Best Online Bachelor's in Public Health Degrees

If you’re looking to enter the field of public health, there’s never been a better time than now. Communities around the world rely on public health professionals to perform duties ranging from teaching good health habits and preventing the spread of disease to expanding access to crucial healthcare services. 

Earning a public health bachelor’s degree is one of the best ways to open doors to a variety of dynamic careers in the industry. Undergraduate public health programs teach fundamental principles from an interdisciplinary approach, meaning you’ll learn about the scientific, sociopolitical, and environmental factors of health and how they impact populations. 

Today, some of the best public health degree programs can be found online, with many schools offering accredited degrees, flexible scheduling options, and career-relevant curricula. Read on to learn more about these programs and decide which one is right for you. 

What Can You Do with a B.S. Degree in Public Health?

A bachelor’s in public health can open pathways to a wide range of careers. Common examples of public health careers include the following:

  • Health education specialist  
  • Community health worker 
  • Epidemiologist  
  • Public health researcher 
  • Demographer  
  • Healthcare administrator  

Top Online B.S. Public Health Programs

Each of the following degree programs is included in this list based on criteria like tuition, accreditation, program length, and more. For the most up-to-date information, please visit their individual websites. 

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University of South Florida

Bachelor’s in Public Health

Location: Online (based in Tampa, FL)

Average time to graduation: Two years

Graduation rate: 69%

Cost of attendance: In-state is $6,410.00 per year, out-of-state is $17,324.00 per year

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Unique offerings

This online program is designed to prepare students for careers in state and global health, health promotion, disease prevention, and more. Courses cover topics like epidemiology, public health policy, maternal and child health, and biostatistics. Students also have the option to engage in an undergraduate research course, working with a mentor in an area of public health.

Additional details

The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university in Tampa, FL. USF is home to more than 48,000 students and offers 91 bachelor’s degree programs, including an online bachelor’s in applied science with a concentration in public health.

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Western Governors University

Bachelor’s in Public Health

Location: Online (based in Salt Lake City, UT)

Fastest time to graduation: 19 Months

Average time to graduation: Two years

Acceptance rate: 100%

Graduation rate: 50%

Cost of attendance: $7,452.00 per year

Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Admission requirements

  • Application form
  • Official high school/college transcripts
  • Nonrefundable application fee of $65

Unique offerings

WGU is known for its competency-based education model that allows students to progress through coursework as quickly as they prove mastery of the material. Its public health bachelor’s program charges a fixed tuition per term rather than per credit hour, allowing students to potentially save both time and money.

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Oregon State University

Bachelor’s in Public Health

Location: Online (based in Corvallis, OR)

Average time to graduation: Two to four years

Acceptance rate: 82%

Graduation rate: 66%

Cost of attendance: $366 per credit hour

Accreditation: AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Admission requirements

  • Apply online
  • Pay $65 application fee
  • Send transcripts
  • Send SAT/ACT test scores (optional)

Unique offerings

The online bachelor’s program requires students to complete 180 credits and participate in a 360-hour internship. Course topics include healthcare management, environmental health, and health data analysis. OSU charges a fixed tuition for online students, regardless of their location.

Additional details

Located in Corvallis, OR, Oregon State University (OSU) was founded in 1868 and is Oregon’s oldest public college. About 37,000 students attend the university, including 32,000 undergraduates enrolled in one of 200 bachelor’s programs. OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences offers an online B.S. in public health with two specialization options: health management and policy, and health promotion and health behavior.

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Mercy College

Bachelor’s in Public Health

Location: Online (Based in Dobbs Ferry, NY)

Average time to graduation: One to two years

Acceptance rate: 82%

Graduation rate: 55%

Cost of attendance: $722 per credit hour

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Admission requirements

  • Submit an online application
  • Send in official high school transcripts from all high schools attended
  • Submit official standardized test scores (only if you want them considered in your admissions review)
  • Check special programs requirements, if any

Unique offerings

Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private Roman Catholic college established in 1899 in Des Moines, IA. The institution offers six bachelor’s, one master’s, and six associate degrees, in addition to a certificate program in medical laboratory science.

Additional details

Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private Roman Catholic college established in 1899 in Des Moines, IA. The institution offers six bachelor’s, one master’s, and six associate degrees, in addition to a certificate program in medical laboratory science.

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Youngstown State University

Bachelor’s in Public Health

Location: Online (based in Youngstown, OH)

Average time to graduation: Two to four years

Cost of attendance: $345 per credit hour

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Unique offerings

The YSU public health curriculum for both tracks covers areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, health administration, environmental health, and behavioral sciences. Students can choose to complete either track via a two-, three-, or four-year program

Additional details

Youngstown State University (YSU) is a public university in Youngstown, OH. Founded in the early 1900s, YSU offers more than 100 bachelor’s and 45 master’s degrees across six different colleges. YSU’s Bitonte College of Health and Human Services has a fully online bachelor’s in applied science with two tracks: an environmental health and safety track and a health education and promotion track. 

How Online B.S. in Public Health Programs Work

Online bachelor’s programs in public health might differ depending on the university. Some programs involve live lectures, while others are asynchronous, which means you can access course materials whenever you like. 

Asynchronous learning has quickly become the norm for online programs since it typically allows for a flexible, self-paced approach to coursework and capstone projects. This model also provides opportunities for students to communicate with instructors over chat or video calls. 

Most programs require some amount of on-site or internship experience in addition to online coursework. Make sure to check with a faculty or program advisor about locations—many universities will allow you to fulfill in-person requirements at a participating healthcare or government center in your area.