Private Health Consultant Job Duties
One of the really desirable career paths for a professional with a master’s degree in public health is to work as a private public health or community health consultant. In the struggle to improve health and life quality in the US and all over the world, you can help to fight some of the most difficult challenges in public health.
Private public health consultants with a master’s degree in public health will, in the U.S., often work hand in hand with:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Military Health System (MHS)
- Department of Veterans
A private, public health consultant will typically perform professional research, analyses and counseling in a state, federal or international community health program.
A private consultant in this field will conduct programs of education, develop curriculum and work to find the ideal target populations in the local area for this type of educational outreach. Other typical responsibilities of someone in this field include:
- Counsel with needy families in the community; provide needed follow up and support; serve as an advocate
- Work with local agency administrators of health on certification and program compliance for federal, state and international regulatory rules.
- Review nutrition programs in the local community
- Serve as the liaison and program consultant with various professionals in medicine, nursing and nutrition
Private Health Consultant Career & Salary Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that consultants in public health earned about $65,000 in 2010, and the top 10% earned over $94,000 per year. With your master’s degree in public health, you will probably be towards the top of the wage scale.
The BLS anticipates an 11% rise in the demand for public health consultants in the next decade. This is about as fast as other occupations. See more from the Best Public Health Careers list.
Job Outlook for Private Health Consultants
BLS reported in 2010 that about 41% of consultants in public health were employed by government agencies in the US or abroad. The federal government offered an average salary of about $78,000, and the state government had a salary of about $59,000. Local governments offered around $57,000. Working for hospitals, these professionals earned about $64,000. A public health consultant working at a private consulting firm earned around $71,300.
Public health consultants in the U.S. are most frequently employed in high population states with a strong immigrant population, such as California and Texas. Wyoming and Delaware also offer a good number of consultant positions.
Private Health Consultant Education and Training
You should have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as health education or business, and also a master’s of public health. See online mph programs.
You may find better advancement potential if you seek certification from such agencies as the American Board of Health Physicists, the American Indoor Air Quality Control Board, or the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
