Is MPH worth tuition?

[songbird25]

Hey all,
I'm an undergrad student right now and I took three years off of school because of health problems, so I'll be graduating when I'm 25. I'm a health management major and really interested in Public Health, and I have been able to keep a solid gpa and everything, so I think I would like to work towards a solid grad program for my MPH or Masters in Health Policy and Management.
I looked at Harvard and Michigan's tuition and both would cost me about 80k out of state for the degree, and I would be 29 by the time I earned it. I'm estimating that I would have to take out about 30-50k for the loans to pay for it, and hypothetically if I get married at 29 I would take those loans into my marriage (I am aware that I am looking way ahead and for the record I tend to be a worry wart). So my question...is this degree worth it? Are all of your MPHs spending money like this? Is the return worth it?
I'd really appreciate some wise counsel on this. Thanks so much.

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[Veggie Monster]

with a rock solid gpa, gre score, and work experience, i'm sure you can earn some scholarships from other schools.

o yeah, costs is a factor in choosing a program for me as well.

 

[Stories]

My line of thinking is that you're that worried about financial stuff, it's probably not worth it in the end for you since you're obviously very concerned about it. Also remember, there's an opportunity cost that's lost, as well. So factor that in. There are options such as in-state public education and fellowships which may allow you to get a degree with subsidized costs.

A lot of people can justify the costs of attendance because it gets them into the career they want. I think career has to be more important than the financial burden for it to make sense for most folks. For instance, I've been a student for way too long (BA -> MPH -> PhD), but I can justify it because the only way for me to get into my career as a researcher is to get a doctorate. That said, I'll be almost 30 before I start my first real job (and calling a post-doc a real job is debatable ).

 

[Borks]

Hey all,
I'm an undergrad student right now and I took three years off of school because of health problems, so I'll be graduating when I'm 25. I'm a health management major and really interested in Public Health, and I have been able to keep a solid gpa and everything, so I think I would like to work towards a solid grad program for my MPH or Masters in Health Policy and Management.
I looked at Harvard and Michigan's tuition and both would cost me about 80k out of state for the degree, and I would be 29 by the time I earned it. I'm estimating that I would have to take out about 30-50k for the loans to pay for it, and hypothetically if I get married at 29 I would take those loans into my marriage (I am aware that I am looking way ahead and for the record I tend to be a worry wart). So my question...is this degree worth it? Are all of your MPHs spending money like this? Is the return worth it?
I'd really appreciate some wise counsel on this. Thanks so much.

I don't think it is wrong per se to "worry" about the loan burden involved with getting an MPH degree. Tuition has risen more than inflation, especially over the past decade, AND given that the economy is still in a bad shape, it is a tougher decision now, than in the past, when it comes to pursuing an expensive degree. There's talk in the media about a student loan crisis brewing as well. I think it is good that you are looking at the loan ramifications now, instead of burying your head in the sand.

One option would be to work for a couple years and try to save up +$40,000. Yeah, it would be great if you could start on your public health career right away, but you could also use the time to gain experience in another field before going into public health.

Another option would be to look at in-state schools, and scholarships, on a school by school basis, as a previous poster stated. There can be a big difference between tuition at schools, and a high tuition doesn't correlate with a better education/better reputation school/degree.

 

[Borks]

My line of thinking is that you're that worried about financial stuff, it's probably not worth it in the end for you since you're obviously very concerned about it. Also remember, there's an opportunity cost that's lost, as well. So factor that in. There are options such as in-state public education and fellowships which may allow you to get a degree with subsidized costs.

A lot of people can justify the costs of attendance because it gets them into the career they want. I think career has to be more important than the financial burden for it to make sense for most folks. For instance, I've been a student for way too long (BA -> MPH -> PhD), but I can justify it because the only way for me to get into my career as a researcher is to get a doctorate. That said, I'll be almost 30 before I start my first real job (and calling a post-doc a real job is debatable ).

I think that this is a little bit too judgmental, what applicant hasn't thought about the tuition cost?? The OP said that she is very interested in public health, but appears to be freaked out by the cost, talking about the high cost shouldn't be taboo.

Obviously, if you're independently wealthy, then tuition cost isn't a factor. As the total cost of the MPH varies markedly by school, and given that many schools offer huge discounts/scholarships, it's important to discuss these things, especially for applicants who have limited savings/financial support.

I think that Stories has been living in academia, the "Ivory Tower", for too long. College grads across the country are having real difficulty finding jobs, as are some MPH graduates, though this may improve as the economy recovers.

Don't think that Stories doesn't worry about/consider the financial aspect him/herself as he stated once:

You can certainly make $100k+ if you become a senior investigator or full professor That's my plan/hope

Something seems a little hypocritical here, if you're not a 21st Century Albert Schweitzer taking care of AIDS patients in Africa, then you have less a throne to judge from, don't ya think?

 

[Veggie Monster]

[static]

VM to OP:

You can join the military as a direct commissioned officer after graduation. If you do plan to do this route, the military will pay your entire tuition to train the best officers. But do you think you can maintain a marriage in the military life? That's up to you.

