Even if you’re still in the weeds grinding through your undergrad education, it’s smart to start thinking about what comes next. Public health is still a massive sector that governments, businesses, and pretty much everyone else is focused on. And after everything that happened with COVID? Yeah, we need public health people more than ever.
If you’re thinking about getting an MPH, there are a number of scholarship programs out there that can help you pay for it. We have put together this guide to show you some of the best ones we could find.
What Is a Master of Public Health?
An MPH is a graduate degree that teaches you how to be good at public health stuff – you know, working for communities and helping people stay healthy. You learn about preventing diseases, studying epidemics, all that important stuff.
Most people who get an MPH end up at health departments, teaching people about health, studying diseases, or just working somewhere in healthcare. It doesn’t matter where you’re from – this degree can help you start doing public health work pretty much anywhere.
How Much Does a Master of Public Health Degree Cost?
Okay, so here’s the bad news – MPH programs cost way more than they used to. If you do a quick Google search, you’ll see many programs range from $20,000 to $65,000 a year now, which is crazy expensive. And that’s just tuition and fees! If you’re out-of-state, you’re gonna pay even more. Private schools? Forget about it, they’re ridiculously expensive.
But here’s something good – online MPH programs are becoming increasingly popular and they’re typically cheaper. Like, sometimes 20-30% less than going to campus every day. So if cost is an important factor to you, definitely explore online options.
MPH Salary: How Much Can You Really Earn?
At least the money’s decent when you graduate. Epidemiologists earn a median salary of $84,000 a year according to national data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Health education people make about $63,000 annually. Most MPH graduates end up somewhere around $78,000, which isn’t bad.If you are interested in health care administration though, you are in for a real treat of a paycheck. We’re talking close to $118,000 median salary. Why? Because nobody can figure out our healthcare system and they need people who actually understand it.
Is Pursuing an MPH Worth It?
Absolutely. Honestly, it’s probably worth more now than it was before COVID. The government says jobs for medical and health services managers are gonna grow by almost 30% through the next decade. That’s way faster than most other jobs.
COVID really showed everyone that we’ve been ignoring public health for too long. Now there’s more money going into it, which means more jobs. Get an MPH and you’re setting yourself up pretty well.
How to Pay for Your Public Health Graduate Degree with Scholarships
There are many ways of financing your graduate public health degree without completely draining your bank account. Scholarships are a great option because you don’t have to pay someone (i.e., the bank or your sugar mama) back. Plus you can actually focus on studying instead of working at some random job to pay the bills.
But seriously, read the requirements before you apply to anything. Most want at least a 3.0 GPA, some recommendation letters, and proof that you’re not already loaded with money. Some want you to be in certain organizations too.
Best Master of Public Health Scholarships: Overview
Who’s Giving It | What It’s Called | How Much Money |
American College of Healthcare Executives | Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship | $5,000 |
Association of University Programs in Health Administration | Bachrach Family Scholarship | $6,000 |
Association of University Programs in Health Administration | Association of University Programs in Health Administration | $40,000 |
Winston Fellowship | David A. Winston Health Policy Scholarship Program | $10,000 |
National Association of Health Education Centers | NAHEC Graduate Scholarship | $2,500 |
Society for Public Health Education | 21st Century Student Scholarship | $1,500 |
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health | Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health | Varying amounts |
The Good Scholarships (Here’s What You Need to Know)
Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship | American College of Healthcare Executives
This one gives $5,000 every year to African American students in their final year of their graduate program in healthcare management. It’s named after this guy Albert W. Dent who was their first African American member, so it’s got some history.
You gotta be full-time, be American or Canadian (or at least live here legally), and you can’t have already gotten money from them before. They want your resume, transcripts, and three people to say nice things about you (one being the program director from your grad program). Applications usually open in January and they tell you in July if you won.
Bachrach Family Scholarship | Association of University Programs in Health Administration
Six grand for students in healthcare management education programs that are actually accredited (make sure yours is).
You need both your undergrad and grad GPAs, transcripts, resume, and a personal statement about why you want to work in healthcare and why they should pick you. Plus two recommendation letters – one from a professor, one from someone you worked for. Pro tip: they really like people who care about helping underserved communities and prefer that you are the first person in your immediate family to attend graduate school. But, if you are a legacy student and your parents and grandparents all went to the same school and you are just following in their footsteps trying to make them proud, you’ll still be considered.
Corris Boyd Scholars Program | Association of University Programs in Health Administration
This is the big one – $40,000 total spread out over your whole program. It’s specifically for underrepresented students in health administration.
To be a competitive applicant, try to keep your GPA above 3.0, be a permanent US resident, and be enrolled in your grad program full-time. The cool part is they pair you up with some healthcare executive who can help you with career stuff and networking.
Other Ways to Pay for School (When Scholarships Don’t Work Out)
Money shouldn’t stop you from getting this degree. There are other options besides scholarships.
Federal Student Loans
You can borrow money from the government through FAFSA. Right now grad students can get up to $20,500 per year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans, with a total limit of $138,500. Interest rate is 7.94% for this school year, which honestly isn’t terrible.
Graduate Assistantships
Lots of schools will let you help with research or teaching in exchange for tuition help and some spending money. You usually work 10-20 hours a week and they can cover anywhere from half to all of your tuition. Plus you get actual work experience.
Professional Development Grants
Organizations like ASPPH give out smaller grants ($500 to $3,000) for things like going to conferences or doing research projects. It’s not huge money but every bit helps.
Your Job Might Help
If you’re already working in healthcare, ask if your employer has tuition assistance. More than half of healthcare organizations offer some kind of help – usually $3,000 to $8,000 per year.
Should You Apply for These Scholarships?
Duh, yes. Even if you don’t get the money (though hopefully you do), applying for scholarships makes you look good. Scholarship winners get invited to networking stuff, mentorship programs, all kinds of professional development things that are worth way more than just the cash.
Since these are competitive, winning one basically tells employers “hey, this person is smart and dedicated” – exactly what they want to see. And lots of these programs keep helping you even after you graduate with job placement and alumni networks.
Questions Everyone Asks About MPH Scholarships
Is it hard to get these scholarships?
Yeah, it’s competitive as hell. Lots of programs get 5-10 applications for every scholarship. But people with good grades, some relevant experience, and personal statements that don’t suck still win them. Apply to a bunch and customize each application.
What GPA do I need?
Most want at least 3.0 but if you want to actually win, you probably need 3.5 or higher. Some scholarships (especially for underrepresented groups) care about other stuff too like community service and leadership.
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What jobs can I get with an MPH?
Tons of options. Epidemiologist jobs are supposed to grow 19% through 2033. You could be a health education specialist, healthcare administrator, policy analyst, work in global health consulting. There’s also new stuff in digital health and climate change health work.
How do I actually qualify for these things?
Keep your grades up, get some experience in public health (work or volunteer), develop leadership skills, and be able to explain why you want to do this work. Start early and don’t miss deadlines – that’s where most people screw up.
Sources
- https://www.chronicle.com/article/online-and-hybrid-learning-is-increasingly-popular-now-colleges-have-to-keep-up
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm
- https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Public_Health_(MPH)/Salary
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
