Estimating the Potential Supply of Newly Trained Data Scientists for Government Public Health Employment
May 5, 2026
In a new article published in Public Health Reports, Estimating the Potential Supply of Newly Trained Data Scientists for Government Public Health Employment, Robert D. Kirkcaldy, MD, MPH, Associate Chief for Science, Public Health Workforce Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jonathon P. Leider, PhD, Director of Center for Public Health Systems and faculty within the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and co-authors, including ASPPH’s Sarah Gusman, MPH, Senior Data Analyst, and Emily Burke, EdD, MPH, CPH, Senior Director of Workforce Development and Applied Practice, examine the pipeline of data science graduates and assess their potential to strengthen the governmental public health workforce amid growing data and analytic demands.
Key Findings
In 2023, more than 467,000 students graduated with data science related degrees from U.S. institutions, representing a substantial potential workforce for public health roles. However, interest in government public health careers appears more limited. Using public health graduates as a proxy, researchers estimated that between 8.3% and 15.7% of graduates may pursue government public health positions, suggesting a modest but meaningful pipeline into the field.
Based on these estimates, approximately 29,000 to more than 57,000 data science graduates could potentially be eligible for and interested in government public health employment. The authors caution, however, that these projections likely overestimate the true workforce supply because of differences in training, career interests, and hiring requirements across sectors. Even with a strong number of graduates, demand for skilled data scientists in public health may continue to outpace supply due to competition from private industry and other fields. The report also emphasizes that strengthening workforce skills through upskilling initiatives and aligning academic curricula with public health needs will be critical strategies for addressing ongoing workforce gaps.
Implications
The authors highlight both the opportunity and limitations of relying on newly trained data scientists to meet public health workforce needs. While the educational pipeline is robust, targeted recruitment, workforce development, and stronger alignment between academia and practice will be essential to ensure sufficient capacity. Investments in upskilling and curriculum modernization can help bridge the gap between supply and demand.
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