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Health Professions · Public Health Rank #96 of 213

Public Healthat University of Illinois Chicago

Graduates earn $41,585/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Public Health average. Base-case 10-year earnings $484K; scenarios range from $458K to $484K depending on AI disruption.

Chicago, IL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
47 AVERAGE
48
Optimistic
44
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,585
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$484K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Illinois Chicago

University of Illinois Chicago's Public Health graduates start at $41,585/yr — above the $38,916 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 8.4x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

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 5% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,500 in median debt clears quickly against $41,585 in annual earnings.

At #96 of 213 Public Health programs, University of Illinois Chicago scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$458K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple8.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$484K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple8.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$484K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple8.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Illinois Chicago's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Public Health graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Physicists
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$166,290/yr
Very High
2
Medical and health services managers
+23.2% 10-yr growth · 62,100 openings/yr
$117,960/yr
Moderate
3
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
+17.3% 10-yr growth · 27,400 openings/yr
$105,620/yr
Moderate
4
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
5
Genetic counselors
+9.3% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$98,910/yr
High
6
Physics teachers, postsecondary
+2.5% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$97,360/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Public Health

How University of Illinois Chicago stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
TX · Public
59
DW Score
$100K
1-yr earn
Utah State University
UT · Public
76
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
20.0x
ROI
Brown University
RI · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
Top score
Montana Technological University
MT · Public
80
DW Score
$75K
1-yr earn
29.7x
ROI
Oakland University
MI · Public
67
DW Score
$59K
1-yr earn
11.4x
ROI
Also at University of Illinois Chicago

Other top programs at University of Illinois Chicago

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Illinois Chicago, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Public Health offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Public Health trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Public Health at University of Illinois Chicago

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Health at University of Illinois Chicago?

A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Public Health. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

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 $458,266 in decade earnings vs $483,990 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.