Arizona’s 8 Best MPH Programs for 2026
Arizona is a hot state for public health with its universities innovating and creating programs, so you have a lot of options. In Arizona’s MPH programs, you’ll get an interesting path to public health, from state-of-the-art integration to working on climate change initiatives. The state has several accredited programs, including the University of Arizona MPH, which has had Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation since 2003. Arizona State University (ASU) offers the nation’s first MPH concentrating in Public Health Technology and is also recognized as the world’s largest university. U of A has quite a few options when it comes to the MPH, so you will see them on our list more than once.
You’ll find options designed to train the next generation of public health leaders, whether you prefer to take your degree program online or in a traditional format.
Come with us, as we show you the eight best programs in the Grand Canyon State.
University of Arizona Online MPH Program
Location: Tucson, AZ and Online
The University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health delivers an online Master of Public Health designed for working professionals who want flexibility without compromising quality. The program holds continuous accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health through December 31, 2027. This interdisciplinary professional degree combines groundbreaking research with ground applications and prepares you to address public health challenges in a variety of geographical and cultural settings.
The curriculum spans 42 total credits delivered through a modular format. Each course runs just 7.5 weeks. This accelerated structure allows you to complete your degree in as few as two years, though part-time students can extend completion up to six years. Half of your coursework focuses on your chosen concentration. The remaining credits build foundational knowledge in core public health principles.
You’ll complete a five-unit applied practice experience that addresses challenges faced by public health organizations, plus a one-unit capstone Integrated Learning Experience. The program also requires two Interprofessional Education Activities, though these don’t carry credit hours.
Available Concentrations
The online program offers six specialized pathways:
- Applied Epidemiology develops data analysis skills for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information to improve health outcomes in public, non-profit, and private settings.
- Climate Change and Health prepares you to develop communication skills and adaptation measures that address climate effects on health and environmental challenges.
- Global Health gives you the tools to promote healthier lifestyles, prevent premature death, and fight disease in diverse communities both domestically and abroad.
- Health Behavior Health Promotion focuses on developing policies and programs to improve health and well-being for children and adults.
- Health Services Administration trains you to take leadership roles in healthcare, social services, and public health organizations.
- Population Aging and Long-Term Care addresses the growing need for practitioners who optimize the human “healthspan” and improve long-term care services in institutional and community settings.
Admission Requirements
You need a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from your last 60 undergraduate units. Your GPA calculation changes to those graduate units instead if you have 12 or more graduate credits.
Required coursework has one course in college algebra, precalculus, or calculus with a grade of C or higher. AP, IB, or CLEP credit appearing on your transcript also satisfies this requirement. Applied Epidemiology and Climate Change and Health concentrations require one semester of college-level introductory, human, or general biology with a C or higher.
Submit your application through SOPHAS, the centralized service for accredited schools of public health, which charges a fee of $160. You’ll also complete the University of Arizona Graduate College supplemental application through GradApp for an additional $90.
Your application package must include two letters of recommendation, a resume or CV, and a statement of purpose and objectives (maximum 1,000 words). You’ll also need a mission and values statement (250 words or less). An optional resilience statement allows you to describe obstacles you’ve overcome. The program no longer requires GRE or MCAT scores. International applicants need TOEFL or IELTS scores.
The program operates on rolling admissions throughout the year. Admissions recommendations arrive two months after your deadline typically.
Tuition and Cost
SOPHAS charges $160 for application processing. The University of Arizona Graduate College adds $90 for its supplemental application. Non-degree seeking students through UAOnline pay between $820 and $1,250 per credit plus fees.
Financial assistance opportunities include federal loans. MPH students qualify for up to $33,000 annually and a lifetime maximum of $224,000. Teaching assistantships provide approximately $5,625 per semester for 10-hour weekly appointments or $11,250 for 20-hour appointments. These positions also waive out-of-state tuition and discount base in-state tuition by 50% to 100% depending on hours worked.
The Western Regional Graduate Program allows residents of 16 western states to enroll at Arizona resident tuition rates. This creates savings equivalent to approximately $20,000 per year.
Career Outcomes
Alumni work in a variety of sectors that include county and state health departments, non-profit organizations, university settings, healthcare systems, and the CDC. Others find positions at for-profit health services companies, insurance providers, and employee wellness programs.
Salary expectations vary by position. Biostatisticians earn a median annual salary of $104,350. Public health directors make approximately $150,000. Epidemiologists receive $83,980, while medical and health services managers earn $117,960. Health education specialists start at $63,000. Emergency management directors make $86,130.
Arizona State University MPH in Public Health Technology
Location: Downtown Phoenix Campus and Online
Arizona State University launched the nation’s first MPH program to integrate public health technology into its core curriculum and created a trailblazing educational model that addresses modern health challenges with technology-driven solutions. The School of Technology for Public Health delivers this 49-credit, two-year degree that weaves together biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, and policy with engineering, data science, design thinking, and entrepreneurship.
This transdisciplinary approach moves beyond traditional public health education by making technology part of the program’s foundation. You’ll take coursework on artificial intelligence, machine learning, systems engineering, and web/app design, all within a public health context. The curriculum has both an Applied Practice Experience, where you work with ASU’s network of health partners to develop and deploy public health technologies in ground settings, and an Integrative Learning Experience that combines competencies from multiple disciplines.
Arizona State University is an applicant for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health, with the review addressing the MPH in Public Health Technology. You become eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health exam after graduation and three years of relevant work experience.
Available Concentrations
The program offers a single concentration in Public Health Technology. Your curriculum combines 15 credit hours of required core coursework with 18 credit hours of concentration-specific classes. Core courses have One Health, Applied Biostatistics in Medicine and Informatics, Epidemiology in Population Health, and two Foundations of Public Health courses. The concentration coursework covers Public Health Technologies, Systems Design and Engineering for Public Health, Health Technology and Equity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Public Health, Health Communication, Behavior and Technology, and Public Health Technology Ethics, Policy and Law.
You’ll complete nine credit hours of electives and deepen your expertise in either technology, engineering, and design fields or expand your public health knowledge. The program concludes with a capstone that produces a high-quality written product aligned with your educational and professional objectives, which might be a program evaluation report, literature review, training manual, or policy statement.
Admission Requirements
You must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in public health, medical sciences, engineering, computer science, liberal arts, or a related field from an accredited institution. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in the last 60 credit hours of your bachelor’s degree or in an applicable master’s degree program is required for standard admission. The admissions committee thinks over lower GPAs for provisional admission with an explanation of circumstances.
Your application package has a graduate admission application with a $70 application fee, official transcripts, a personal statement, a professional resume or current CV, and three letters of recommendation. International applicants must provide proof of English proficiency. The program admits students for Fall terms only, and the admissions committee reviews applications once all materials are received.
Tuition and Cost
The program charges a fee of $208 per credit hour, capped at $10,000 over the two-year duration. Base graduate tuition for Arizona residents stands at $13,327 per year, while nonresidents pay $29,196. These amounts exclude additional fees, which have a $350 tuition surcharge, $200 Advanced Technology fee, $300 Graduate student support fee, and $807 in student-initiated fees.
Online students benefit from a tuition structure where Arizona residents receive capped rates at 11 credit hours per semester. Tuition doesn’t increase with additional credits taken beyond that threshold. Nonresidents don’t receive this tuition cap benefit. Your diploma won’t specify whether you earned your degree online or in person.
Career Outcomes
Graduates find employment in academic institutions, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and health-related industries. Career paths have biostatistics, corporate wellness, data science and data visualization, device and software development, health data management, health policy, health promotion and disease prevention, and industry health technology roles.
Alumni from the College of Global Futures, which houses the School of Technology for Public Health, show strong employment outcomes with 87.8% hired, pursuing graduate education, or serving in the military. About 78.1% report their current role connects to skills and knowledge gained during their studies. Top employers have the State of Arizona, City of Phoenix, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Amazon, Intel, Banner Health, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Northern Arizona University MPH in Health Promotion
Location: Flagstaff, AZ and Online
Northern Arizona University’s Department of Health Sciences offers an MPH in Health Promotion accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The program prepares public health professionals to address health needs across rural, tribal, and border communities throughout Northern Arizona. You can take it in-person in Flagstaff or fully online.
