Compare 38 Public Health. programs in the West. Average earnings: $47,486.
The highest-earning Public Health program isn't at the most prestigious school. With a $37K earnings gap across 38 programs, the data confirms: program-level factors drive outcomes more than institutional brand.
Montana Technological University's Public Health program leads with graduates earning $82,190—well above the $47,486 average. UC Berkeley follows at $67,892, while Colorado State Fort Collins delivers $64,493. The variation across these programs proves that outcomes track program quality, not school rankings.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. UC Berkeley graduates borrow $13,000 and face just a 3.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Montana Tech achieves the same tier despite higher earnings, with families facing only a 7.5% burden when parent loans are included.
Highest program earnings: $82,190
Strong outcomes ($82,190) with 90% acceptance
3.9% payment burden | Excellent
7.5% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $82,190 | 32 | $18,750 | Excellent | $12,000 | Excellent | |
| #2 | $67,892 | 228 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | |
| #3 | $64,493 | 18 | $20,000 | Excellent | $36,000 | Challenging | |
| #4 | $62,308 | 104 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Challenging | |
| #5 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $62,238 | 53 | $19,162 | Excellent | $56,271 | High |
| #6 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $60,106 | 84 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | High |
| #7 | University Of UtahPublic | $56,703 | 76 | $19,000 | Excellent | $18,886 | Manageable |
| #8 | $54,285 | 358 | $13,872 | Excellent | $13,522 | Manageable | |
| #9 | $53,761 | 501 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Challenging | |
| #10 | Pacific UniversityPrivate | $53,718 | 23 | $23,223 | Good | $33,960 | High |
| #11 | $53,247 | 261 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Challenging | |
| #12 | $53,015 | 250 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Challenging | |
| #13 | $50,875 | 306 | $19,000 | Good | $23,489 | Challenging | |
| #14 | Oregon State UniversityPublic | $50,070 | 160 | $21,221 | Good | $28,923 | High |
| #15 | $50,070 | 6 | $21,221 | Good | $28,923 | High | |
| #16 | $49,280 | 37 | $26,063 | Manageable | $31,387 | High | |
| #17 | University Of ArizonaPublic | $47,452 | 209 | $19,620 | Good | $30,126 | High |
| #18 | $45,655 | 156 | $20,500 | Manageable | $18,859 | High | |
| #19 | $45,339 | 59 | $16,552 | Good | $17,585 | Challenging | |
| #20 | $44,886 | 195 | $13,000 | Excellent | $12,526 | Manageable | |
| #21 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $44,870 | 167 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Manageable |
| #22 | $43,870 | 52 | $20,609 | Manageable | $23,014 | High | |
| #23 | $43,363 | 24 | $19,500 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | |
| #24 | $43,185 | 90 | $20,500 | Manageable | $21,716 | High | |
| #25 | $42,552 | 60 | $20,210 | Manageable | $15,360 | High |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
