Aspiring graduate students in Texas are no strangers to traveling long distances. As one of the largest states in the country, TX is famous for having plenty of room to roam. But while that can be a wonderful thing on a road trip, those wide-open spaces can be a pain when it comes to long commutes or expensive relocation for your Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. What if you could earn your MPH without leaving home?
If this sounds good, then online MPH programs in Texas might be calling your name. Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career in public health in research, education, clinical work, or elsewhere, your MPH can be an important next step. And by earning it online, you’ll have access to some of the best MPH programs in Texas without the hassle of relocation.
Diving into Online MPH Programs in TX
There are many options to consider when looking for your online MPH, including a wide variety of schools and specialties in Texas. While you’ll need to determine which program is best for you based on your own goals and circumstances, here are a few especially strong ones to get you started.
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University, one of the largest public universities in the state, offers a fully-online Master’s in Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in epidemiology through their distance education program. This program is fully online — with the exception of one orientation session for new students — and focuses on the impact of disease on broader populations. No GRE is required and once enrolled, you’ll complete courses in public health, and biostatistics. A capstone project and practical experiences round out your core and elective coursework.
If you’re interested in this program, you must be a United States citizen or permanent resident (green card), although the program is online. You should also hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply.
Texas Tech University
For one of the most fundamentals-based online MPH programs in Texas, take a look at Texas Tech, where their fully-online MPH program describes itself as “generalist,” and focuses on the foundations of public health while allowing you to keep your options open for future specialization. You will be studying courses like biostatistics, health policy, health ethics, and epidemiology, and have the option to choose electives. You will also complete both an applied practical experience, and an “integrated learning experience” as a capstone to your degree.
This program is both 100% online and flexible, making it ideal for working professionals. Further, with its self-paced format, you can finish in as little as 15 months. Applications are open for three start dates per year, so you can choose the most convenient for you.
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas has a Health Science Center at Fort Worth offering a variety of public health degrees and programs, including the MPH in Public Health Leadership, which is available either fully online or in a hybrid format. This program, with its focus on leadership roles in public health, is available in either a 48-credit or a 42-credit format for those with three or more years of relevant work experience.
Whichever is best for you, you’ll be taking both core and elective courses (number of electives will vary by format) and completing a practical experience requirement for your degree. If you are not located near the Fort Worth area and UNT’s partner sites, school advisors can help you find a suitable site for your practical experience.
Types of Online MPH Programs for Texas Students
There’s more than one way to earn your MPH online. Different programs vary by timeline, type and number of qualifications, and more. Consider the different types of online MPH programs in Texas outlined below to discover which one will best fit your lifestyle.
Accelerated Online MPH Programs in TX
With accelerated MPH programs, students can graduate in as little as one year through intensive, heavy courseloads taken over a shorter time frame. These programs are often part of a combined degree program with a bachelor’s degree, and the MPH coursework builds on the courses completed as an undergraduate. In Texas, the fastest online MPH program is offered by Texas Tech, which can be completed in as little as 15 months.
Accredited Online MPH Programs in TX
It’s highly important that your MPH program is accredited. Accreditation for the school may vary, but for public health degrees, the relevant accrediting body is the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Make sure that, like the program at Texas A&M, your online MPH is CEPH-accredited, and from a regionally accredited school, meaning the school and program meet certain standards of rigor and will be recognized as legitimate by future employers and others, including graduate schools if you choose to pursue a PhD.
Affordable Online MPH Programs in TX
Graduate school degrees, including online MPH programs in Texas, are a major financial commitment. While there are ways to reduce your total cost through grants or scholarships from your school or outside sources, one of the easiest ways to keep your student loans and financial burden relatively low is to choose a school with affordable tuition. This can be a state school, like the University of North Texas, with in-state tuition, or a private institution with low tuition for online programs. Look at tuition costs before applying for grad programs or scholarships.
Dual-Degree Online MPH Programs in TX
If you want to earn an MPH, but are also interested in other postgraduate qualifications, you might consider a dual-degree online MPH. These programs, like the dual Applied Anthropology MS/MPH dual degree at the University of North Texas, allow you to earn two degrees simultaneously, usually with subjects that complement each other. For students who have a career in mind that merges multiple fields, these can be ideal programs to position you for an upper-level job. The coursework may be more intense than a traditional degree, but you will graduate faster with multiple degrees.
