Understanding & Researching Salaries.

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Setting Salary Expectations in Public Health Careers

Salary depends on various factors, including the job market and what employers are willing to pay. While you might have a range in mind based on your degree and experience, offers can vary between organizations. Ultimately, your ‘market value’ may vary between organizations, so it’s worth weighing salary alongside factors like career growth, company culture, and alignment with your long-term goals.

Public health salaries vary significantly depending on many factors, including:

Location

Salaries are often higher in urban areas where the cost of living is also elevated.

Education level

Specialized skills and in-depth knowledge can make you eligible for positions with greater responsibility, leadership opportunities, and competitive salaries.

Experience

Often, the more years = the more pay.

Specialization

Experts in areas such as biostatistics, health informatics, or healthcare management are often paid higher due to their specialized knowledge and skills.

Sector

Different sectors offer varied salary ranges due to the demand for specific expertise and funding availability. Here are some examples:

Government Agencies
  • Salaries may be influenced by budgets and civil service structures.
  • Entry-level positions may have a lower starting salary but offer great networking opportunities which can lead to quick advancement and job security.
  • Government salary ranges are generally posted because it is public information.
Non-Profits
  • Salaries are typically influenced by the organization’s funding sources, size, and mission.
  • Those in advocacy and on the ground are often lower than others on the administrative or business development side.
Research Institutions
  • Salaries can vary widely depending on the level of specialization, funding availability, and the institution’s prestige.
  • Researchers in data analytics will likely be paid more than those creating evidence-based-interventions.
  • There are often opportunities for grants, publications, and collaborations that can enhance overall compensation.
Private Sector
  • Salaries are generally higher compared to other public health sectors. These can be influenced by market demand for specific skills, the size and profitability of the company, and the competitive landscape.
  • Professionals in this sector may have access to bonuses, stock options, and other incentives in addition to base salaries.

Researching Salary Information in Public Health Careers

Having a solid understanding of the salary landscape is important to make an informed decision about a potential career path. Some places you can find accurate and reliable salary information include:

Government Databases

These compile information on public sector salaries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers comprehensive data on employment, wages, and projections for different occupations.

Industry Reports

These can provide valuable insights into salary trends and benchmarks. They provide a snapshot of compensation levels across different sectors and specializations, helping you gain a broader perspective on what to expect in your chosen field.

Professional Organizations

Many organizations conduct their own surveys and research on compensation in the field and may host events and webinars discussing compensation trends. Networking with members is also a great resource.

Check out our Researching Public Health Careers pages to learn about organizations and associations within the functional area of interest.

Salary Surveys & Websites

Consider aggregate salary data for various professions. Note that these often do not take location into consideration and they include outliers. Take these with a grain of salt and think of them as a way to narrow down the salary you can expect. These include:

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook: Occupational Outlook Handbook: provides detailed information on job outlooks, median pay, and education requirements.
  • Payscale: provides salary data and tools to help individuals research and understand compensation in their respective fields.
  • Glassdoor: offers salary information, company reviews, and insights into job satisfaction based on user-generated content.

Other Things to Consider Regarding Salary

If the job posting includes the salary or a range for the role, believe it. That’s the salary. If it’s too low for you, don’t bother applying.

Salaries vary by location. For example, $65,000 in Boston equates to about $42,000 in Nashville. Use a cost-of-living calculator like NerdWallet to compare and adjust expectations—it might surprise you!

If you don’t ask for more when you receive an offer, you may be leaving money on the table.