Public Health Careers

What Can You Do with a Public Health Degree?

At the University of Michigan School of Public Health, students utilize an interdisciplinary education to pursue careers and jobs in diverse fields with the skills they need to serve communities with public health solutions that have deep and lasting impact.

Our alumni drive positive change at nonprofit organizations, hospitals, insurance companies, universities, research firms, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and local and national government agencies. They lead and support meaningful research and public health practice conducted around the globe. They chose Michigan because, like you, they were seeking careers focused on service, compassion, and achievement.

  • 99% of recent graduates employed or pursuing advanced degree *of those that responded to our career placement survey*
  • Alumni working in 83 countries and on every continent except Antarctica
  • Over 3,000 opportunities posted annually  
  • Nearly 1,000 internship opportunities posted
  • Nearly 50 Employer Information Sessions arranged and promoted for students. Check out our recent graduate job placement rates here
  • Check out more careers in public health
  

career areas of Michigan Public Health graduates

logos of companies

  • Center For Disease Control And Prevention
  • Karmanos Cancer Institute
  • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • Fifth Third Bank
  • American Airlines
  • FDA U.S. Food & Drug Administration
  • Davita Kidney Care
  • Indeed
  • City of Hope
  • Mayo Clinic
  • PRAhealthsciences
  • Fair Food Network
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Wyoming Department of Health
  • Nestle Waters
  • NSF International
  • University of Florida
  • Standford University
  • 23&Me
  • Facebook
  • UCLA
  • Henry Ford Health System
  • UW Medicine
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • New York University
  • Cornell University
  • CVS Health
  • Boston University
  • Michigan Medicine- University of Michigan
  • Trinity Health
  • Planned Parenthood
  • Peace Corps
  • Wic
  • U.S. Army
  • Deloitte Consulting
  • Mount Sinai
  • Google
  • The World Bank
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • Spectrum Health
  • AMA
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • National Cancer Institute
  • Department of Health and Human Services. USA
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency

Professionals with public health degrees from Michigan Public Health pursue careers as diverse as the field itself. They are at the forefront of research, practice, and service. 

Hospital and Healthcare

  • Administrator
  • Health Educator
  • Infection Control Specialist
  • Nutritionist or Clinical Dietitian


Higher Education

  •  Research Analyst
  • Statistician
  • Research Coordinator
  • Program Manager
  • Health Educator
  • Nutritionist or Dietitian
  • Staff Wellness Coordinator


Private Sector

  • Consultant
  • Data Scientist
  • Environmental Analyst
  • Biostatistician
  • Industrial Hygienist
  • Epidemiologist 

Government Sector

  • Data Analyst
  • Epidemiologist
  • Wellness Coordinator
  • Environmental Quality Analyst
  • Tobacco Prevention Specialist 

Nonprofit Sector

  • Organization
  • Foundations
  • Associations

Learn more about public health career paths and the employment outcomes for our recent graduates.

  • Chronic Disease Management Coordinator
  • Clinical Infectious Disease Specialist
  • Community Activist
  • Data Analyst
  • Disaster Preparedness Coordinator
  • Environmental Health Specialist
  • Food Service Sanitarian
  • Healthcare Consultant
  • Health Communications Specialist
  • Health Educator
  • Peace Corps Volunteer

POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS

  • City, county, and state health departments
  • Federal governmental health organizations (CDC, WHO)
  • Health care delivery systems
  • Not-for-profit organizations/non-governmental organizations (Planned Parenthood, American Heart Association)
  • Universities and teaching hospitals

Check out our job placement rates for the undergraduate program here

  • University or College- 54%
  • Pharma/Biotech- 14%
  • Federal government- 13%
  • Industrial or commercial company- 7%
  • Consulting- 4%
  • Association, foundation, NGO, or other non-profit organization- 3%
  • Hospital or other healthcare provider- 3%
  • Self-employed- 2%
  • State health department- 1%

Internships

A graduate student internship is an opportunity for students to connect with industry leaders, gain practical experience, and develop skills, while exploring their career interests in a supervised, public health setting. 

Internships create a platform for students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to meaningful, challenging projects. U-M SPH graduates are often sought by employers specifically for their rigorous academic coursework and hands-on experience.

Find internship funding information.

Field Notes

As much as internship locations vary, so do the projects that students are involved in. Get an insider's view on recent internships through the Field Notes video series:

Watch all Field Notes 

Graduate Peer Coaches and Student Staff  

The Michigan Public Health Careers Office employs a few student interns that support the office in a variety of roles. Our interns can provide peer coaching, workshop facilitation, resource creation, data analytics, and administrative support. During their time as an intern, they develop professional skills and receive direct supervisory coaching. Any open postings will be available on the U-M Student Employment website. If you have any questions, please email sph.jobs@umich.edu

Meet Our Alumni