A bachelor degree in public health online will set you up for a rewarding career improving the health of our global population. To illustrate, students of these programs might pursue biostatistics, environmental health, public health education, and more. Today’s working professionals prefer the best online colleges for public health. That means accreditation, flexibility, industry-aligned courses, and experienced faculty, not to mention a reasonable price!
The average cost of a bachelor degree in public health online is around $55,000. That’s no small number for undergraduate students. However, plenty of affordable, accredited public health programs are available across the US. These programs don’t sacrifice quality for cost and help students make the most of their professional development!
GetEducated surveyed 29 public health bachelor’s degrees from 25 regionally accredited healthcare schools to bring you this “Best Buy” ranking. Each bachelor degree in public health online costs below the national average. This information makes it easier than ever to enroll in the perfect online program for your healthcare career.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$54,800
Least Expensive: University of the Cumberlands – $24,680.00
Most Expensive: California Baptist University – $79,107.00
Our data-driven research of public and non-profit colleges creates a genuinely reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no misleading formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and they factually showcase the cheapest online public health degrees. The bachelor degree in public health online programs listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable Bachelor Degree in Public Health Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of the Cumberlands | (KY) | $24,680.00 | All Students |
2 |  Southern New Hampshire University | (NH) | $38,550.00 $27,150.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
3 | Lamar University | (TX) | $44,914.80 $93,874.80 | In-State Out-of-State |
4 | Rivier University | (NH) | $44,975.00 | All Students |
5 | Delaware State University | (DE) | $45,466.00 | All Students |
6 | The University of Alabama | (AL) | $46,200.00 | All Students |
7 | University of Missouri-Columbia | (MO) | $49,230.00 $60,426.00 $46,735.20 | In-State Out-of-State Military |
8 | Asbury University | (KY) | $49,476.00 | All Students |
9 | University of Cincinnati | (OH) | $50,392.00 $51,832.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
10 | Lander University | (SC) | $50,800.00 $34,000.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
11 | Point University | (GA) | $51,200.00 | All Students |
12 | Bellevue University | (NE) | $53,700.00 $32,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
13 | Andrews University | (MI) | $53,860.00 | All Students |
14 | Midway University | (KY) | $54,000.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Radford University | (VA) | $54,960.00 $57,240.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Concordia University Texas | (TX) | $58,880.00 | All Students | |
Johnson & Wales University | (RI) | $59,895.00 | All Students | |
Oregon State University | (OR) | $59,930.00 | All Students | |
St. Catherine University | (MN) | $62,160.00 | All Students | |
Simmons University | (MA) | $64,000.00 | All Students | |
University of Arizona | (AZ) | $64,264.00 $31,264.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Kent State University | (OH) | $66,180.00 $67,380.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
National University (School Merged) Bachelor of Science in Public Health 14 | (CA) | $66,600.00 | All Students | |
Peirce College | (PA) | $75,315.00 | All Students | |
California Baptist University | (CA) | $79,107.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
CEPH Council on Education for Public Health
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Summer 2022 review of regionally accredited bachelor degree in public health online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online bachelor degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any non-profit regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a bachelor’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for public health may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best bachelor degree in public health online programs for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Bachelor Degree in Public Health Online
A bachelor degree in public health online will prepare you for a career helping people improve their health and overall wellbeing. You’ll have the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives by showing them how to avoid health problems and how to overcome current wellness challenges. The advice, support, and resources you provide could be life-altering.
From speaking one-on-one with individuals to influencing essential public policy, these careers are rewarding, engaging, and fulfilling.
Public Health: A Degree Overview
These degrees prepare you for a career helping individuals and communities live healthier lives. The programs take a broad-level look at disease and prevention, examining environmental issues, health policies, and social factors that may contribute to positive or negative health. Instead of looking at why an individual is experiencing symptoms (one of the foundations of medical care) these degrees teach students to look at why massive numbers of people are stricken with a specific disease, injury, or condition. They also teach students how to communicate health information to the general public and important leaders.
Students in public health learn how to interpret large sets of data. They learn to frame public issues, review scientific studies, and present findings in a clear, engaging manner. Through class-based studies and hands-on curriculum, students in these programs become capable of studying broad health issues and providing real, actionable advice to leaders and community members.
In many cases, these degrees are taught through a college’s school of nursing. However, they can come from the larger medical school or even a biology or statistics-based program.
Classes in these programs will inevitably vary, but you can expect courses to cover a combination of general studies, basic biology, medical issues, and the basics of disease and health conditions.
Best Careers in Public Health
Health Education Specialist
- Salary: $48,860
- Education: Bachelor’s
- Experience: None
Are you interested in health and wellbeing, but love working with communities, groups, and individuals? A health education specialist teaches people about conditions that impact their total wellness and overall health. This might include developing training programs, evaluating these programs, collecting data, and advocating for improved resources and better policies.
While a bachelor degree in public health online is a good start to this career, you may need training or classes in public policy, social services, and education. There is potential for a high salary, as the top 10% earn over $70,000. The growth for this career is expected to be 17% between 2020 and 2030, so there should be plenty of jobs for qualified candidates.
Agricultural and Food Scientist
- Salary: $74,160
- Education: Bachelor’s
- Experience: None
Safe, affordable food is critical, not just to individuals but to the overall health of a community. Food scientists improve the food supply by conducting research, creating new food options, studying factors like soil and the environment, and communicating these findings to the general public and policymakers.
This career may require additional education in chemistry, biology, food engineering, entomology, and many other scientific subjects. Once complete, however, you will qualify for a top-paying job that is expected to see steady growth. The top 10% in this profession earn over $128,000 annually, and the expected growth is a steady 9%, just above the national average of 8%.
Career Options: Beyond the Bachelor Degree in Public Health
A bachelor degree in public health online can create the perfect foundation for future studies, a more advanced degree, and significant career advancement. For example, with an appropriate master’s degree you could work as an epidemiologist, a scientist who studies the causes and patterns of disease.
Another option would be a career as an environmental scientist, whose work includes the study and protection of the environment and human health. From biochemistry, which also requires a master’s, to direct work in the medical profession, there are many options for your career and education once you complete a degree in public health.
Licensing Requirements for Working in Public Health
Some of these careers may require licensing or certifications, while others do not. For example, a health education specialist may need certification as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), although this is not a legal requirement.
Certain food scientists may need certification. Soil scientists, for example, need to be licensed to work in some states. Otherwise, certification is generally not required.
Another benefit is that most of these jobs do not require previous experience. If you have the right education and qualifications, you can work in most of these positions without previous work in the industry.