To say that Covid-19 has taken the world by storm would be a massive understatement. The pandemic has highlighted the immense importance of public health measures. Given the wide-reaching impact, we wanted to salute the heroes in the public health fields and highlight some colleges that are ideal for public health majors.
For this list, we took a look at colleges that offered public health majors and which of those had the highest concentration of public health degrees awarded. Keep in mind, schools with higher concentrations will be up higher on the list.
Here are the top 25 best colleges for public health majors.
Top 25 Best Colleges for Public Health
Sitting at the foothills of Sleeping Giant, Quinnipiac University offers nearly 60 undergraduate majors and 20 graduate programs to the students studying there. Health Professions and Clinical Sciences, Registered Nursing, and Finance are the top three most popular majors. Though located in Connecticut, more first-year students come from New York than QU’s home state.
Location
Hamden, CT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
10,207
Ohio University has rather specific colors--Cutler Green and Cupola White. Student athletes wear those colors while competing on various Bobcats sports teams. The campus is nestled within the bends of Hocking River. Of the nearly 28,500 students studying on campus, 78% of them are undergraduates, while the remaining 22% are graduate students.
Location
Athens, OH
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
28,480
Did you know that SLU has a sister campus in Madrid, Spain? The American branch is located, aptly, in Saint Louis, Missouri, not far from the Mississippi River. SLU has a 90% first-year retention rate and a student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1. Their mascot is a unique one; the Billiken, which is a creature of good luck.
Location
St. Louis, MO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
14,438
Molloy College features a lion both as its coat of arms and as its mascot. Student athletes wear white and cerise while competing in NCAA Division II sports. The most popular, of which, include baseball, soccer, and basketball among others. By far and away the most popular major on campus is Registered Nursing.
Location
Rockville Centre, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,929
Duquesne University is located at the crux of three rivers---the Ohio, the Allegheny, and the Monogahela. Around 65% of the students on campus study at the undergraduate level, meaning the remaining 35% are graduate students. DU’s sports teams are known as the Dukes and they wear red and blue at games.
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
9,274
Adelphi University’s motto is “Vita Sine Litteris Mors Est” meaning “Life without learning is death” -- apt phrase for a university. The doctor’s degree is the highest level of education offered at this research university. 91% of students receive some form of institutional aid to help cover the costs of college.
Location
Garden City, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
8,416
Part of the University of North Carolina school system, UNC Wilmington’s school colors are teal, navy, and gold. A whopping 86% of students on campus are considered undergraduates. Registered Nursing, Business Administration, Psychology, Speech Communication, and Biology are the top 5 most popular majors.
Location
Wilmington, NC
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
16,747
Rocky the Bull is the mascot of this school. Did you know that USF is considered a space-grant university? Given its size, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that USF’s student-to-faculty ratio is 22:1. The school has an impressive 91% first-year retention rate. Around 86% of first year students call Florida their home state.
Location
Tampa, FL
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
43,846
Founded in 1912 by Benedictine Sisters, the College of Saint Scholastica, initially the school only had 6 total students. It’s grown since then, however, and offers over 30 majors programs, the most popular of which is Registered Nursing. Their mascot is, aptly, a saint Bernard named Storm. Additionally, the sports teams are known as the Saints.
Location
Duluth, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,043
Undergraduate students can study at Sacred Heart University’s international campuses in Ireland and Luxembourg as part of an abroad program. Their main American campus is located not too far from the Long Island Sound. Of the undergraduate students studying at SHU, 35% are men and 65% are women.
Location
Fairfield, CT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
8,958
Named in honor of the 4th president of the United States, James Madison University is also known as JMU, Madison, or simply “the U.” The students on campus predominately study at the undergraduate level, with only 8% of the population being graduate students. The student-to-faculty ratio of JMU 16:1.
Location
Harrisonburg, PA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
21,751
Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, as its name would suggest, this public university offers over 20 major programs. Criminal Justice, Health and Physical Education, Registered Nursing, Journalism, and Kinesiology are the 5 most popular. Two of ASU Phoenix’s colleges are named after some famous people -- namely Walter Kronkite and Sandra Day O’Connor.
