by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 21 U.S. colleges awarded 934 degrees and certificates in Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 71% of graduates. College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing, rising to $94,428 after four years.
A major in Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing explores Public Health/community Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Promote Health And Provide Preventive And Curative Nursing Services For Groups Or Communities Under The Supervision Of A Public Health Agency. Includes Instruction In Community And Rural Health, Family Therapy And Intervention, Disease Prevention, Health Education, And Community Health Assessment.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, public health/community nurse/nursing is a widely-pursued major, with 934 degrees awarded annually. 21 colleges award public health/community nurse/nursing degrees, an average of 44 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 657.
By level, the 934 awards include 663 bachelor’s degrees, 251 master’s degrees and 20 doctorates.
Women earned 89% of public health/community nurse/nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (828 of 934). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (480) and Black or African American (220).
College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking, including 9 for bachelor’s degrees, 8 for master’s degrees and 7 for doctorates. It also ranks public health/community nurse/nursing schools within 5 states. In all, 21 colleges offer public health/community nurse/nursing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common public health/community nurse/nursing credential is the bachelor’s degree: 663 of the 934 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to public health/community nurse/nursing call most for Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a public health/community nurse/nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 663 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 251 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 20 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to public health/community nurse/nursing, at 44.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing, with an average median salary of $91,600; the strongest outlook belongs to Critical Care Nurses, at 14.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse), Staff Nurse and Nurse.
The occupation related to public health/community nurse/nursing with the most projected jobs is Registered Nurses, at 3,793,806.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing their program, $94,428 after four years and $90,122 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $82,702 |
| 4 years | $94,428 |
| 5 years | $90,122 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to public health/community nurse/nursing is Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $147,651.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 317,119 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (263,353), Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (14,704) and Nursing Practice (9,385). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 263,353 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,704 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,385 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,806 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 5,359 |
| Nursing Science | 4,606 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 3,955 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,183 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,125 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 680 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