[static]

VM out

 

[ebp]

Hey all,
I'm an undergrad student right now and I took three years off of school because of health problems, so I'll be graduating when I'm 25. I'm a health management major and really interested in Public Health, and I have been able to keep a solid gpa and everything, so I think I would like to work towards a solid grad program for my MPH or Masters in Health Policy and Management.
I looked at Harvard and Michigan's tuition and both would cost me about 80k out of state for the degree, and I would be 29 by the time I earned it. I'm estimating that I would have to take out about 30-50k for the loans to pay for it, and hypothetically if I get married at 29 I would take those loans into my marriage (I am aware that I am looking way ahead and for the record I tend to be a worry wart). So my question...is this degree worth it? Are all of your MPHs spending money like this? Is the return worth it?
I'd really appreciate some wise counsel on this. Thanks so much.

This is definitely tough and is ultimately something only you can answer. Tuition is high and some MPHers don't make a lot coming out of grad school. It's also a rough economy. I have a friend who graduated from Columbia with her MPH in May and hasn't found a job yet.

I think it ultimately depends on what you want to do. When I was trying to figure out if an MPH was right for me, I went to Idealist, various orgs websites and looked for jobs I would want - mid to upper career positions. I looked at the qualifications and almost everything needed at least an MPH. With so many people going back into grad school, a BA/BS isn't going to be the same. If you're worried, maybe spend some time out of undergrad working (I think it's always a good idea to rack up some experience first because you'll have a more difficult time getting hired with a Master's degree and little to no work experience) and and saving some money. Yes, loans can be intimidating, but I had to take out $30,000 just for undergrad plus now the money for grad school. If you get the right loans, you can consolidate them when you graduate and put them into affordable payment plans. It's doable if you're willing to make the sacrifice.

As for the age thing, I wouldn't worry about that so much. I am 29 now and just started my MPH, so I'll be 31 when I graduate. I've also been out of undergrad for 7 years and have worked in various jobs. I felt a little weird when I first started, as I'm definitely older than the average MPH student (25 at my school), but I also feel I have a maturity and experience level that some others lack.

 

[MolBio]

with a rock solid gpa, gre score, and work experience, i'm sure you can earn some scholarships from other schools.

+1 to this, if your application is competitive. There is no opportunity cost to at least applying broadly and seeing what type of scholarships you receive from various schools, and your motivation to enter public health may increase (or decrease!) by the time you get an acceptance.

OP, what is your target job track within PH? (field/sector, job title/description, rank?) Do you have any work experience?

Yeah, don't worry about age. The average age of my MPH class was 28 at the start of the program. I've had PhD colleagues ranging from 22 to >50.

And to answer your question anecdotally with a sample size of one (which was your original intent, I think): yes, for me it was worth it.

 

[DeeLovely79]

Hey all,
I'm an undergrad student right now and I took three years off of school because of health problems, so I'll be graduating when I'm 25. I'm a health management major and really interested in Public Health, and I have been able to keep a solid gpa and everything, so I think I would like to work towards a solid grad program for my MPH or Masters in Health Policy and Management.
I looked at Harvard and Michigan's tuition and both would cost me about 80k out of state for the degree, and I would be 29 by the time I earned it. I'm estimating that I would have to take out about 30-50k for the loans to pay for it, and hypothetically if I get married at 29 I would take those loans into my marriage (I am aware that I am looking way ahead and for the record I tend to be a worry wart). So my question...is this degree worth it? Are all of your MPHs spending money like this? Is the return worth it?
I'd really appreciate some wise counsel on this. Thanks so much.

Long and short of it, if you are concerned about the financial burden of an MPH then now is not the time for you to go back to school.

I'm not sure where the other posters are getting their info from but their is very little free money for an MPH. In my experience most MPH students finance their education in 1 of 3 ways
1) Parental Support
2) Federal/Private Loans
3) Employer Sponsored (either they work at the SPH or in the healthcare field and so their employer views the degree as an investment)

An MPH will always be there, it may benefit you to actually work in public health for a while to
1) Determine if it is what you really want
2) Gain experience that will make you a more competitive applicant
3) Possibly find an employer who will fund your education

The loans are worth it if this what you really want, if you decide just to get an MPH there are is a loan repayment program that will forgive your loans after 10 years worth of payments if you work in a non-profit setting (the majority of public health related jobs).

If you go on to a PhD there are many programs that will repay your loans.

I took out loans for my MPH and I don't regret it however
1) I had less than $3K in loans from undergrad
2) I worked full time during my MPH so my loans were only for tuition
3) As I was employed during my MPH I was always employed afterwards (even though there were brief periods when I was only employed part time) so I have been able to chip away at that debt but this debt does affect my willingness to take out any loans for my PhD and will definitely affect which program I will attend. Unfortunately most PhDs in public health require a master's preferably an MPH so the degree and the debt was unavoidable.

Hope this helps.

