by our College Data Analytics Team
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 6 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.
Our analysis ranked Shenandoah University the top school for public health graduate earnings in Virginia. Shenandoah University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winchester. Early-career public health graduates from Shenandoah University make a median of around $63,571 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at George Mason University earned it the #2 place for public health. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a public institution. After graduating, public health degree recipients from George Mason University typically earn about $65,152 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Liberty University earned it the #3 place for public health. Liberty University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. Students who complete the public health program here go on to a median salary of roughly $56,943.
Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public health schools. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach is a private not-for-profit institution. Public Health graduates of Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach earn a median of about $42,317 a year early in their careers.
South Universityrichmond came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public health schools. Located in the suburb of Glen Allen, South Universityrichmond is a private for-profit institution. Public Health graduates of South Universityrichmond earn a median of about $34,789 a year early in their careers.
South Universityvirginia Beach placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for public health. South Universityvirginia Beach is a private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Early-career public health graduates from South Universityvirginia Beach make a median of around $34,789 per year.
This list is compiled 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 · 6 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.