First-Destination Outcomes for 2015-2018 Public Health Graduates: Focus on Employment

Objectives. To improve understanding of the future public health workforce by analyzing first-destination employment outcomes of public health graduates. Methods. We assessed graduate outcomes for those graduating in 2015-2018 using descriptive statistics and the Pearson chi(2) test. Results. In our analysis of data on 53 463 graduates, we found that 73% were employed; 15% enrolled in further education; 5% entered a fellowship, internship, residency, volunteer, or service program; and 6% were not employed. Employed graduates went to work in health care (27%), corporations (24%), academia (19%), government (17%), nonprofit (12%), and other sectors (1%). In 2018, 9% of bachelor's, 4% of master's, and 2% of doctoral graduates were not employed but seeking employment. Conclusions. Today's public health graduates are successful in finding employment in various sectors. This new workforce may expand public health's reach and lead to healthier communities overall. Public Health Implications. With predicted shortages in the governmental public health workforce and expanding hiring because of COVID-19, policymakers need to work to ensure the supply of public health graduates meets the demands of the workforce.

Automated summary

The study analyzed the first-destination employment outcomes of public health graduates from 2015 to 2018 and found that the majority of graduates were employed in various sectors. This new workforce is expected to expand the reach of public health and contribute to overall community health.