by our College Data Analytics Team
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The schools below stand out for the salaries their public health graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying public health schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send public health graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Central Michigan University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid public health graduates in Michigan. Central Michigan University is a public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Public Health graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of about $70,016 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Oakland University earned it the #2 place for public health. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a public institution. Public Health graduates of Oakland University earn a median of about $81,283 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Western Michigan University earned it the #3 place for public health. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a public institution. Public Health graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of about $73,217 a year early in their careers.
University Of Detroit Mercy came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public health schools. Located in the city of Detroit, University Of Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career public health graduates from University Of Detroit Mercy make a median of around $73,429 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Michigan State University one of the highest-paying schools for public health. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a public institution. Students who complete the public health program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,135.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #6 position for public health graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. Public Health graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of about $75,572 a year early in their careers.
Grand Valley State University earned the #7 position for public health graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a public institution. Early-career public health graduates from Grand Valley State University make a median of around $69,872 per year.
Eastern Michigan University earned the #8 position for public health graduate earnings this year. Eastern Michigan University is a public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti. After graduating, public health degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University typically earn about $38,781 annually.
Wayne State University earned the #9 position for public health graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a public institution. Students who complete the public health program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,219.
University Of Michigan Flint placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for public health. University Of Michigan Flint is a public school located in the city of Flint. After graduating, public health degree recipients from University Of Michigan Flint typically earn about $48,090 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their public health graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 10 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.