What Does a Public Health Administrator Do?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 6 in 10 Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease; diabetes, heart disease and cancer are among the most common and deadliest. For the CDC and its state and local partners, combating these diseases isn’t just about providing treatment — it’s also about prevention.

Education campaigns; community clinics; surveys; research; and new, more accessible public health policies all play major roles in preventing chronic disease in America. Public health administrators are crucial to making such initiatives possible. Master of Public Health (MPH) programs are designed to prepare students and working professionals alike to take on that responsibility.

Public Health Administrator Job Description

In many ways, public health administrators are similar to their counterparts in other industries. They’re often in charge of creating and managing budgets, overseeing staff, and guiding organizational policies and procedures.

However, because they’re in charge of meeting community health needs, public health administrators have more complex duties, such as the following:

Researching health trends
Creating and overseeing programs, such as immunization initiatives, health promotion campaigns and large-scale research projects
Developing and advocating for public health policies
Monitoring organizational efficiency and streamlining workflows
Seeking funding and writing grant proposals
Collaborating and communicating with stakeholders, such as legislators, community members and the staff of local health care providers

Typically, public health administrators work for government health organizations, including state and local health departments; social service agencies; government-run hospitals; and federal agencies, for example, the CDC. However, they can also work for nonprofits, charities, university hospitals and privately run health care organizations that are involved in public health initiatives.

Different Types of Public Health Administrators

While many professionals work under the title of public health administrator, this sector includes a wide range of titles, each with a unique focus and set of responsibilities.

Public health administrators can work in any of the following capacities:

Health program analysts who assess the effectiveness of services
Epidemiologists who study trends in illness and disease and plan interventions
Health program managers who oversee staff and day-to-day operations
Health policy specialists who work with community stakeholders on developing and implementing public health policies
Program directors who guide organizational policy as high-level administrators

In addition to these specialty roles, public health agencies have many of the same types of administrators as other types of organizations. This includes human resources (HR), information technology (IT), accounting and public relations (PR) administrators. Public health agencies also have administrators in charge of specific types of programs, such as emergency preparedness and environmental health.

Steps to Becoming a Public Health Administrator

Public health agencies need the skills of a diverse team of professionals. There are many paths to becoming a public health administrator; no matter where a future administrator starts, their journey often involves gaining early-career experience and learning important leadership skills by earning an MPH degree.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

Entry-level public health administration jobs typically require a bachelor’s degree at minimum. While many students earn a bachelor’s degree in public health, future professionals can start their careers by earning any number of degrees.

For example, some study business administration, economics and similar disciplines. Others pursue degrees in nursing, social work, counseling and other subjects that can lead to clinical or social service positions.

2. Gain Experience

After earning a bachelor’s degree, graduates can earn valuable early- and mid-career experience in various ways. These opportunities are often defined by what subject a professional studies at the baccalaureate level.

For example, those who study public health can take on support roles, such as program coordinator or grant writer at hospitals, nonprofits and local public health agencies. Those who study business administration can take on similar roles or gain experience in the private sector before transitioning to public health.

Alternatively, students who take on social service or clinical studies at the baccalaureate level can work in their field of study and then transition to public health. A registered nurse, for example, might start their career working directly with patients at a public clinic, take on a nurse manager role and then transition to public health administration.

3. Earn a Master of Public Health and Pursue Senior-Level Administration Roles

Mid-to-high-level public health administrator positions, such as director, departmental manager and senior policy analyst, typically require a master’s degree. Professionals from all academic backgrounds can pursue an MPH to prepare for such positions.

MPH programs teach valuable public health administration skills, such as the following:

Research
Policy administration
Public health informatics
Health promotion and disease prevention program management
Performance improvement and change management
Health care law
Environmental health
Financial management in public health settings

Because of this comprehensive curriculum, a bachelor’s degree in public health isn’t typically required to enroll in an MPH program. MPH programs also often offer degree tracks for students who want to pursue careers in specialty areas, such as information management and community behavioral health program management.

Public Health Administrator Salary and Job Market Outlook

Medical and health service managers of all kinds earned a median annual salary of $110,680 as of May 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Those who work for government entities have a higher median salary of $125,590. The top-earning medical and health service managers make upwards of $216,750.

By 2033, the BLS expects the health service management workforce to expand by 29 percent. This is equivalent to an average of 61,400 new job openings per year. For comparison, the BLS expects employment in all sectors of the economy to grow by an average of just 4 percent. This indicates that health administrators in the public and private sectors will be in demand in the coming years.

Become an Advocate for Well-Being Everywhere

From disease outbreaks to inequitable health care access, public health administrators must be able to safeguard their communities from any and all threats to their well-being. Augusta University Online’s MPH program can help you prepare for that enormous task.

With a core curriculum built around ethical, proactive and research-informed policymaking, the program is designed for students from all academic backgrounds. Once they’ve built a strong foundation, students can choose from a Health Informatics, Health Management, or Social and Behavioral Sciences degree concentration. By completing a hands-on internship, students get the chance to gain firsthand experience before they graduate. Learn more about the MPH program at AU Online today.

Sources:
American Public Health Administration, What Is Public Health?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Chronic Diseases
Indeed, What Can You Do With a Public Health Degree?
Indeed, What Does a Health Administrator Do? (With Salary Info)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers