MPA vs. MPH: Which Degree Should You Choose?
Passionate about serving the public, but not sure which degree path to take? Both a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) are excellent ways to make a meaningful difference in your community or society at large. Starting your journey begins with understanding your strengths and goals, whether that’s leading organizations and shaping policy with an MPA or addressing public health challenges with an MPH.
Both MPAs and MPHs are highly regarded degrees, each offering unique pathways to leadership roles in public service but with distinct focuses. You’ll be in a position to make a positive impact on the lives of others, whichever you choose.
Table of Contents
- What is an MPA Degree?
- What is an MPH Degree?
- Key Differences Between MPA and MPH Degrees
- Factors to Consider When Choosing Between MPA and MPH
- Career Opportunities and Salaries
- Conclusion
With an MPA, you’ll gain the skills needed to lead organizations, shape public policy, and solve bureaucratic challenges. This program leans on applying traditional business skills, such as strategic planning, budgeting, and project management, to address societal issues within the public and nonprofit sectors.
MPHs, on the other hand, focus on improving community health through applied research, public education, and implementing health policies. While business skills are important in this program, there is a heavier focus on health sciences, data analysis, and health policy and communication. Graduates can look forward to careers in healthcare organizations, government health departments, and even global health institutions.
This article will help you understand the key differences between an MPA and an MPH, including career opportunities, curriculum, and factors to consider when choosing between the two. By the end, we hope to make the options clear so you can be on your way to making this world a better place.
What is an MPA Degree?
An MPA is a professional graduate degree designed for individuals seeking leadership roles in public service, government, nonprofit organizations, or related sectors. People pursuing MPAs generally have a strong interest in public policy, governance, and administration. They also tend to be leadership-oriented, organized, strong communicators, strategic thinkers, and skilled problem-solvers. You can think of the MPA as the MBA of the public and nonprofit sector, as they are both top credentials in their respective fields, public administration and business management.
A Master of Public Administration (MPA) program typically takes about two years to complete. Students begin with core courses that build a strong foundation in public administration and policy, covering subjects like public finance, organizational leadership, and policy analysis. If you’re considering a specialization, such as environmental policy or criminal justice, look for programs that offer relevant concentrations or electives that align with your interests.
The MPA is often considered a terminal degree in public administration, meaning it is the highest academic credential typically required for leadership roles in the field. These programs are designed to prepare graduates for managerial and executive positions in government, nonprofit organizations, and other public service settings.
What is an MPH Degree?
An MPH is a professional graduate degree focused on public health practice, preparing students for careers that aim to improve the health and well-being of populations. MPH programs tend to attract people who feel a calling to serve the public and make an impact through improving community health. These students are inclined to be science-oriented individuals, healthcare professionals, and health advocates with strong analytical skills and a desire to work on prevention and healthcare education at the population level.
Like the MPA program, earning an MPH degree also generally takes two years. Students are required to take core courses that cover basic public health subjects. Typical courses include epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health policy, and behavioral sciences. This program also allows students to choose a specialization or concentration, such as infectious diseases, global health, environmental health, and nutrition.
A key element of MPH programs is the hands-on experience it offers students in real-world public health settings. These applied practical experiences help students bridge the gap between theory and practice, giving them the tangible skills they need to address public health issues. For example, prestigious organizations like the CDC offer training opportunities for students. Graduates will walk away with their MPH degrees prepared for roles in public health agencies, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and global health initiatives.
Key Differences Between MPA and MPH Degrees
While both the MPA and MPH are designed for individuals committed to public service, the two degrees differ significantly in focus and application. In the following sections, we’ll compare each program’s core focus, goals, career paths, and curriculum to help you determine which path aligns best with your interests and professional goals.
Focus and Goals
An MPA focuses on leadership, governance, policy-making, and management in the public and nonprofit sectors. The program is designed to prepare students for administrative roles where they may develop public policy, manage budgets and resources, and design programs that respond to community and societal needs.
In contrast, an MPH centers on public health practice, emphasizing disease prevention, health promotion, and improving population health through education, research, and policy. This degree prepares graduates for roles such as conducting epidemiological studies, evaluating health policies, managing community health programs, and addressing healthcare disparities, especially in underserved populations.
Career Paths
Graduates with an MPA can pursue a wide range of meaningful careers. In government, city managers play a key role in local governance by overseeing day-to-day operations, managing budgets, and working to deliver effective public services—ideal for those passionate about community development. For those who are more policy-driven, a career as a policy analyst may be a better fit. These professionals research complex issues, develop evidence-based solutions, and present their findings to inform decisions at various levels of government.
Many MPAs also land positions outside of government. For instance, nonprofit directors lead organizations (e.g., Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity) to achieve their missions by overseeing and managing operations, finances, programs, staff, and stakeholder relationships. Finally, an example of a role that appears across various sectors and industries is a public affairs director. These versatile professionals manage an organization’s public image by leaning on communication, advocacy, and relationship-building skills.
On the other side of service degrees, an MPH opens doors to diverse and impactful public health roles. For data-driven individuals, a career in epidemiology offers a chance to investigate disease patterns and causes, making use of data to inform public health policies and interventions. A public health educator could then take the information provided by an epidemiologist and design programs to promote health awareness and behavior changes in communities. Public health professionals routinely collaborate across disciplines for better community outcomes.
For those looking to make an impact on public health by improving systems, a career as a health policy analyst is perfect. They play an important role in shaping policies through research and advocating for reforms. Lastly, as environmental factors increasingly impact public health, the demand for environmental health specialists will continue to grow. These professionals focus on environmental and ecological problems that affect populations, such as air pollution, climate change, and workplace hazards.
