Public Health Hiring Trends
The public health job market is growing and diversifying. The occupations aligned with OSPH degree programs are among the fastest-growing in the U.S. economy. This page summarizes key labor market trends from current federal employment projections to help you understand where demand is headed and how your OSPH degree positions you within it.
All data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Projections 2024-34 program (released August 28, 2025) and the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Wage data is from May 2024 unless noted. Page last updated May 2026.
The Big Picture
The U.S. economy is projected to add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034 (+3.1%). Within that, two sectors are growing significantly faster, and OSPH graduates are positioned at their intersection.
| Growth | Sector / Group | Relevance for OSPH Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| +8.4% | Healthcare and Social Assistance | Fastest-growing industry sector in the U.S. Primary employer sector for OSPH graduates. Driven by an aging population and rising chronic conditions. |
| +7.5% | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | AI, data analysis, and research consulting are in demand. Health data scientists, biostatisticians, and health economists land here. |
| +10.1% | Computer and Mathematical Occupations | More than three times the overall average. Data scientists are the fourth fastest-growing occupation in the entire U.S. economy (+34%). |
| +6.6% | Community and Social Service Occupations | Growing faster than average. Covers health educators, community health workers, and social service program managers – core Social and Behavioral Sciences career paths. |
Occupation-Level Data by OSPH Program
All wage data is from BLS OEWS May 2024. Growth projections are from the BLS 2024-34 release. Entry is the 10th percentile; Median is the 50th percentile; Top 10% is the 90th percentile.
| Occupation | OSPH Program | Entry (10th%) | Median | Top 10% | Growth 2024-34 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epidemiologists | Applied Epidemiology (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $56,950 | $83,980 | $134,860 | +16% – much faster than average. ~800 openings/year. Updated median May 2025: $97,890. |
| Data Scientists | Health Data Science (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $74,000 | $112,590 | $185,490 | +34% – fourth fastest-growing occupation in the U.S. ~23,400 openings/year. |
| Biostatisticians / Statisticians | Health Data Science (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $57,640 | $104,860 | $174,300 | +12% – much faster than average. ~6,100 openings/year. |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | Health Economics, Systems, and Policy (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $64,890 | $117,960 | $216,750 | +23% – much faster than average. ~62,100 openings/year. |
| Health Education Specialists | Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $42,210 | $63,000 | $112,900 | +4% – about as fast as average. ~7,900 openings/year. |
| Social and Community Service Managers | Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.P.H./Ph.D.) | $44,590 | $78,240 | $138,060 | +6% – faster than average. ~18,600 openings/year. |
| Medical Scientists (excluding epidemiologists) | Clinical Investigation (M.S.C.I./Ph.D.) | $58,140 | $102,480 | $195,960 | +9% – faster than average. ~9,500 openings/year. |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | Health Informatics (M.S.H.I.) | $97,430 | $175,570 | $239,200 | +17% – much faster than average. ~52,400 openings/year. |
Note on entry-level salaries for new M.P.H. graduates: Government and nonprofit roles typically start near the 10th percentile. Hospital systems and consulting often start at or above the median. Health tech and pharmaceutical roles frequently exceed the median at entry. The table above reflects all experience levels; new graduates should expect to enter below the median in most cases and grow rapidly with experience.
Key Hiring Trends for 2026
AI and Data Science Are Reshaping Every Field
Data scientists are the fourth fastest-growing occupation in the entire U.S. economy (+34%, 2024-34). Across every public health sector, including government, hospital systems, pharmaceutical, and consulting, demand for workers who can analyze large health datasets, build predictive models, and interpret AI-generated outputs is accelerating. The OSPH Health Data Science concentration and M.S.H.I. program position graduates directly in this demand.
BLS data: Data Scientists, +34% (BLS 2024-34). Computer and Mathematical occupations group, +10.1% overall.
Health System Management Is the Fastest-Growing Management Field
Medical and health services managers are projected as the fastest-growing management occupation in the U.S. over the next decade (+23%, 2024-34). The growing complexity of healthcare – driven by technology, policy shifts, and evolving care models – requires more managers to plan, direct, and coordinate care delivery. The OSPH Health Economics, Systems, and Policy concentration prepares graduates for these roles.
BLS data: Medical and Health Services Managers, $117,960 median; +23%; ~62,100 openings per year (BLS May 2024).
Federal Budget Uncertainty Is Real, but the Public Health Workforce Is Resilient
Federal funding shifts in 2025 created disruption for some CDC, USAID, and ORISE programs. However, public health employment is not concentrated in the federal sector: state and local health departments, hospital systems, insurance, consulting, and private industry collectively employ the vast majority of public health graduates. Students who diversify their job search across sectors are best positioned to navigate uncertainty.
BLS data: Government employs roughly 34% of epidemiologists; the remaining 66% work in non-federal sectors (BLS 2024).
Clinical Research Is Expanding Rapidly
The U.S. clinical trials market reached $43.45 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $131.55 billion globally by 2031, driven by cell and gene therapy, precision medicine, and pharmaceutical expansion. The OSPH M.S.C.I. program and Ph.D. – Clinical Investigation concentration serve physician-scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists entering or advancing in this field.
BLS data: Medical Scientists (excluding epidemiologists), $102,480 median; +9% (BLS 2024-34).
Health Informatics Demand Is Accelerating in Dallas-Fort Worth
Computer and information systems managers, the occupation category covering many M.S.H.I. career paths, are projected to grow +17% from 2024 to 2034, with a median salary of $175,570. The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) market has 90+ hospitals across Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Resources, Medical City Healthcare (HCA), Methodist Health, and Children's Health, one of the strongest informatics job markets in the country.
BLS data: Computer and Information Systems Managers, $175,570 median; +17% (BLS 2024-34).
The DFW Advantage
The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is one of the fastest-growing major metros in the country, with a deep healthcare ecosystem. OSPH graduates have a significant geographic advantage: proximity to major health systems, federal facilities, and a growing health tech sector.
Five major health systems span 90+ hospitals: Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Resources, Medical City Healthcare (HCA), Methodist Health System, and Children's Health.
- UT Southwestern Medical Center – one of the top academic medical centers in the country; active career tracks in research, informatics, epidemiology, and administration.
- Parkland Health – one of the largest public hospital systems in the U.S.; major employer in population health, social services, and quality improvement.
- VA North Texas Health Care System – strong presence for clinical research, health informatics, and population health roles.
- Texas DSHS – major employer of epidemiologists, health educators, and policy analysts (Austin-based; accessible from DFW).
- Growing health tech presence – Tempus AI, Evolent Health, and others headquartered or expanding in DFW.
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections 2024-34 (USDL-25-1324, released August 28, 2025) – bls.gov/emp
- BLS OEWS May 2024 (Epidemiologists, Data Scientists, Statisticians, Medical and Health Services Managers, Health Education Specialists, Social and Community Service Managers, Medical Scientists, Computer and Information Systems Managers) – bls.gov/ooh
- BLS OEWS May 2025 (released May 15, 2026); epidemiologist updated median $97,890 – bls.gov/news.release/ocwage
- BLS Monthly Labor Review, "Industry and occupational employment projections overview and highlights, 2024-34" – bls.gov/opub/mlr/2026
- OSPH program pages verified May 2026 – osph.utsouthwestern.edu/degree-programs/
- OSPH internal references: Top 40 Health Informatics Job Titles; Health Informatics Employment Sectors; DFW Healthcare Systems Reference (2025).