A recent Public Health Reports study, Federal Student Loan Debt in Public Health and the Opportunities for Loan Repayment Programs, co-authored by ASPPH members and staff, highlights a critical need for public health graduates in government roles, despite the lower earnings compared to other sectors like private healthcare or pharmaceuticals. It focuses on understanding the federal student loan debt burden for public health education and explores how the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (PHWLRP) could address this issue, incentivizing graduates to join government public health roles.
The research involved analyzing federal student loan data from the National Center for Education Statistics College Scorecard for 2018-2019. This data was combined with the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to estimate the number of awarded degrees. The study used Spearman rank correlation to assess the relationship between debt levels and annual earnings post-graduation, categorized by degree level (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral).
The median federal student loan debt for public health education across all degree levels was found to be $33,366. Comparatively, the median annual earnings one year after graduation stood at $80,687 for doctoral graduates and $33,279 for bachelor’s degree holders.
The study underscores the importance of policymaker initiatives like the PHWLRP in strengthening the public health workforce. It suggests that these initiatives should take into account the current student debt levels to ensure that the programs are adequately funded and aligned with the needs of both graduates and government public health employers.
ASPPH is dedicated to educating and training the next generation of diverse and inclusive professionals and leaders, ensuring they are prepared to meet emerging public health challenges. Our Center for Public Health Workforce Development brings together academia and members of the public health workforce and the communities in which they serve to meet the demands of the moment and the needs of the future. Our involvement in this study is one example of our research dedicated to this cause.