Public Health vs. Health Administration: Exploring the Impact

Public health and health administration professionals play a vital role in the overall health of our communities. Public health workers endeavor to bring information and resources to people to help them maintain or improve their health. And while nurses, doctors, and other direct care providers are the professionals most often associated with health care, those who fill the administrative and managerial roles behind the scenes are just as important, as they ensure that providers have the resources they need to treat patients successfully.

For those who are weighing public health vs. health administration for a career, it’s important to know the key differences between the two fields to make an informed decision. In either field, earning a degree like a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration is an excellent first step toward a successful career.

What Is Public Health?

The public health field encompasses the resources and services made available to help improve a community’s health. These may be targeted to a specific population or available to the larger community. They are generally accessible through community centers, public or private practices, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations.

For professionals working in public health, their day-to-day tasks can involve either providing health resources to the public or managing the programs and strategies that supply those resources.

Public health professionals often look at the needs of a community as a whole and focus on what they can do to help meet those needs through education, direct care, or other resources. Handling both crisis situations and preventive care measures, public health workers focus on areas ranging from health risks to disease prevention, vaccinations, and how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Functioning at both the national and local levels, public health agencies provide communities with science-backed information and care recommendations to help them navigate their health challenges. When comparing public health vs. health administration, it’s clear that both fields need strong leaders in order to carry out their responsibilities successfully, but the scope of who they serve varies, with public health managers working at the community level while health administrators work at the facility level.

What Is Health Administration?

The health administration and management field involves the nonclinical operational elements of health care organizations. Health administrators take on the day-to-day tasks that help facilities run smoothly. Their responsibilities encompass budgeting, staffing and training, and managing medical policies and best practices.

Health care facilities and organizations of all sizes benefit from hiring health care administrators who are strong leaders with effective management styles. Like working in public health, pursuing roles in health administration can be a good option for individuals who want to work in a health-related field but are not interested in providing direct patient care.

Public Health vs. Health Administration: Skills and Training

Many roles in public health and health administration are at the managerial level, making qualifications like higher education and practical workplace experience valuable to prospective candidates.

Consider the similarities and differences in education, training, certification recommendations, and skill development between public health professionals and health administration professionals.

Education and Training: Similarities in Public Health and Health Administration

By earning a degree and completing training in areas related to public health or health administration, individuals can show employers that they have not only the leadership skills required for a senior level role but also a foundation of industry-specific knowledge to help them lead with confidence.

Relevant degrees include bachelor’s degrees in health administration or public health, or master’s degrees in similar disciplines.

While a specific degree is not usually required in either field, education in a related subject area can help candidates for sought-after roles stand out or earn the managerial-level salary they are hoping for.

Certifications: Public Health vs. Health Administration

Public health professionals may benefit from certifications such as the Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential from the National Board of Public Health Examiners or the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. These credentials demonstrate knowledge of public health principles, health education, program planning, and professional standards.

Health administration professionals can pursue credentials such as the Certified Medical Manager (CMM) credential from the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management or the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) credential, depending on their experience level and career goals. Some roles, such as nursing home administrator positions, may require state-specific licensure.

Skills: Public Health and Health Administration

Individuals interested in pursuing a career in either public health or health administration can benefit from gaining skills in the following areas:

Communication and education: The ability to communicate effectively is fundamental as both a leadership skill and a soft skill when interacting with coworkers or the public. Regardless of whether an individual is interested in the public health or health administration fields, knowing how to interact with and educate others effectively allows them to implement strategies, manage programs and people, and coordinate responsibilities with their other professionals.
Program design: In public health, program design is at the heart of spreading information and ensuring access to resources within communities. In health administration, program design is focused more on strategies within an organization.
Budgeting, grant writing, and fundraising: Across organizations, agencies, and medical facilities, raising funds and budgeting effectively can make a huge impact on the success of projects and whether medical professionals have the resources they need to work effectively.
Hiring, training, and managing staff: Across organizations, adequate staffing and training is central to getting things done. Success relies on having enough staff and having staff that fully understand the goals of the organization and the part they play in reaching those goals.
Research and trends: Professionals working in both public health and. health administration need to stay up to date on industry research, trends, and projections to ensure they are responding to the most prescient issues and utilizing the latest best practices.

Roles in public health and health administration require coordinating multiple moving parts. With the right skills and training, individuals can work toward implementing programs successfully, educating both individuals and the community, or helping their organizations provide high-quality care.

Public Health vs. Health Administration: FAQs

Consider some frequently asked questions by professionals deciding between public health vs. health administration careers.

What Is the Main Difference Between Public Health and Health Administration?

Public health focuses on improving health outcomes across communities and populations. Health administration focuses on managing the operations, staff, budgets, and systems that allow health care organizations to function effectively.

Which Pays More: Public Health or Health Administration?

Health administration roles often have higher median salaries, especially at the management level. According to May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical and health services managers earned a median annual salary of $117,960, while health educators earned $63,000.

Which Field Has Stronger Job Growth?

Health administration roles show stronger projected growth based on BLS data for medical and health services managers. Employment in that occupation is projected to grow 23% from 2024 to 2034, compared with 4% growth for health education specialists.

Which Degree Is Better for Hospital Leadership?

A health administration degree is typically the stronger fit for hospital leadership because it focuses on health care operations, finance, staffing, compliance, policy, and organizational management. A public health degree can still be valuable for hospital leaders who want to focus on population health, prevention, or community outreach.

Is Public Health More Community Focused Than Health Administration?

Yes, public health professionals usually work at the population or community level, designing programs, sharing health information, evaluating community needs, and helping prevent disease. Health administration professionals usually work at the organizational level, helping health care facilities run efficiently.

Can You Work in Health Care Without Providing Direct Patient Care?

Yes, both public health and health administration offer career paths for people who want to improve health outcomes without becoming nurses, physicians, or other direct care providers. Public health professionals may educate communities, manage programs, or analyze health trends, while health administrators may oversee departments, staffing, budgets, or operations.

Pursue a Fulfilling Career in a Health-Oriented Field

Public health and health care organizations nationwide rely on well-informed managers and administrators to help them navigate the day-to-day challenges of meeting their goals. By pursuing a degree such as the Bachelor of Science in Health Administration from North Carolina Central University Online, individuals can build the managerial and health skills they need to pursue a role in a field where they can make a difference in people’s lives.

An online program taught by industry-experienced faculty and offered within a student-centric framework, the health administration program at NCCU Online was designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.

For those who are interested in public health, NCCU also offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education, which can help prepare future public health professionals to effectively manage health systems.

Explore how you can make a positive impact in public health or health administration with a degree from NCCU Online.

Recommended Readings

Health Leadership in Community-Based Organizations

What Can You Do With a Health Care Administration Degree?

Long-Term Care Administrator Salary and Job Description

Sources:

American Public Health Association, “What Is Public Health?”

American College of Healthcare Executive, FACHE

HRSA, “State of the U.S. Health Care Workforce, 2024”

Indeed, “8 Careers You Can Consider With a Health Administration Degree”

Indeed, “8 Healthcare Management Certifications”

Indeed, “What Can You Do With a Health Care Administration Degree?”