Public health workers continue to shine as Georgia’s premier source of disease prevention and health promotion in the state. These talented professionals are also the cornerstone of the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), whose reach and funding resources help support the state’s 159 county health departments and 18 public health districts.
Right now, the GDPH along with NGOs like the Georgia Public Health Association and private-sector organizations like the Healthcare Georgia Foundation are prepared to offer high salaried jobs to well-educated public health workers prepared to tackle Georgia’s major health challenges, including everything from immunizations to emergency preparedness to HIV prevention.
It is through the collaborative efforts of public health workers such as dietitians, biostatisticians, and physicians that help to make statewide health initiatives like Georgia Student Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) a success. In 2012, a network of public health professionals associated with the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Hospital Association, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and other child advocacy groups created Georgia SHAPE as a program designed to implement childhood obesity prevention strategies throughout the state.
State funding for public health projects like SHAPE in Georgia are made possible, in part, by federal public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) whose national headquarters is located in DeKalb County, Georgia. In 2014, the CDC allotted the following funds to alleviate public health problems in Georgia:
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: $167,461
- Birth Defects, Developmental Disabilities, Disabilities, and Health: $1,094,908
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: $20,903,911
- Environmental Health: $969,866
- Infectious Disease: $38,594,389
- Injury Prevention and Control: $3,138770
- Affordable Care Act $394,978
Individuals, organizations, and government agencies that help fund and support public health are not only improving the quality of life for Georgia’s residents, they also generate more job opportunities for public health workers. In fact, according to the United States Department of Labor, the number of community health workers in Georgia will rise by 32% between 2012 and 2022.
Salary Ranges Advertised by the Georgia Department of Public Health
As of April 2015, the GDPH advertised fifty-six job openings for public health professionals. Public health workers that earn high-end salaries more often hold a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree along with several years of work experience in the public health community:
- Chronic Disease Prevention Manager: $52,173-$71,655/yr.
- Nurse Practitioner: $43,063-$59,293/yr.
- EMS Program Director: $43,063-$59,293/yr.
- Clinical Breastfeeding Coordinator: $39,038-$53,728/yr.
- Perinatal Health Operations Manager: $39,038-$53,728/yr.
- Family Planning Program Coordinator: $35,569-$48,936/yr.
- Epidemiologist I-Ebola: $35,569-$48,936/yr.
Comparing Public Health Salaries in Georgia
According to the Georgia Department of Labor, as of 2013 the annual average salaries for several public health occupations were as follows:
- Medical and Health Service Managers: $90,480/yr.
- Social and Community Service Managers: $62,504/yr.
- Statisticians: $88,105/yr.
- Health and Safety Engineers: $73,184/yr.
- Epidemiologists: $63,814/yr.
- Microbiologists: $86,882/yr.
- Sociologists: $63,390/yr.
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists: $55,162/yr.
- Social Scientists and Related Workers: $80,080/yr.
- Social Science Research Assistants: $40,893/yr.
- Biological Scientists: $71,094/yr.
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists: $55,162/yr.
- Community Health Workers: $25,896/yr.
- Health Educators: $73,029/yr.
- Healthcare Social Workers: $47,528/yr.
- Substance Abuse/Behavioral Disorder Counselors: $40,206/yr.
- Rehabilitation Counselors: $38,272/yr.
- Miscellaneous Community/Social Service Specialists: $33,051/yr.
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: $66,290/yr.
A Full Analysis of Public Health Salaries in Georgia
Shown here for comparison is a full analysis of public health salary data as reported by the United States Department of Labor in 2014:
