Home › Purdue University-Main Campus › Public Health

Public Health at Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $45,274/yr (16% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (179,000 openings/yr)

ROI 13.6x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #21 of 213 Public Health programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Public Health graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$545K	$542K	$499K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.6x	13.6x	12.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.7x	4.7x	4.3x
Probability of Field Employment	55%	52%	36%
DegreeOutlook Score	60	60	56

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$39,968

Out-of-state: $115,176 (4.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$55,780

-40% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,000

5.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$56,455

25% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $45,274/yr, edging above the $38,916 national average for Public Health — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Public Health programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Public Health's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.

At $21,000 in median debt against $45,274 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #21 of 213 programs, Purdue University-Main Campus's Public Health program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $45,274 to $56,455 over five years — a 25% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Purdue University-Main Campus

With a 50% acceptance rate, Purdue University-Main Campus is moderately selective, with 39,637 students enrolled in West Lafayette, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Purdue University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Physicists $166,290/yr

Medical and health services managers $117,960/yr

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr

View all 13 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Public Health at Other Schools

Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Health at Purdue University-Main Campus?

A score of 60/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Public Health field.

Will AI replace Public Health careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $498,563 in decade earnings vs $544,596 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →