05/06/2025
As health care systems grow more complex, two academic paths—public health and health administration—offer students distinct opportunities to support health and well-being on a larger scale. While both fields aim to improve health outcomes, they approach challenges from different angles.
In this guide, we'll explore the differences between a public health bachelor's degree vs. health administration bachelor's degree, the career paths each can support, and how students can align their education with their professional aspirations.
Key Differences Between Public Health and Healthcare Administration Degrees
At the core, a public health degree focuses on promoting wellness, preventing disease, and protecting the health of entire populations. Public health professionals often work in community health, health promotion, disease prevention, and policy advocacy roles.
In contrast, a healthcare administration degree emphasizes the business and operational side of health care. Health services managers and administrators focus on managing medical facilities, overseeing budgets, coordinating staff, and ensuring smooth operations within health care settings.
Both degrees contribute to improving health outcomes but target different aspects of the health care system—public health workers address community needs directly, while health administrators manage health care delivery behind the scenes.
Comparing Public Health and Health Administration Degrees
A public health bachelor's degree prepares students to develop programs, advocate for policy change, and promote healthy behaviors at a community level. Coursework often includes topics like epidemiology, occupational health, mental health, disease prevention, and health education.
A health administration bachelor's degree focuses on health care operations, covering subjects like business administration, human resources, operations management, and health care law. Students learn how to run entire medical facilities or departments, supporting clinical capacity and patient care delivery.
Both degrees offer valuable pathways for students passionate about improving health care, but the skills emphasized—and the daily work—are notably different.
Potential Career Paths
Public health and health administration degrees both offer versatile career opportunities. Students pursuing a degree in public health may move into roles in community health, epidemiology, health education, or health policy. Those earning a healthcare administration degree may support departmental operations, work in human resources, or assist with health care facility administration, depending on their experience and the role.
Both public health and public health administration degrees support a range of career paths, though the focus differs:
Public health career paths:
- Community health worker
- Public health educator
- Health promotion specialist
- Epidemiology assistant
- Public health nurse (additional education may be required)
Healthcare administration career paths:
- Health services manager
- Health information manager
- Clinical manager
- Operations director
- Human resources specialist in health care settings
Careers in Health Administration and Public Health
Health care administration professionals often play an important role in supporting the efficient operation of medical facilities. They ensure that hospitals, outpatient care centers, nursing homes, and physicians' offices run efficiently, remain fully staffed, and comply with health care regulations.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow by 29% from 2020 to 2030, reflecting the growing need for strong leadership in health care settings.
Health Educator
Graduates with a public health degree may work as health educators, designing programs that promote healthy behaviors such as smoking cessation, nutrition awareness, and chronic disease prevention. Health educators typically work closely with community partnerships and health care providers to deliver wellness initiatives that support population health.
Healthcare Administration
Students pursuing a healthcare administration degree program may gain knowledge relevant to managing the business side of health care. Healthcare administrators oversee staffing, budgeting, compliance, and operational planning across entire facilities or specific departments.
Healthcare administration focuses more on logistics and leadership within clinical environments, rather than direct patient care.
Health Services
Health services managers handle the coordination of services across entire medical facilities or within specific departments. They manage staff, ensure compliance with health care laws, and implement new technologies or treatment practices to enhance patient care.
Graduates pursuing this path may work in hospitals, outpatient care centers, or long-term care facilities.
Health Information Manager
One specific role for healthcare administration graduates is a health information manager. These professionals oversee the organization and security of patient records, ensuring data is accurate, confidential, and compliant with healthcare regulations.
As digital health records become more prevalent in health care, the need for professionals skilled in managing health information may continue to grow, according to industry observations.
Health Care
The broader field of health care includes both direct patient care and the administrative functions that support it. Public health focuses on population-wide health improvement, while healthcare administration ensures that the facilities providing care operate smoothly and efficiently.
Both sectors require strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills to drive positive change.
Health Field
The health field has seen growth in several areas due to factors such as an aging population and evolving public health needs. Factors like an aging population, emerging public health threats, and the need for improved health care access contribute to increased demand for both public health professionals and healthcare administrators.
Public health careers often involve working in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community health programs, while healthcare administration roles are often centered within hospitals, clinics, and outpatient care centers.
Choosing the Right Health Degree Path for You
Public health and healthcare administration represent two distinct yet complementary areas within the health sector. These fields often involve supporting community well-being, shaping health initiatives, or improving how healthcare systems operate. Studying one of these areas may help students build knowledge relevant to roles that address health needs at both individual and population levels.
By choosing a path that aligns with your interests and career goals—whether it's working in community health programs or managing health care services—you may build the skills needed to contribute to positive change across the health care landscape. As health needs shift over time, professionals in public health and healthcare administration often play important roles in supporting the systems that serve individuals, families, and communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Public Administration and Public Health the Same?
No. Public administration typically focuses on governance and public service operations across various sectors, while public health is specifically dedicated to protecting and improving population health through prevention and wellness programs.
Is a BS in Healthcare Administration Worth It?
Earning a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration may offer opportunities in health care operations management, clinical administration, and leadership roles across health care facilities, depending on individual career goals and further education.
What Are Some Career Pathways With a Bachelor's in Public Health?
A bachelor’s in public health can provide foundational knowledge that may support entry into roles in areas such as community health, health education, disease prevention, or public health research. Some graduates also choose to pursue graduate degrees to explore more specialized or advanced opportunities within the public health sector.