The 49-unit program requires 37 units of Health Sciences Common Coursework plus 12 units of emphasis-specific requirements. You’ll learn about biostatistics, epidemiology, public health research, program planning and evaluation, health policy and management, and environmental health. The curriculum addresses chronic disease prevention and epidemiology, social and structural determinants of health, and innovative uses of technology in public health and health promotion.
You can complete the degree in as little as two years. The program has didactic coursework, applied practice experience in public health settings, and a public health project that prepares you to work within public health agencies. Students must complete 24 units of formal letter-graded coursework and maintain all graduate work with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. All work toward the master’s degree must be completed within six consecutive years.
Available Concentrations
The Health Promotion concentration allows you to tailor program plan electives to line up with your career interests in public health or allied health fields. Students may also apply to the Indigenous Health Emphasis, which prepares you to support public health initiatives relevant to tribal communities. This emphasis is only offered at the Flagstaff Campus.
Admission Requirements
You need an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. The Health Promotion emphasis requires one semester of a college-level introductory or basic statistics course (minimum 3 units). Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better, or be in progress at the time of application.
Your application package has an essay or letter of intent, resume or curriculum vitae, and letters of recommendation. The program operates on Fall admission only, with a priority deadline of January 15th and a final deadline of April 1st. International applicants must apply by the priority January 15th deadline. The admissions committee reviews complete applications submitted by January 15th and offers first-round acceptances in late January. Non-international applications submitted between January 16th and April 1st receive review if spaces remain after the priority date.
Tuition and Cost
Online graduate students pay $11,970 in tuition plus $517 in fees ($12,487 annually). Arizona residents attending in-person pay $12,936 in tuition and $1,343 in fees ($14,279 total). Non-residents face $32,190 in tuition and $1,343 in fees ($33,533 total). Students with residence in Western states pay in-state tuition through the WRGP Program. Graduate assistantships are available through the Health Sciences Department and at the college level.
Career Outcomes
Graduates plan, implement, and assess public health programs in settings of all types. Career opportunities include Health Education Specialists with 5% job growth and median wage of $63,000. Health Informatics Specialists show 9% growth at $103,790 median wage. Medical and Health Services Managers demonstrate the strongest growth at 23% with $117,960 median salary. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists offer 13% growth and $83,910 median wage.
University of Arizona Global Campus Online MPH
Location: Online
University of Arizona Global Campus delivers a 42-credit online MPH designed for working professionals, parents and service members advancing their careers or transitioning into new industries. The program requires completion with a minimum 3.0 grade point average in all coursework attempted at UAGC. Unlike other public health programs online in Arizona, this MPH is not accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH operates as an independent accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for public health programs.
You must complete a 90-contact-hour practicum with an approved facility and synthesize practical skills and knowledge from your coursework in real-life public health environments. Potential practicum locations include health care offices, public health departments, community health centers and non-profit organizations. You can reduce your practicum requirement by up to 30 hours if you demonstrate substantial prior public health experience relevant to program competencies. This substantiation requires at least three years of full-time employment in public health positions.
Applicants to the program must pay for and clear two Criminal Background Checks through Sterling Infosystems, Inc., at around $24 each. The first occurs before program enrollment, and the second before final practicum site placement approval. Students can only complete practicum hours in states where the program operates. All practicum work must occur within the United States.
Available Concentrations
The program offers two 15-credit tracks. The Generalist track immerses you in core public health disciplines and helps you learn science-practice integration, quantitative foundations, health policy and structural determinants of health. The Health Care Administration track strengthens your qualifications to manage professional teams in health care environments of all types.
Admission Requirements
To transfer credits into the program, your coursework must originate from CEPH-accredited schools or programs. This requirement protects the program’s integrity while recognizing prior relevant education.
Tuition and Cost
UAGC charges $600 per credit for the Master of Public Health. The total program cost reaches $25,200 for 42 credits. Master’s programs at this rate show a total annual budget ranging from $23,417 to $35,067 depending on housing arrangements. Technology fees add $870 each year, while books cost around $930 per year.
Career Outcomes
Beyond your degree, you gain lifetime access to Career Services support that includes resume development, interview preparation and career advising. The university connects students and alumni with nearly 98,000 employers through the Handshake platform, which features more than 64,000 active job postings nationwide. Fall 2025 alone saw 4,845 UAGC students activate Handshake accounts, and 2,047 took action by applying for jobs or attending events.
