Where MPH Graduates Work: Careers Across Sectors
Tufts Faculty Explain How a Public Health Master’s Degree Opens Doors in Every Direction
Public health is a highly interdisciplinary field that encompasses areas from social science and environmental science to epidemiology and health policy. Due to its multifaceted nature, career opportunities abound in a wide range of sectors for MPH graduates.
“That’s the beauty of public health. We’ve seen our Tufts graduates thrive in government, non-profits, healthcare systems, academia, and increasingly, in industry and consulting.”
—Kimberly Dong Breen, Associate Professor, Public Health & Community Medicine
In this article, Tufts University MPH faculty Kimberly Dong Breen, DrPH, MS, RD, LDN and Jon Gass, MPH, PhD, shed light on where an MPH degree can take you. Explore career opportunities in six key sectors and learn how public health education positions you for success—locally, globally, and across traditional boundaries.
1. Government & Public Policy: Shaping Health at Every Level
Government agencies remain a foundational professional sector for Master of Public Health graduates. Many Tufts MPH alumni serve at the local, state, and federal levels—designing policies, analyzing epidemiological data, and managing public health programs. “Massachusetts Department of Health and Boston Public Health Commission, for example, we have a number of students who have gone on to have careers there,” Gass says. “They tend to go into positions utilizing their analytical skills, doing data analyses for different health programs at local communities or throughout the state,” Dong Breen explains further.
Common roles:
- Epidemiologist
- Public health advisor
- Policy analyst
- Program evaluator
Featured Student Story: Advocating for the Next Generation
Kathrine Mansfield, MPH class of 22, works as a Child/Adolescent School-Based Health Epidemiologist with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She utilizes her data analytics, communication, and critical thinking skills to transform young lives.
Learn more about Kathrine’s career journey.
2. Non-Profits & Community-Based Organizations: Leading on the Ground
MPH graduates lead programs in non-profits and NGOs focused on community health, advocacy, social justice, and more. Many Tufts public health students find their passions and future jobs through their Applied Practice Experience (APE) with mission-driven organizations.
What’s the role of public health in this sector? “Public health professionals help bring communities into the problem-solving process, not just act on their behalf,” says Gass. “Community-based approaches are critical to understanding really complex social problems.”
Common roles:
- Program manager
- Health educator
- Community health advocate
- Policy strategist
Featured Student Story: Serving Communities
Zara Ali, MPH Class of 2024, found her path in protecting child health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Her work in child maltreatment and overdose prevention research improves child welfare through community-level health interventions.
Read about Zara’s public health experience.
3. Hospitals & Health Systems: Bridging Public Health and Patient Care
MPH graduates bring a systems-level lens to clinical settings. Hospitals and health systems rely on public health professionals to improve quality, reduce disparities, and design evidence-based care. For example, Gass shares, “A student of mine went on to do infection prevention and biosafety work in a large hospital system. They helped redesign protocols to prevent hospital-acquired infections.”
Dong Breen underscores the value of the Master of Public Health degree to clinicians such as physician assistants, medical doctors, veterinarians, or dentists. “Merging public health with a clinical degree helps these professionals provide better patient care. They take into account social determinants of health when they provide treatment for their patients, making it more holistic. It resonates, it builds trust, and makes them better clinicians.”
Common roles:
- Population health manager
- Infection control specialist
- Quality improvement analyst
- Clinical research specialist
Tuft Student Story: Improve Patient Care and Outcomes
Alexandra Dibrindisi, DVM/MPH class of 2024, joined Tufts to explore the connection between human and animal health. As a new veterinary and public health professional, she strives to use her clinical skills to keep both animals and their owners healthy.
Read about Alexandra’s career story.
4. Global Health & International Development: Expanding Impact Worldwide
“Rising challenges of climate change, global biosecurity, the refugee crisis, and international migration are creating health problems across the world,” Gass notes.
Whether responding to infectious diseases, climate threats, or humanitarian crises, MPH graduates are active contributors and leaders to global health efforts.
Public health professionals in this sector often collaborate with international NGOs, ministries of health, and multilateral organizations to strengthen health systems, design community-based interventions, and promote health equity across borders. Their work may include vaccine outreach, nutrition programs, infectious disease surveillance, and disaster response planning—helping to build healthier, more resilient communities around the world.
Common roles:
- Global health advisor
- NGO project lead
- Humanitarian response coordinator
- Infectious disease analyst
Featured Student Story: Public Health Without Borders
Rosa Ximena Montes, MPH class of 2025, aspires to expand her community-based health initiatives to address oral health and nutrition challenges in Peru.
Learn about Ximena’s public health career goals.
5. Research & Academia: Driving Innovation and Discovery
After earning their master’s degree in public health, some graduates pursue PhDs or medical school; others stay in research-intensive roles within academic institutions.