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
11,584
Initially called Howard College, the university changed its name to Samford in 1965. Students wear blue and red while cheering on their Bulldogs at sporting events. Golf, tennis, football, and basketball are just a few of the athletics offered. Samford is the alma mater of many successful people, including professional athletes, actors, politicians, writers, and musicians.
Location
Birmingham, AL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,619
At Drexel University, the students are known as The Dragons and their mascot is Mario the Magnificent. The school’s motto -- “Ambition Can't Wait” -- reflects the ambition of their student body. There are over 70 undergraduate programs offered at Drexel. Registered Nursing, Mechanical Engineering, and Biology are the most popular.
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
24,634
Located a stone’s throw away from the nation’s capital, George Washington University’s students are nicknamed the Colonials. Given its proximity to major political landmarks, it should come as no surprise that GWU is the alma mater of many notable political figures. Elizabeth Warren, Allen Dulles, J. Edgar Hoover, and Mark Felt are just a few such alumni.
Location
Washington, DC
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
28,172
Though wolves and birds appear on the official school seal, the mascot of UDM is Tommy Titan. Red, white, and blue are the trio of school colors athletes wear while competing in sports. Did you know that 100% of students receive institutional aid at UDM? Additionally, the school has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Location
Detroit, MI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,111
In addition to being part of the SUNY system, SBU is also a sea-grant and space-grant university. The campus is located near the Avalon Nature Reserve on Smithtown Bay. Business Administration, Biology, Health Services, Psychology, and Applied Mathematics are the 5 most popular majors studied at SBU.
Location
Stony Brook, NY
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
26,256
63% of the total student body studies at the undergraduate level at UAB. With a 74% acceptance rate, the school also has a first year retention rate of 82%. Green, white, and gold are the official colors of the UAB Blazers. Their mascot is named Blaze the Dragon. A whopping 83% of the first year class call Alabama home.
Location
Birmingham, AL
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
21,923
This university went through three name changes over the years before settling on its current name -- Keiser University. A large majority of the student population study at the undergraduate level -- 92%, in fact. The campus is located not far from the Atlantic ocean. 65% of KU students receive some form of institutional aid from the school.
Location
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
19,510
The University of Cincinnati has two official mottos: “Juncta Juvant” (Strength in Unity) and “lta Petit” (Seek the Highest). The school’s first year retention rate is an impressive 86%, and their six year graduation rate is 71%. While most students come from the school’s home state of Ohio, many others come from the surrounding states -- primarily Indiana and Kentucky.
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
37,886
Also known as “the Rock” or “SRU”, this school’s most popular major is a unique one -- Occupational Safety and Health Technology, quickly followed by Public Health and Health & Wellness. SRU has an even split between male and female student athletes. Popular sports include track, basketball, soccer, and volleyball.
Location
Slippery Rock, PA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
8,803
As a Public Ivy, the University of Connecticut has the largest public library system in the state and is part of the Universitas 21, a group of research universities from throughout the world. With its prestige, it’s no wonder that the university receives almost 35,000 applications every year. The incoming class had an average ACT score between 25 to 32 and an average SAT score between 1,230 to 1,430.
Location
Storr, CT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
27,412
The University of Rhode Island has a potent motto -- “Think Big. We Do.” In line with that sentiment, they offer 80 undergraduate programs and nearly 50 graduate ones. Registered Nursing, Psychology, and Speech are the 3 most popular majors on campus. Students from URI have gone on to become notable athletes, politicians, entertainers, scientists, and business leaders.
Location
Kingston, RI
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
17,777
As the only Floridian school to be a part of the Association of American Universities, the University of Florida is known for its research -- in fact, it’s a land-, sea-, and space-grant school! The University of Florida has a student population of 52,000 and over 80% of the first-year class is from Florida. The school also boasts a 97% first-year retention rate.
Location
Gainesville, FL
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
52,218
When it was first established, Ohio State University focused solely on agriculture and mechanics, but with a push from Rutherford Hayes, the university expanded its academic teachings. Today, the OSU is the third-largest campus in the US. Some of the most popular majors at Ohio State University include Psychology, Finance, and Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
Location
Columbus, OH
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
61,170
Interested in any of these schools? Check out College Raptor’s free match tool to see if they’re a good fit for you!
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
