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# Best Public Health Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks 174 Public Health programs in the United States by the median earnings of Public Health graduates four years after completing. [Duke University](/school/duke-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $101,771 four years after completing, while the figure at the bottom of the list is $22,087.

Across the listed schools the median is $58,248, and the spread from top to bottom reaches $79,684. For 15 of the 174 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 71% of the programs, with 123 public and 51 private nonprofit schools represented. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price on the page at $2,984.

University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 174 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Duke University · Durham, NC | $101,771 | $29,612 | $735 | 5.7% |
|  | [Duke University](/school/duke-university/majors/) reports [$101,771 in median earnings](/school/duke-university/outcomes/) of Public Health graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $735 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 2 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $89,522 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list, with [median federal debt of $15,000](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/) among Public Health completers who borrowed. |
| 3 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $87,217 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Washington, [George Washington University](/school/george-washington-university/majors/) [admits 47% of applicants](/school/george-washington-university/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $87,217 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | Montana Technological University · Butte, MT | $86,855 | $16,481 | $11,914 | 91.1% |
|  | Montana Technological University ranks 448th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $86,855 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | Oakland University · Rochester Hills, MI | $85,266 | $9,120 | $4,422 | 87.8% |
|  | [Oakland University](/school/oakland-university/majors/) has an [average net price of $9,120](/school/oakland-university/cost/) and a Public Health earnings cohort of 25 graduates. |
| 6 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $84,790 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
|  | [Illinois State University](/school/illinois-state-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $20,009](/school/illinois-state-university/cost/) among Public Health completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $84,790 four years after completing. |
| 7 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $81,153 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
|  | Elon University admits 66% of applicants and its Public Health graduates earn a median of $81,153 four years after completing. |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD | $79,113 | $18,809 | $428 | 6.4% |
|  | [Johns Hopkins University](/school/johns-hopkins-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $428](/school/johns-hopkins-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $79,113 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $78,928 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
|  | [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) [ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $78,928 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $78,085 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
|  | With an earnings cohort of 152 Public Health graduates, [University of Georgia](/school/university-of-georgia/majors/) reports a [median of $78,085](/school/university-of-georgia/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 11 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $77,329 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
|  | [California Baptist University](/school/california-baptist-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $33,375](/school/california-baptist-university/cost/) among Public Health completers who borrowed and an average net price of $26,285. |
| 12 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $76,572 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/admissions/) and its Public Health graduates earn a median of $76,572 four years after completing. |
| 13 | Franklin and Marshall College · Lancaster, PA | $75,867 | $36,425 | $12,321 | 28.2% |
|  | Franklin and Marshall College reports median earnings of $75,867 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $12,321 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 14 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg, PA | $75,679 | $15,699 | $11,374 | 93.1% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) left with a [median of $26,000](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school ranks 14th on this list with earnings of $75,679. |
| 15 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $75,448 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
|  | [Tufts University](/school/tufts-university/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/tufts-university/admissions/) and its Public Health graduates earn a median of $75,448 four years after completing. |
| 16 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $74,633 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
|  | Ranking 16th on this page, [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) posts [median earnings of $74,633](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/outcomes/) for its Public Health graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 394 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 17 | Brown University · Providence, RI | $74,496 | $25,184 | \-$420\* | 5.4% |
|  | [Brown University](/school/brown-university/majors/) carries a [median federal debt of $11,760](/school/brown-university/cost/) among Public Health completers who borrowed, and its graduates earn a median of $74,496 four years after completing. |
| 18 | Rivier University · Nashua, NH | $72,965 | $28,082 | $23,321 | 82.6% |
|  | With an average net price of $28,082 and median earnings of $72,965 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing, Rivier University ranks 18th on this list. |
| 19 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $72,736 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
|  | [Drexel University](/school/drexel-university/majors/) [ranks 177th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/drexel-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $72,736 for its Public Health graduates four years after completing. |
| 20 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $72,529 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
|  | [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) shows an [admission rate of 65%](/school/chapman-university/admissions/) and its Public Health graduates earn a median of $72,529 four years after completing. |
| 21 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $72,419 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
|  | [North Carolina A & T State University](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $72,419](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/outcomes/) for Public Health graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $8,223 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 22 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $72,328 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
|  | [University of Maryland-College Park](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/majors/) lists a [median federal debt of $21,500](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/cost/) among Public Health completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $72,328 four years after completing. |
| 23 | New York University · New York, NY | $70,840 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
|  | Ranking 23rd on this list, [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $70,840](/school/new-york-university/outcomes/) for its Public Health graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,977 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 24 | American University · Washington, DC | $70,831 | $41,943 | $23,233 | 62.0% |
|  | [American University](/school/american-university/majors/) [admits 62% of applicants](/school/american-university/admissions/) and its Public Health graduates earn a median of $70,831 four years after completing. |
| 25 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $70,793 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
|  | [University of Delaware](/school/university-of-delaware/majors/) reports [median earnings of $70,793](/school/university-of-delaware/outcomes/) for its Public Health graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,799. |

\* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.

Continue by region[Best Public Health Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-public-health-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Public Health Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-public-health-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Best Public Health Programs in the South](/rankings/best-public-health-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Public Health Programs in the West](/rankings/best-public-health-programs-in-the-west/)

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Public Health graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 15 of the 174 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 174 schools with a published figure. The gap between first-ranked Duke University and second-ranked University of Southern California is $12,249.

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