administrators need to be ready to travel constantly to fundraisers for a health organization or public speaking, essentially anything that requires engaging with the public.
Job Outlook and Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in public healthcare administration are expected to grow 32% between 2020 and 2030, much faster than jobs in any other field. The average salary for a public health administrator is $68,783. However, it can fall in a range from $60,000 to $77,000. According to BLS, these are some of the highest-paying jobs in public health administration:
Epidemiologist
Public Health Attorney
Biostatistician
Public Health Engineer
Health and Wellness Manager
Public Health Nurse
Nutritionist/Dietitian
Health Inspector
Consumer Safety Officer
Environmentalist
Industrial Hygienist
Disease Ecologist
Health Promotion Program Coordinator
Emergency Preparedness Specialist
Health Promotion Program Coordinator
Emergency Preparedness Specialist
Conclusion
If you are not convinced yet, remember that becoming a public health administrator has many benefits: you improve the community, it is emotionally rewarding, it has a promising job outlook and good salaries, and you would be able to continue your education while working. It might feel intimidating, but with hard work, determination, and perseverance, you can take ownership of the well-being of your larger community.