by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Public Health Genetics involves the study of A Program That Prepares Individuals To Respond To The Complex Social, Legal, Ethical, And Public Health Policy Implications Generated By Genetic Research. Includes Instruction In Biochemical Genetics Of Complex Diseases, Bioethics, Chromosomes And Human Disease, Genetic Counseling, Genetic Epidemiology, Gene Mapping, Human Population Genetics, And The Molecular Basis Of Human Inherited Disease. Read on to learn the essential details every public health genetics major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering public health genetics programs.
Coursework for Public Health Genetics develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations public health genetics graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a public health genetics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a public health genetics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to public health genetics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 76.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 7.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 5.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Some college courses | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in public health genetics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in public health genetics opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to public health genetics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to public health genetics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic Counselors | 3,289,795 | 13.4% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of public health genetics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,939 |
| 4 years | $60,432 |
| 5 years | $70,561 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for public health genetics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers public health genetics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Genetic Counselors | $58,726 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Use our unbiased public health genetics school rankings to find the best fit for you.
Those considering public health genetics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General | 25,004 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 3,785 |
| Public Health, Other | 2,803 |
| Health Services Administration | 2,629 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine | 2,571 |
| International Public Health/International Health | 1,500 |
| Environmental Health | 1,269 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health | 623 |
| Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | 313 |
| Health/Medical Physics | 288 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
