The health sector presents a variety of meaningful career paths to consider, appealing to people who want to improve access and outcomes in communities. When comparing healthcare administration vs. public health roles, both fields offer opportunities to have an impact — yet they differ in focus, career options, and necessary skills.
The following sections can help you determine which path best aligns with your personal interests and professional goals while highlighting the Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Online degree programs in Healthcare Administration and Public Health.
Understanding the Difference Between Public Health and Healthcare Administration
Public health and healthcare administration are two distinct fields that both prioritize supporting better health outcomes, bridging the health equity gap, and providing high-quality care. However, they also differ in purpose, scope, and impact; public health primarily concerns population-level health, whereas healthcare administration focuses on the organizational leadership and operations within healthcare settings.
What Is Public Health?
The American Public Health Association puts it simply: The field of public health works to prevent people within a specific population from becoming sick or injured. Promoting health and well-being at the community level, public health is a science- and evidence-based field that aims to prevent disease, promote wellness, and address societal health concerns.
Public health professionals work in numerous capacities across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Depending on the individual position and scope of the role, they may take on specific public health challenges, such as:
- Boosting vaccination rates within a community.
- Developing nutritional programs for schools or childcare facilities to reduce food insecurity.
- Monitoring disease outbreaks to improve health outcomes.
What Is Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare administration refers to the management of business operations at a healthcare facility. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare administrators and health services managers plan and coordinate health services — often with the goal of streamlining facility operations, maximizing efficiency, and enhancing patient outcomes alongside the quality of care provided.
Those who pursue careers in healthcare administration frequently work in healthcare environments including hospitals, long-term care facilities, community clinics, doctors’ offices, and urgent care centers. While they do not provide direct care to patients, they are able to elevate the patient experience through effective management.
Typical Career Paths in Each Field
Within each field, there are distinct career paths to explore. Here, we outline the types of roles associated with healthcare administration and public health so you are better equipped decide which degree program would be suited to your goals.
Careers in Public Health
Public health professionals are employed by government agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, and sometimes private-sector organizations. According to the American Public Health Association, common public health roles include:
- Epidemiologists
- Community health workers
- Social workers
- Public health nurses and physicians
- Health educators
- Community program directors
Note that certain positions in public health may require additional certificates or credentials as well as some years of professional experience.
Careers in Healthcare Administration
Healthcare administrators and health services managers primarily work in healthcare settings, from hospitals to clinics to long-term care facilities. Examples of administrative and management positions in healthcare administration (per the BLS) include:
- Clinical managers
- Health information managers
- Nursing home administrators
- Medical office managers
- Hospital administrators
Likewise, some healthcare administration roles may require additional certificates or credentials, along with some years of experience.
Skills Developed in Public Health vs. Healthcare Administration
As you consider both the healthcare administration vs. public health degree programs, you will notice that the curricula emphasize different skill sets. The core competencies gained in each program are aligned with industry standards, enabling students to develop the knowledge and foundational skills relevant in entry-level positions.
Public health skills primarily relate to community wellness and data-driven health initiatives, while healthcare administration skills focus on leadership, operations, and business strategy.
Skills You’ll Gain in Public Health
In public health roles, professionals rely on interdisciplinary and transferable skills to expand health delivery and boost health outcomes for a given population. The Public Health Foundation (PHF) most recently revised and adapted the core competencies for the public health profession in October 2021. The PHF breaks these essential skills down into several categories, including:
- Policy development and program planning
- Data analytics
- Health equity
- Community partnership
- Communication
- Management and finance
- Public health sciences
Skills You’ll Gain in Healthcare Administration
Delving into business operations, management, and improved quality of care, healthcare administration programs focus on business acumen and leadership skill development. Research titled “Knowledge and Skills Needed for Future Health Administrators” notes the following as key competencies in healthcare administration:
- Business planning and coordination
- Budgeting and finance management
- Compliance
- Human resources (HR) management
- Crisis management
- Healthcare marketing
- Leadership
Comparing Educational Pathways at JWU Online
JWU Online offers both a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration. Each program prepares learners for the corresponding career paths, prioritizing the core skills in each field.
Bachelor’s in Public Health
The Public Health bachelor’s degree delivers a holistic overview of key public health topics related to:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public health programming
- Business and economics
- Nutrition and exercise science
Throughout the program, students explore how these topics affect health delivery in a population. The degree is designed to promote skill sets applicable to entry-level public health roles, and graduates are expected to leave the program with an extensive understanding of how social determinants of health influence outcomes in a community.
Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration
The Healthcare Administration bachelor’s degree offers a comprehensive look at this field, with coursework covering key topics such as:
- Quality improvement
- Health program management
- Health marketing
- Business communication
- Health consulting
- Health policy at the state and federal levels
With an emphasis on data-backed solutions, graduates can emerge with the ability to apply systems thinking to elevate overall delivery in healthcare systems.
Job Outlook for Public Health vs. Healthcare Administration
The BLS reports a positive job outlook for healthcare occupations, with an additional 1.9 million jobs each year between 2024 and 2034.
The job market forecast in the public health realm varies based on the position — but there is a growing need for adept professionals who can implement prevention-focused initiatives. For example, the BLS estimates health educators jobs to increase by about 4% between 2024 and 2034, while data suggests that employment levels for epidemiologists to rise by about 16% over that same time period. It is important to note that careers in epidemiology typically require an advanced degree, such as a master’s in public health.
Across the healthcare sector, the strong demand for health administrators is fueled by expanding healthcare systems and increasing operational complexities. According to the BLS, employment of healthcare administrators is expected to grow by about 23% within the same decade.
Public Health vs. Healthcare Administration: How to Choose the Ideal Path
So, which career path is right for you? These questions could help you determine where your interests, strengths, and career motivations lie:
- Do you prefer a clinical work environment or community-based field work?
- Are you most interested in the business side of healthcare, or are you driven to facilitate systemic change?
- Do you want to improve individual patient outcomes or population-level outcomes?
- Are you passionate about research and interested in developing health programming?
Start Your Journey in Public Health or Healthcare Administration
Both healthcare administration and public health pathways offer rewarding, impactful careers. As you reflect on your personal goals and desired career outcomes, explore our programs through JWU Online and determine which presents the best step forward.
The online Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree equips graduates with relevant knowledge and skills to develop effective public health solutions, preparing them for entry-level roles in public health, health promotion, and health policy.
The online Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration degree helps learners hone the skills and tools necessary for patient care, healthcare finance management, and healthcare informatics, strengthening their ability to enhance the healthcare delivery experience in all types of facilities. It prepares students for a variety of career pathways, including those in hospital and nursing home administration, quality improvement, and health marketing.
For more information about completing your degree online, complete the Request Info form, call 855-JWU-1881, or email [email protected].