A Master of Public Health degree provides students with a fundamental understanding of population health, biostatistics, epidemiology, and research methods, all of which are essential for a career in academia. At Tufts University, MPH students have the opportunity to work alongside faculty on cutting-edge research projects.
“Our Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) allows students to conduct publishable research with faculty mentors,” says Gass. “That kind of experience sets them apart.” Students may work as Research Assistants while they are in the MPH program, which is a stepping stone to a job in academia after graduation.
Common roles:
- Public health researcher
- Policy fellow
- Academic program manager
- Research assistant
Featured Student Story: Applying Knowledge to Improve Systems
James Edward Patino, MPH Class of 2024, aims to advocate for policies and interventions that prioritize equitable access to healthcare, especially for minoritized communities. Since graduation, James has been working as a Social Science Research Professional at Stanford University School of Medicine.
6. Industry, Tech & Consulting: The New Frontier for MPH Grads
Biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms are growing in demand for public health professionals. “These companies play a pivotal role in translating innovation into community impact—especially in clinical trials, health equity strategy, and communication,” Dong Breen says.
“In Boston, we have a huge biotech and pharmaceutical industry. So there are a lot of public health opportunities for Tufts MPH graduates to work at these corporations or startups,” Gass shares.
Common roles:
- Health equity consultant
- Biostatistics/data analyst
- Communication specialist
- ESG strategy lead
How Tufts MPH Students Are Prepared to Lead Across Sectors
The Master of Public Health program at Tufts University sets students up for success across sectors with a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum, faculty mentorship, and an emphasis on real-world application. Students don’t just learn about the theories; they complete 160 hours of internships in their Applied Practice Experience (APE) and demonstrate their expertise through the Integrative Learning Experience (ILE). Both of these engaged practices prepare students to step into public health leadership with confidence.
“Instead of just saying ‘I took a class on that,’ our MPH students graduate with tangible work products—budgets, evaluations, logic models—that employers value.”
—Kimberly Dong Breen, Associate Professor, Public Health and Community Medicine
In addition, Tufts offers multiple dual degree programs and concentrations, enabling students to bridge their public health knowledge with other health-related professions such as nutrition, medicine, dentistry, and more.
Master of Public Health Degree Career Outcomes
Tufts School of Medicine’s Career Services actively connects students with multi-sector internships, research seminars, and alumni panels. In 2024, 95% of our MPH graduates were either employed, in voluntary service, or continuing their education following graduation. They make a median annual salary of $79,000, and the highest earners make about $320,000.
Learn more about the career outcomes of the Tufts MPH program.
What’s Next: Industry Trends and Future Career Possibilities
Is an MPH in High Demand? Yes—and Growing.
Public health roles are expanding across both traditional and emerging sectors. While government funding may fluctuate, the need for MPH-trained professionals continues to rise.
“Public health is needed everywhere in every sector. It's just a matter of where the funding will be,” Dong Breen shares. “Right now, the federal government may not be funding a lot of global and national public health initiatives as we had prior. We may see cuts in healthcare access and food assistance programs like SNAP. So there is going to be a need for public health experts to think about what to do in the absence of this support and how to continue to work. It's probably going to be grassroots with industry, non-profits, and foundations to step up,” Dong Breen predicts.
Learn how to navigate the evolving public health career landscape.
Prepare for What Public Health Needs Next
The future of public health careers will be shaped by global trends, technological innovation, and evolving societal needs. Tufts MPH students graduate equipped to lead this next chapter.
“There’s so much work to be done,” says Dong Breen. “Climate events, misinformation, pandemics—these are all public health challenges. And our students are trained to take them on.”
Here are five emerging trends shaping where MPH careers are headed:
- Climate and Health Integration – Climate change is a public health crisis, causing heat stress, vector-borne diseases, air pollution, and many other threats around the world. Gass shares that public health sectors are going to trend toward using new approaches such as Planetary Health and One Health to address global health challenges in the intersection of humans, animals, and the environment.
- Predictive Modeling and AI-Driven Decision-Making – Public health forecasting is evolving with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and bioinformatics. Tufts MPH graduates with strong analytics skills are leading the way in this area.
- Wellness and Health Equity in Industry and Innovation – Public health expertise is increasingly in demand in biotech, pharma, and corporate ESG (environmental, social, and governance) strategy. “Some of the most exciting innovation and equity work is happening in industry,” Dong Breen admits.
- Resilience Planning and Risk Communication – The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for trusted messengers and resilient systems. Public health experts are stepping into roles that combine communication, trust-building, and systems design.
Find out what you can do with an MPH degree.
Embark on Your Public Health Career With an MPH Degree
A Tufts Master of Public Health degree program doesn’t prepare you for one job. It prepares you for every sector where public health matters. Whether your passion is health equity, data science, clinical care, or climate resilience, Tufts University can help you turn that passion into a meaningful career.
Ready to explore limitless possibilities in public health?
Contact us to learn more about our MPH program. You can earn your degree online or on campus!