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Public Health at Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $40,682/yr (5% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

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

ROI 10.7x earnings multiple (4.1x out-of-state)

Ranked #51 of 213 Public Health programs Top 25%

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	$583K	$579K	$524K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.8x	10.7x	9.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.1x	4.1x	3.7x
Probability of Field Employment	55%	52%	36%
DegreeOutlook Score	55	54	52

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$53,976

Out-of-state: $142,656 (4.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$78,272

-45% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,500

6.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$60,183

48% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,682/yr, roughly in line with the $38,916 national median for Public Health. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 10.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $21,500 debt-to-$40,682 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #51 out of 213 programs, Oregon State University's Public Health program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $40,682 to $60,183 shows 48% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Oregon State University

Oregon State University accepts 79% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 29,557 students in Corvallis, OR.

See all programs and financial aid at Oregon State University →

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 Oregon State University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Oregon State University's Public Health program score?

This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Public Health graduates.

How vulnerable is Public Health to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Public Health careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Oregon State University rank so high for Public Health?

The #51 ranking out of 213 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

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