No-GRE Online MPH Programs in TX
Many schools, including Texas A&M among others, are opting out of GRE requirements for their online MPH programs. Why? Well, many schools have found that the GRE is not as accurate in predicting a student’s graduate school success as a more holistic application process that uses factors like undergraduate GPA, prior career experience, letters of recommendation, and more. With that in mind, if you suffer from test anxiety, or simply want to avoid the stress and expense of the GRE, consider one of these programs.
Lucrative Public Health Careers in Texas
Once you’ve graduated from an online MPH program in Texas, you’ll likely be looking for a job, and you may be wondering what career options you’ll have after graduation. In Texas, there are a wide variety of job opportunities, many with six-figure salary averages and growth potential.
Occupational Health and Safety
Workplaces can be dangerous, from both a physical safety and public health standpoint. That’s where the field of occupational health and safety comes in, to ensure that both employees and companies can thrive in a safe, productive environment. In Texas, these jobs are in high demand, especially as fields popular in the state, from oil to construction work, can be highly dangerous.
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialist | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $72,960 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 23% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 1,370 |
| Environmental Health Specialist | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $46,630 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 24% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 530 |
| Occupational Health Technician | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $52,360 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 22% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 370 |
Sources: O*NET OnLine, 2023; Projections Central, 2023
Healthcare Administration/Management
Healthcare is more than just provider-patient interactions. It’s a complex, multifaceted field, and as such requires skilled administrators and managers. Graduates of online MPH programs in Texas will have earned the skills needed for upper-level health administration and management, a field with many opportunities in the state. Here are just a few of the careers you may want to consider in administration and management from a healthcare perspective.
| Medical and Health Services Manager | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $105,460 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 9.3% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 6,170 |
| Health Information Technologist | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $77,610 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 7.1% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 370 |
| Public Relations Manager | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $109,970 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 4.7% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 860 |
Sources: O*NET OnLine, 2023; Projections Central, 2023
Public Health Education
One of the most important roles of public health is to educate the wider world on best health practices. That’s why public health education is such a vital field, and one that’s growing fast in Texas. Public health educators may be teachers in a traditional classroom setting, but can also work in clinical settings like hospitals, or even in the world of corporate industry. Below are just a few fast-growing jobs in public health education.
| Health Educator | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $53,820 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 5.0% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 760 |
| Professor of Public Health | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $133,620 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 6.6% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 2,780 |
| Community Health Specialist | |
| TX Median Salary (2023) | $43,620 |
| TX Projected Growth (2023-25) | 6.2% |
| TX Projected Annual Openings (2023-25) | 770 |
Sources: O*NET OnLine, 2023; Projections Central, 2023
The Cost of an Online MPH in Texas
As you’re probably aware, your online master’s degree will be a major financial commitment. However, not all online master’s programs have the same costs. The differences between tuition from a state school where you’re eligible for in-state tuition, and a private school, are an obvious example. That’s why it’s important to understand tuition and fees before you enroll, and have a plan to pay for your program, likely through a combination of savings, student loans, financial aid and scholarships.
Take a look at some of the tuition costs of the universities highlighted above. There are also other costs including technology fees, transportation to practical experiences and more, but this chart provides a baseline for these programs.
| Texas A&M University | |
| Program | MPH in Epidemiology |
| No. of Credits | 42 |
| Est. Resident Tuition | $15,392 |
| University of North Texas | |
| Program | MPH in Public Health Leadership |
| No. of Credits | 42 |
| Est. Resident Tuition | $13,776 |
| Texas Tech University | |
| Program | MPH (Generalist) |
| No. of Credits | 45 |
| Est. Resident Tuition | $9,765 |
Financial Aid Options for Texas MPH Students
Whatever the cost of your program, it’s a good idea to find ways to reduce your total cost burden. You can find opportunities through your school, such as need- or merit-based financial aid, like grants, or research or teaching assistantships, and work study that will allow you to reduce your tuition through school employment.
Be sure to look for opportunities outside your school, as well, including filling out your FAFSA for federal student aid, and researching private or third-party fellowships and scholarships. For students in online MPH programs in Texas, this includes scholarships through the Texas Public Health Association (TPHA), as well as other private funds from charitable foundations, including opportunities for historically underrepresented students. Be sure to keep a record of application deadlines and apply online to ensure your best chance of an award.
