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BSPH Job Outlook

What do public health educators do?

  • Prevent diseases like cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes
  • Change people's behavior so they stop smoking, abusing alcohol and drugs, engaging in unprotected sex, bullying others, putting themselves at risk to HIV, eating unhealthy, drinking lead-tainted water, leading an inactive lifestyle and other health behaviors
  • Work to pass laws, like the "no smoking in places where people work" law in Michigan, in order to protect lives
  • Work with media and social media to deliver health messages to populations at greatest risk
  • Increase access to health services, regardless of race, gender or any other factor that would discriminate one from living a long and high quality life

Where do public health educators work?

  • Public health departments
  • Non-profit agencies like American Heart Association, Planned Parenthood and community drug prevention agencies
  • Hospital education and outreach centers
  • Corporate worksites
  • Health insurance organizations, like Blue Care Network

How much do public health professionals earn?

  • The typical starting salary in Michigan is 50,000-$60,000, depending on agency and type of job.

Are jobs available?

  • Yes! In fact the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics identified "health educator" as a career expected to increase 7% between 2022 and 2032.

Career paths for BSPH grads

  • Public health educator
  • Health educator
  • Health education specialist
  • Epidemiologist
  • Nutrition educator
  • Community health educator
  • Community outreach manager
  • Wellness program specialist
  • Health education coordinator
  • HIV prevention coordinator
  • Worksite health promotion specialist
  • Health promotion coordinator
  • Certified health and wellness coach
  • Patient program coordinator
  • Sexuality educator
  • Behavioral health education specialist
  • Injury prevention coordinator
  • Substance abuse prevention specialist
  • Tobacco treatment counselor
  • Wellness account manager
  • Community educator
  • Community initiatives coordinator
  • Youth/family program coordinator
  • Sexual violence prevention coordinator
  • Event specialist
  • Community development director