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Health Professions · Public Health Rank #14 of 213

Public Healthat University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Graduates earn $46,016/yr in their first year — about 18.0% above the national Public Health average. Base-case 10-year earnings $607K; scenarios range from $543K to $612K depending on AI disruption.

Seattle, WA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
62 SOLID
62
Optimistic
58
Pessimistic
Earnings
$46,016
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$607K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Washington

At $46,016 per year, Public Health graduates from University of Washington-Seattle Campus earn slightly above the $38,916 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.0x 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 11% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $15,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #14 of 213 programs, University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Public Health program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $46,016 to $65,780 over five years — a 43% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

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
$543K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$607K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple12.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$612K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple12.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington'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 Washington 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 Washington

Other top programs at University of Washington

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington, 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 Washington

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Health at University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

A score of 62/100 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 $543,259 in decade earnings vs $611,827 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.