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Public Health at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
57 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
57
Optimistic
57
Base Case
55
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,564/yr (4% vs median)
AI Risk High (48% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (179,000 openings/yr)
ROI 10.4x earnings multiple (4.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #30 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 $676K $668K $586K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.6x 10.4x 9.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.9x 4.8x 4.2x
Probability of Field Employment 55% 52% 36%
DegreeOutlook Score 57 57 55

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,016
Out-of-state: $138,004 (4.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$60,804
5% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,728
5.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$71,261
76% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,564/yr, roughly in line with the $38,916 national median for Public Health. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 10.4x 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 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $40,564 far exceeding the $19,728 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #30 out of 213 programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Public Health program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $40,564 to $71,261 over five years (76% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A 44% admission rate makes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with 34,623 students enrolled in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

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

Compare this program → View all 213 schools offering Public Health →

Public Health at Other Schools

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ($99,671) Utah State University ($76,451) Brown University ($75,909) Montana Technological University ($74,771) Oakland University ($59,330) Illinois State University ($59,207) North Carolina A & T State University ($58,660) Tufts University ($53,372)

Other Majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer Science ($124,530) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($113,503) Mathematics and Computer Science ($109,843) Computer Engineering ($103,123) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($86,483) Systems Engineering ($81,785) Nuclear Engineering ($81,134) Mechanical Engineering ($80,187)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Public Health trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Public Health program score?
This program scores 57/100, 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 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign rank so high for Public Health?
The #30 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 →