 

[songbird25]

Thank you all for your replies. What I'm taking from all of them is that it would likely benefit me to work for a couple of years and save for grad school while I figure out what exactly I want, and then when I start applying to consider the school I go to based on quality as well as tuition, available scholarship, etc. It seems that there may not be a lot of funding for this type of degree so if it isn't employee sponsored it looks like I will be affording it with a combination of my savings, some help from my parents, and loans.

MolBio: OP, what is your target job track within PH? (field/sector, job title/description, rank?) Do you have any work experience?

As I am still in undergrad, I don't have any real work experience yet. I suppose as I go forward I will be figuring out what kind of specific job I am interested in. I have some ideas about working for a hospital in administration or working for the government as a health policy analyst...something along those lines, but I do not know specifically. I have read however that an MPH is necessary for working in public health so I know it is a degree that I am keeping in mind.


Would you all advise that for now I just focus on graduating, getting a job, and figuring out what I need to do without worrying about the money? It seems like now that I've gotten your perspectives, I see that there is a way to make it work and the important thing is that I know what I want to do.

Thanks! Sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid.

 

[ebp]

Thank you all for your replies. What I'm taking from all of them is that it would likely benefit me to work for a couple of years and save for grad school while I figure out what exactly I want, and then when I start applying to consider the school I go to based on quality as well as tuition, available scholarship, etc. It seems that there may not be a lot of funding for this type of degree so if it isn't employee sponsored it looks like I will be affording it with a combination of my savings, some help from my parents, and loans.

MolBio: OP, what is your target job track within PH? (field/sector, job title/description, rank?) Do you have any work experience?

As I am still in undergrad, I don't have any real work experience yet. I suppose as I go forward I will be figuring out what kind of specific job I am interested in. I have some ideas about working for a hospital in administration or working for the government as a health policy analyst...something along those lines, but I do not know specifically. I have read however that an MPH is necessary for working in public health so I know it is a degree that I am keeping in mind.


Would you all advise that for now I just focus on graduating, getting a job, and figuring out what I need to do without worrying about the money? It seems like now that I've gotten your perspectives, I see that there is a way to make it work and the important thing is that I know what I want to do.

Thanks! Sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid.

I definitely think it's a good idea to graduate and then work for a couple of years while you figure out what you want to do. Not only can working help you decide what you do and don't want to do, it will give you very much needed work experience. With so many people going to grad school now, you really need something else to set you apart from the crowd. It definitely doesn't hurt to keep money in mind. If cost is something you're really worried about, try to save as much as you can while working and consider working full or part-time while in school. I decided not to work full-time, but I think I'm going to try to get a part-time job this next semester, so I can keep my loans for my second year down (especially since Congress has eliminated subsidized grad loans).

 

[2013MPH2013]

If you are really interested in Health Policy, there are also several Public Policy options where you can focus on healthcare--both domestic and international. It is usually easier to get funding from grad schools than professional schools.

Is it worth it? It depends. I don't think the tuition I'm paying is worth the education I am getting but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it because I really want to work in the field of PH. The key is to pick your program carefully and really investigate your options. If you want to do policy/management, make sure to find a school that has a strong policy/management division. It is kind of hard to figure that stuff out when you are applying and visiting, but I think it is really important!

 

[RAMPA]

Thank you all for your replies. What I'm taking from all of them is that it would likely benefit me to work for a couple of years and save for grad school while I figure out what exactly I want, and then when I start applying to consider the school I go to based on quality as well as tuition, available scholarship, etc. It seems that there may not be a lot of funding for this type of degree so if it isn't employee sponsored it looks like I will be affording it with a combination of my savings, some help from my parents, and loans.

MolBio: OP, what is your target job track within PH? (field/sector, job title/description, rank?) Do you have any work experience?

As I am still in undergrad, I don't have any real work experience yet. I suppose as I go forward I will be figuring out what kind of specific job I am interested in. I have some ideas about working for a hospital in administration or working for the government as a health policy analyst...something along those lines, but I do not know specifically. I have read however that an MPH is necessary for working in public health so I know it is a degree that I am keeping in mind.


Would you all advise that for now I just focus on graduating, getting a job, and figuring out what I need to do without worrying about the money? It seems like now that I've gotten your perspectives, I see that there is a way to make it work and the important thing is that I know what I want to do.

Thanks! Sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid.

Health administration and public policy as another poster stated aren't limited to PH. You can obtain an MBA with a health sector focus or a MPP(MPA) with a health sector focus and still enter hospital administration or health policy.

It is possible to meet the requirements for some HP&M programs to complete both policy and management tracks within two years, so that is another option as well.

 

[DeeLovely79]

Would you all advise that for now I just focus on graduating, getting a job, and figuring out what I need to do without worrying about the money? It seems like now that I've gotten your perspectives, I see that there is a way to make it work and the important thing is that I know what I want to do.

Thanks! Sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid.

I'm not sure how close you are to graduating but your focus right now is to do well in school and participate in any type of activity that help you get an entry level job in either health policy or public health related careers. I can't speak about policy but for other public health fields any type of clinical research or volunteer experience giving you direct patient contact will be looked on favorably by many prospective employers.