Public Health Employment Outcomes
Mailman School graduates pursue their passions across a broad range of employment sectors. While most choose to apply their skills and experience in and around the New York metropolitan area, our alumni can be found working throughout the United States and abroad.
View a partial list of employers and recruiters.
2023-24 Postgraduate Outcomes, Six Months Post-Graduation
Industries/Sectors for 2023-24 Graduates
Overall Salaries, 2023-24
221 graduates reported salaries. Part-time salaries and international currency salaries were excluded.
- The Overall Average salary was: $92,513 (for those with no prior graduate degree, $81,256).
- The Overall Median salary was: $75,000 (for those with no prior graduate degree, $75,000).
- The range was $35,000 to $450,000.
- 38 graduates reported receiving bonuses, and the average bonus was $15,528 and median bonus was $8,175. Specific benefits/bonuses mentioned included tuition remission, stock options/equity, licensure reimbursement, visa sponsorship, housing and transportation pay (especially for graduates working internationally), and relocation costs.
Median and Average Salaries by Sector
Salaries differ by industry, years of experience of the candidate, geographic location, size of the employer, etc. The following salaries are school-wide salaries by industry. The first table is for all salaries reported; the second table is the average or median salary for those MPH, MHA or MS students who entered the Mailman School without a prior graduate-level degree (i.e. excluding Executive MPH, MHA, or MS students, PhD/DrPH students, and students who entered Mailman with a pre-existing MD, PhD etc.).
Salaries
Salary by Industry: School Wide (All Graduates, Including Executives, PhDs, and Those With Prior Graduate Degrees)
|
School-Wide Salaries (All Graduates Who Reported) |
Average |
Median |
Low |
High |
Number Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Consulting |
$94,740 |
$88,750 |
$45,000 |
$168,000 |
30 |
|
Government |
$73,239 |
$71,000 |
$35,000 |
$110,000 |
25 |
|
Insurance |
$115,900 |
$112,500 |
$85,000 |
$155,000 |
8 |
|
Healthcare |
$104,305 |
$74,500 |
$35,000 |
$450,000 |
72 |
|
Nonprofit (Domestic) |
$69,805 |
$70,000 |
$55,000 |
$89,434 |
21 |
|
Nonprofit (International) |
$78,375 |
$68,500 |
$55,000 |
$115,000 |
8 |
|
Other |
$154,700 |
$97,000 |
$62,000 |
$450,000 |
7 |
|
Pharmaceuticals |
$109,000 |
$100,000 |
$65,000 |
$170,000 |
13 |
|
Research |
$65,220 |
$65,000 |
$52,500 |
$78,000 |
5 |
|
Technology |
$77,333 |
$74,500 |
$50,000 |
$105,000 |
12 |
|
Universities |
$74,333 |
$71,000 |
$46,000 |
$160,000 |
18 |
|
Overall |
$92,512 |
$75,000 |
$35,000 |
$450,000 |
221 |
Salaries by Industry: MPH, MHA, or MS only (Excluding Executive MPH, MHA, MS; Part-Time MHAs; and Students With Pre-Existing MD, PhD, PharmD, JD, etc.)
682 students graduated with an MS, MHA or MPH and did not have a prior graduate degree. Of these, 193 reported salaries (salaries paid in international currency or part-time excluded).
|
Industry |
Average |
Median |
Low |
High |
Number Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Consulting |
$94,740 |
$88,750 |
$45,000 |
$168,000 |
30 |
|
Government |
$72,050 |
$71,000 |
$35,000 |
$97,000 |
22 |
|
Insurance |
$115,900 |
$112,500 |
$85,000 |
$155,000 |
8 |
|
Hospital/health system |
$78,884 |
$72,500 |
$35,000 |
$400,000 |
58 |
|
Non-Profit or Philanthropy (Domestic) |
$69,805 |
$70,000 |
$55,000 |
$89,434 |
21 |
|
Non-Profit/International NGO (Global) |
$75,333 |
$68,500 |
$55,000 |
$101,000 |
6 |
|
Other |
$87,475 |
$73,950 |
$62,000 |
$140,000 |
4 |
|
Pharmaceuticals |
$101,545 |
$100,000 |
$65,000 |
$150,000 |
11 |
|
Research Organization or Institute |
$65,220 |
$65,000 |
$52,500 |
$78,000 |
5 |
|
Technology |
$79,818 |
$75,000 |
$65,000 |
$105,000 |
11 |
|
University |
$67,733 |
$70,000 |
$46,000 |
$76,000 |
15 |
|
Schoolwide |
$81,256 |
$75,000 |
$35,000 |
$400,000 |
193 |
Salary by Degree*
|
Columbia degree |
Mean |
Median |
|---|---|---|
|
Accelerated MPH |
$70,250 |
$63,500 |
|
Doctor of Public Health |
$125,750 |
$112,500 |
|
Executive MPH |
$245,500 |
$217,500 |
|
Regular MHA |
$91,868 |
$83,000 |
|
Part-time MHA |
$112,727 |
$120,000 |
|
MPH |
$75,435 |
$72,000 |
|
MS |
$135,007 |
$100,000 |
|
PhD |
$112,500 |
$115,000 |
* Note: Many differences in salary by degree reflect the prior years of relevant work experience of students in each degree program.
For graduates who worked prior to attending Mailman School, and also provided salaries after graduation, the average salary increase after graduation was $39,732 and median increase was $28,000 in 2023-2024.
Job Search Process
While the Mailman School has excellent career outcomes, and students and alumni have lifetime access to top-quality career services resources, students are ultimately responsible for taking ownership of their own job search.
To find employment, students applied, on average, to 55 jobs in 2023-24.
Students went through an average of 4.9 first-round interviews and 3.4 second-round interviews, to receive an average number of 1.5 job offers (There were 3 students receiving 5 or more offers, 5 students receiving 4 offers; 17 students receiving 3 offers; and 41 students receiving 2 offers).
Students used a variety of search methods to hear about the jobs they ended up accepting. 14% of students identified the job they accepted through Career Services (i.e. Mailman career fair, recruiting event, CareerLink job board); 8% used Mailman School Alumni networking; 14% Department/faculty; 7% Classmate referrals, 10% practicum; 16% personal network; and 30% used a non-Mailman Job Board; 5% were promoted from an existing job; and 19% used other methods (such as reciprocity career services with other public health schools, professional associations, or staffing firms). (Note: Percentages do not add to 100% because students could indicate more than one job search method; percentages indicate the percent of unique survey respondents mentioning that method.)
In all, approximately 45% of students found their jobs via networking; and 53% found their jobs with the assistance of Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.
For further details, view the complete report: Post Graduate Outcomes.