What Can I do With a Degree in Public Health Studies?

The information on this page is designed to help you explore possible careers. Use the links below to navigate to different areas of the page. We recommend working with a career counselor to help you identify careers based on your skills, interests, and values.:


Ideas for Careers and Places of Employment

Public Health Studies majors may find employment in city, county, state, and federal government; nonprofits; social services; businesses; and educational institutions depending on their skills and experience.

List of Employers and Job Titles 

This list was generated by searching jobs databases and search engines, employer staff directories, and LinkedIn profiles using the following keywords: community health, fitness, health equity, health disparities, health promotion, health services, health services administration, Indigenous health, public health, public health education, tribal health, wellness.

24 Hour Fitness — Fitness Counselor, Personal Trainer

American Cancer Society — Community Relationship Manager, Quality of Life Manager, Patient Navigator, Health Disparities Coordinator

American Diabetes Association — Program Assistant, Communications and Marketing Executive Assistant, Customer Events and Program Manager

American Heart Association — Oregon Advocacy & Government Relations Internship

American Medical Response — Community Education Specialist

American Red Cross — Mobile Unit Assistant, Blood Services Department Manager, Territory Representative

Arcadia Senior Living - Health Services Adminstrator

Asian Health and Service Center — Cancer Patient Navigator, Community Health Worker

Benton County — Health Promotion Specialist I & II, Environmental Health Specialist 2, Health Center Director

Bonaventure Senior Living - Health and Wellness Director, Memory Care Director, Resident Care Coordinator

Cambia Health Solutions —  Enigma Health Patient Outreach Internship, Health Care Services Strategic Planning Internship, Pain Management Research Internship

CareOregon – Health Care Coordinator - Tribal Care Coordination

Cascade AIDS Project — CareLink Client Advocate

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — Disabled & Elderly Health Programs Group Fellowships

Central City Concern — Research Analyst

CEP America — Entry-Level Scribe

Cigna — Onsite Health Educator

City of Hillsboro — Recreation Program Coordinator, Fitness Instructor, Group Exercise Instructor, Aquatics Supervisor

City of Vancouver — Fitness Wellness Recreation Coordinator, Fitness Recreation Assistant

Clark College — Fitness Center Manager

ClubSport — Wellness Director

Community Action Head Start — Bilingual Family Educator

Community Action — Family Support Worker-Opening Doors, Outreach Worker

Community Relations Advocate, Project Manager II 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians — Clinical Applications Coordinator, Transitional Living Center Coordinator

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation - Clinical Cultural Specialist

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs — Fitness Coordinator, Wellness Coordinator

Contra Costa County — Public Health Program Specialist I, Registry/Training Specialist

Cowlitz County — Health Educator, Environmental Specialist I-II, Health Educator--Public Health Liaison

Doernbecher Children's Safety Center — Safety Advocate

Donate Life Northwest — Education Outreach Coordinator, Coordinator of Volunteers

Ecotrust — Food Systems Equity Program Manager

El Programa Hispano Catolica — Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator, Community Health Worker

EXOS — Corporate Wellness and Fitness Internship, Performance Coach, Performance Specialist (Corporate Wellness)

Fora Health — Primary Counselor for Women's Residential Program

Harborview Medical Center — Injury Free Coalition Program Coordinator

Hazelden Foundation — Wellness Specialist

HealthFitness — Fitness Program Manager, Health Fitness Specialist, Health Promotion Program Manager, Program Manager I 

Hillsboro Medical Center — Outreach Specialist

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) — Health Educator, Community Health Worker

Latino Network - Community Health Worker

Jackson County — Health Assistant III

Kaiser Permanente — Health Educator-Childbirth, Health Education Programs Manager, Patient Advocate-Conflict Resolution, Community Health Navigator

Klamath Tribal Health and Family Services - Opioid Prevention Coordinator

March Wellness Center, Oregon Health and Science University — Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Fitness Instructor, Exercise & Wellness Program Coordinator,  Fitness Instructor/Group Exercise Leader, Exercise Specialist, Personal Trainer

Marquis Companies — Activities Director

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital — Health Educator

Mary's Woods — Fitness and Wellness Specialist

Moda Health — Healthcare Quality Improvement Specialist III, Wellness Coach

Multnomah Athletic Club — Court Sports Supervisor, Outdoor Activities Program Coordinator, Swim School Instructional Coordinator

Multnomah County Health Department — Community Health Educator, Community Health Specialist 1 & 2, Health Educator- HIV, Health Engagement and Assessment Specialist, 

HIV Patient Housing Navigator, Information and Referral, Health and Safety Program Manager, Environmental Health Specialist-Lead Program, School Based Health Center - Program Communication Specialist, Program Specialist - Healthy Families

Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) — Health Care Services Coordinator, Event Coordinator

National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) - Events and Training Project Coordinator, Communications Specialist

National Kidney Foundation (NKF) — Communications Coordinator

National Psoriasis Foundation — Bilingual Patient Navigator

Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest - Community Health Worker, Elder Patient Navigator, Lead Re-Engagement Coordinator

Native American Rehabilitation Association — Family Wellness Program Manager

Native Wellness Institute — Community Health Worker, Project Coordinator, Project Lead

NAYA Family Center — Community Health Worker, Lead Community Health Worker, 

Neighborhood Health Center — Community Dental Program Coordinator

New Mexico Department of Health — Vulnerable Populations Preparedness Education Coordinator

NIKE — Athletic Trainer, Athletic Training Program Manager

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board — Project Specialist, Youth Engagement Coordinator