Curriculum and Coursework
Since MPA degrees prepare students for leadership roles, courses have a heavy focus on business principles. Typical courses include:
- Public Policy Analysis: Students learn to identify, evaluate, and design public policies that address societal issues.
- Organizational Management: Teaches leadership theories and organizational behavior, preparing students to lead and manage organizations.
- Public Finance: Explores budget formulation, fiscal policy, and strategies for managing public funds.
- Ethics in Public Administration: Concentrates on ethical leadership and transparency in handling moral and ethical dilemmas in public service.
MPH degrees provide students with a comprehensive foundation in public health and prepare them to address population health challenges. Typical MPH courses include:
- Epidemiology: Students study disease patterns, causes, and how outbreaks affect populations.
- Biostatistics: Shows how to apply statistical methods, such as data analysis and probability, to public health data.
- Health policy: Teaches policy analysis and how health policies are designed, implemented, and later evaluated.
- Environmental health: Examines how environmental factors, such as pollution and toxicology, affect public health.
- Global health: Addresses the impact of health issues on a worldwide scale through the study of infectious diseases, health disparities, and global health systems.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between MPA and MPH
If you’re still on the fence about whether to choose an MPA or an MPH, let’s go over a few important factors to consider. We’ll discuss career goals, personal interests, and the potential for interdisciplinary careers.
Career Goals
Choosing between an MPA and an MPH should largely align with your career aspirations and what kind of impact you want to make. If you see yourself taking on leadership roles in public administration, an MPA may be for you. However, an MPH might be more suitable if you’d rather focus on public health initiatives. Let’s look at two hypothetical graduate stories to help illustrate typical MPA and MPH candidates.
First, we’ll meet the typical MPA candidate, Toni, a 28-year-old U.S. Army veteran with 10 years of dedicated service under her belt. When her military career came to a close, she transitioned into a civilian role as a project manager, but pictured a life in public administration. She enrolled in an MPA program to formalize her leadership abilities, learn public policy, and refine her business skills. Today, she is a city manager, feeling fulfilled and happy to be serving her country again, albeit at a more local level.
Does Toni’s story resonate with you? An MPA can help you serve the public in other ways, too. Some popular career choices include policy analyst, grant manager, and public health administrator. It also opens the doors to careers in the private sector and global arenas.
Now, let’s meet a typical MPH student, Louis, a registered nurse (RN) who worked in the emergency department of a hospital in a large city. Over the years, Louis had noticed a troubling trend: an increase in the number of patients struggling with substance use disorder and a lack of resources for low-income communities. While he found work as an RN rewarding, Louis felt he was only treating the symptoms of larger systemic issues. He believed more could be done, and he wanted to help create lasting change.
After a particularly trying week at the hospital, Louis finally decided to pursue an MPH degree. This program taught him the analytical, research, leadership, and technical skills he would need for a career in epidemiology, specializing in substance use. Today, Louis helps the people in his city by identifying high-risk communities and providing data-driven recommendations for policymakers to implement real change.
If Louis’ story strikes a chord with you, an MPH could help you combat public health challenges and make a meaningful difference in your community. Some of the top career opportunities include public health program manager, health policy advocate, and biostatistician. An MPH will prepare you for any career that prioritizes advocacy, leadership, and problem-solving to promote public health.
Interest in Public Health vs. Public Administration
It’s important to choose a path that also aligns with your personal interest. Otherwise, you may eventually find the work unfulfilling and end up burned out. If you’re passionate about healthcare and solving complex health problems on a societal level, the MPH might be the best fit for you. Conversely, if you were more interested in governance, policy making, and administration, the MPA could be the better choice.
Potential for Interdisciplinary Careers
Some careers, such as public health administrators, may benefit from a combination of skills offered by both degrees. Dual degree programs and interdisciplinary study are excellent ways to tailor your education to your special interests and career goals.
A dual degree allows you to earn both an MPA and an MPH simultaneously, making it ideal for individuals who want to combine their interests in health policy and public sector leadership into a cohesive career path.
Career Opportunities and Salaries
MPA and MPH degrees can lead to thousands of career path opportunities in the public, nonprofit, or private sectors. These are fast-growing fields offering a wealth of possibilities to graduates. Let’s explore a sampling of options.
MPA Careers
One example of an in-demand job for MPA degree holders is city management. City managers are responsible for overseeing the operations of a city, including budgeting, implementing policies, and providing public services. As of 2025, the average annual salary for a city manager in the United States is $94,999.
Another sought-after career path is policy analysis. These professionals analyze and develop policies for government agencies or nonprofits. The average annual salary for a policy analyst in 2025 is $65,764.
MPH Careers
On the health side of public service, epidemiology is a suitable choice for researchers and data enthusiasts. Epidemiologists study patterns and causes of disease in populations to improve public health. The average annual salary is $74,560.
For those interested in community health, becoming a public health educator is a great choice. These specialists promote health and wellness by educating communities about healthy behaviors and disease prevention. The average annual salary is $55,200.
Conclusion
When you sit down to make your final decision between an MPA vs MPH degree, take stock of what really matters to you. Look at your personal goals, interests, and professional aspirations.
Are you more oriented towards the business side of public service and leading organizations into excellence? Consider the MPA program. Or do you feel that your calling is more geared towards public health and improving community well-being? Pursuing an MPH degree may be the right choice for you. Then again, you could choose a dual MPA/MPH degree and make the best of both worlds.
Before making any final decisions, consider your long-term career plans and seek advice from academic advisors or professionals in the field to make an informed choice. If you ask all the right questions, you’ll find the right answer.
If you’re a current or prospective National University student looking to take the next step in your academic career towards public service, take a look at our MPA program and our MPH program.
This content has been reviewed and approved by the National University Editorial Advisory Board. Learn more about our editorial process.