What Are the Most Affordable Online MPH Programs?

The ever-increasing cost of higher education is a major problem for many. The rate of increase for tuition in recent years is far greater than the rate of inflation. It’s even much more than the increasing costs of medical care. There are some economists who even say that there is a new student loan bubble forming that may collapse sometime in the near future, just as the housing bubble collapsed in 2008. To put things into perspective, over the past 30 years tuition has increased at a rate of just over 1,100 percent. The cost of health care, in comparison, has “only” increased at a rate of 600 percent in the same span of time.

If you are considering earning an online MPH degree, it would be wise to pursue a program that is both respected by employers as well as affordable. While it’s true that earning an MPH can accelerate your climb up the corporate ladder, you don’t want to be in a position where all of the increased earnings you receive from a promotion is spent paying down your student loans.

Five affordable online MPH programs that are respected by employers and won’t break the bank.

New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University’s (NMSU) flexible online MPH in Community Health Education is offered by the school’s College of Health and Social Services’ Department of Public Health Sciences. The degree program was designed specifically for working students who are unable to quit their jobs to pursue the degree on campus. It is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The NMSU MPH program requires the completion of 48 credit hours to graduate and can be completed entirely online. Tuition is $3,969 per year for New Mexico residents and $13,838 per year for out-of-state students.

Liberty University

With its sprawling Lynchburg campus, Liberty University is the largest religious-affiliated university in the United States and is also the largest four-year university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The school is also one of the largest providers of online degree programs in the nation, offering many different online programs from the associate’s level all the way to the doctorate. Liberty’s School of Health Sciences offers an online MPH in Public Health that was designed for those working in the field of nutrition science. The completion of 42 credit hours is required to graduate. Tuition is $540 per credit hour, regardless of where you live.

University of West Florida

The University of West Florida’s MPH is offered entirely online and is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). No concentrations are offered in the multidisciplinary degree program, although students can choose from a number of electives courses to tailor the program to their needs and career goals. Courses are available in a variety of subjects such as environmental health, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, biostatistics, health services administration, and others. The completion of 42 credits is required to graduate. Tuition is $295 per credit hour for in-state students and $628 for out-of-state students. The University of West Florida does offer tuition waivers to out-of-states students, however, which allows them to pay in-state tuition if they are non-Florida residents who are pursuing a degree program entirely online. Students must apply for the waiver; it is not automatic.

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

The University of Massachusetts – Amherst is another affordable school that offers an MPH that can be completed entirely online. Offered through the university’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences, the MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Two options are available including a general track and a concentration in nutrition. The completion of 44 credit hours is required to graduate. Tuition is $605 per credit hour, regardless of where you live.

Des Moines University

Des Moines University is the last school on our list that offers an affordable MPH that can be completed entirely online. The school’s program is multidisciplinary and focuses on practical problem solving by blending theory with real world experience. The program requires the completion of 45 credit hours to graduate. The program offers a general MPH curriculum and no concentrations are offered. Tuition is $568 per credit hour, regardless of where you live.

Tuition Money from Your Employer

If you are currently employed full-time and you are thinking about pursuing an MPH to further your career, definitely check to see if your employer offers tuition assistance. Many companies now offer as much as $5,500 per year in tuition money to take college courses in furtherance of your career.

This money is considered a benefit like health insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off. It usually does not have to be repaid. By taking advantage of corporate tuition assistance (if your company offers it), you can dramatically lower the cost of completing your MPH and dramatically reduce the tuition money you have to come up with yourself.