OCHIN - Credentialing Specialist, Project Manager II, Senior Project Manager, Project Coodinator, Research Analyst

Orangetheory Fitness — Group Fitness Instructor

Oregon Child Development Coalition — Health Assistant, Family & Health Services Supervisor, Mental Health and Disabilities Specialist

Oregon Health & Science UniversityDoernbecher Tom Sargent Safety Center— Injury Prevention Coordinator

Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs, Institute on Development and Disability — Community Consultant

Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division — Public Health Educator 1, Adolescent health Disparities Coordinator

Oregon Research Institute — Project Manager, Research Assistant Intern

Outside In — Health Access Coordinator, Risk Education Coordinator, Clinic Coordinator/Interpreter, Health & Wellness Coordinator

Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette Valley — Community Educator and NE Portland Teen Council Coordinator, Patient Service Staff

Plus One — Group Fitness Instructor (Strength Conditioning)

Port of Portland — Environmental Specialist I-Aviation Environmental and Safety, HR Wellness Program Intern

Portland Community College (PCC) — Health Admissions Advising Specialist

Portland Rock Gym - Group Fitness Instructor

Portland State University Recreation Center — Coordinator/Advisor of Recreation Clubs, Aquatics/Safety Coordinator

Prestige Care & Prestige Senior Living — Personal Exercise Program Coordinator, Activities Assistant

Providence Health and Services — Clinic Coordinator, Project Coordinator, Associate Project Manager

Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield — Health Coach 1, Health Coach 2, Medical Management Coordinator I/II, Disease Management Engagement Specialist, Director Health & Wellness, Wellness Program Coordinator

SAIF Corporation — Return-to-Work Consultant, Medical Services Manager

Samaritan Health Services — Health Education Assistant

Sea Mar Community Health Centers — Care Coordinator ii, Community Health Worker

Seattle Indian Health Board — Care Coordinator, Communications & Events Coordinator, 

Sequoia Mental Health Services — Residential Skills Trainer

SUN Program at Glenfair Elementary School (operated by Metropolitan Family Service) — Sports/Fitness Instructor

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation — I Am the Cure Supervisor, Community Program Intern

Tacoma Pierce County Health Department — AmeriCorps Health Educator

The Community for Positive Aging (formerly Hollywood Senior Center) - Community Health Connector (Bilingual), Community Health Program Manager, Options Counselor

The Oregon Clinic — Scribe

The Springs Living -  Community Relations Coordinator, Executive Director, Life Enrichment Assistant, Life Enrichment Director, Resident Manager

Touchmark at Fairway Village — Director of Health and Fitness

Umatilla County — Mental Health Associate I or II, Mental Health Associate II - Coordinator

Washington State University — Health Educator

WebMD — Health Educator

Westfield Washington School Corporation — Physical Education/Health Teacher

Wildfire Fitness — Personal Trainers, Fitness Attendant

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic — Infant Case Manager - Community Health Services

Yamhill County — Environmental Health Specialist III

YellowHawk Tribal Health Center - Átawišamataš Program Home Visitor

YMCA of Columbia Willamette — Wellness Coordinator, Personal Trainer, Aquatic Program Director, Fitness Director, Program Supervisor - Group Fitness

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Government Classification Specifications

Classification Specifications are generic descriptions of jobs in government agencies. Generally, they provide an overview of the job and describe essential duties and responsibilities as well as requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and educational requirements. Classification specifications can be useful in identifying organizations that hire people with an academic background in health.

Oregon Job Profiles with salary information

Multnomah County Job Profiles/Class Specifications with salary information 

Clackamas County Job Specifications 

Washington County Classification Specifications 

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Careers Reported by Community and Public Health Majors on the American Community Survey

The following list of job titles was generated from American Community Survey data. Every year, the federal government surveys 3,000,000 people. This list shows some of the most-often reported careers for people who majored in Community and Public Health. Please be aware that additional education, internships, or career-related experience may be a prerequisite to some of the careers on this list. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for exploration. To find a brief description of the following occupations, go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

  • Registered Nurses
  • Postsecondary Teachers
  • Social Workers
  • Medical and Health Services Managers
  • Elementary and Middle School Teachers
  • Physicians and Surgeons
  • Counselors
  • Education Administrators
  • Compliance Officers
  • Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
  • Community and Social Service Specialists, Including Health Educators and Community Health Workers
  • General and Operations Managers
  • Lawyers, Judges, and Magistrates
  • Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing
  • Management Analysts
  • Medical Scientists and Life Scientists
  • Physical Scientists
  • Dental Hygienists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physician Assistants
  • Human Resources Workers
  • Physical Therapists
  • Environmental Scientists and Geoscientists
  • Secondary School Teachers
  • Social and Community Service Managers
  • Health Practitioner Support Technologists and Technicians
  • Pharmacists
  • Social and Human Service Assistants
  • Financial Managers
  • Chief Executives and Legislators
  • Dentists
  • Biological Scientists
  • Nurse Practitioners, and Nurse Midwives
  • Natural Sciences Managers
  • Human Resources Managers
  • Other Therapists, Including Exercise Physiologists

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Professional Associations

American Health Planning Association —The American Health Planning Association is a non-profit organization committed to the creation of health policies and systems which assure access for all people to quality care at a reasonable cost."

American Public Health Association (APHA)

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Medical Fitness Association

Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)

Society of Health and Physical Educators

Washington State Public Health Association (WSPHA)

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