UAGC hosted a nationwide Virtual Career Fair on March 25, 2026, and connected students with employers in healthcare, public service and technology sectors. Organizations that participated included Mayo Clinic, Blue Cross Blue Shield, State Farm and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
University of Arizona MPH – Applied Epidemiology Concentration
Location: Tucson, AZ
The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics delivers this concentration with a major focus on health problems in communities, groups, and aggregates of people. The program requires 42 total units and maintains the same CEPH accreditation as other University of Arizona MPH concentrations, extending through December 2027.
Full-time students complete the degree in two years, while part-time students finish within three to four years. The average completion time is 2.07 years across all students. The online version targets working professionals and structures coursework so you complete one course every seven and a half weeks.
Available Concentrations
The Applied Epidemiology track has six concentration-specific courses totaling 18 credits that develop knowledge and data analysis skills to pursue careers in applied settings. EPID 572B Applied Epidemiologic Methods expands research methods to apply epidemiological concepts. The course covers research study design, misclassification, bias, survey design, and data analyzes. EPID 572C Analysis of Public Health Data develops skills to analyze and present public health data using epidemiological and biostatistical principles through descriptive statistics, stratified analyzes, regression, and other simple approaches.
BIOS 576B Biostatistics for Research provides intermediate training in biostatistical methods. You’ll cover linear regression, logistic regression, time-to-event survival analysis, and study design. EPID 579 Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology focuses on outbreak investigation, infectious disease surveillance development, and disease control and prevention program administration. EPID 555 Introduction to Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology covers publicly available databases and epidemiological approaches to female reproduction, childhood conditions, and women’s health. HPS 628 Public Health Research and Evaluation provides theoretical introduction and applied experience with research and program evaluation methods.
Admission Requirements
Applied Epidemiology students need one semester of college-level human or general biology beyond standard MPH requirements. The admissions committee reviews your background in biological sciences and mathematics. Long-range goals and commitment to public health and epidemiology factor into acceptance decisions, as does experience or interest in applying epidemiological principles to public health.
Tuition and Cost
The concentration follows the same tuition structure detailed in the general University of Arizona online MPH program. Contact the Graduate Admissions Office for program-specific questions.
Career Outcomes
Epidemiologists earn a median annual salary of $83,980 and need a master’s degree. These public health researchers break down causes and patterns of disease and injury. Many specialize in chronic disease, environmental health, or infectious disease. Program competencies prepare you to interpret findings from multiple studies, assess public health surveillance components, determine appropriate study designs and disease frequency measures, use public health data sources to answer research questions, and communicate key findings to stakeholders.
University of Arizona MPH – Health Services Administration
Location: Phoenix and Tucson
Campus locations in both Tucson and Phoenix make this Health Services Administration concentration available in Arizona’s major metropolitan areas. The program combines public health and health administration coursework through a CEPH-accredited curriculum designed to develop skills to work in health systems, health agencies, third party payers, and health care supply chain organizations. Graduates from this track find employment in governmental and non-governmental settings.
Coursework employs a hybrid of asynchronous and live teaching modalities. The curriculum totals 42 units divided into three components: 16 units of required core courses, 21 units of Health Services Administration-specific courses, and a 5-unit internship. Core subjects span epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, and public health policy and management.
The online MPH program offers a dual degree option with the College of Nursing: the MS-DNP in Executive Health Systems Leadership paired with an MPH in Health Services Administration. This program starts in fall semester and follows different admission requirements and deadlines. Prospective dual-degree students should consult the College of Nursing first to review DNP program eligibility.
Full-time students finish in two years, while part-time enrollment extends completion to three or four years. Actual average completion time measures 2.07 years.
Available Concentrations
Health Services Administration functions as a standalone concentration. The 21-unit concentration curriculum has courses in health care economics and policy, health care marketing, health care quality and safety, and health services administration. Students complete a master’s report as part of their internship requirement.
Admission Requirements
You should possess background in public health or a health services-related field. Alternatively, experience working or volunteering with at least one public health program or health service organization satisfies this expectation.
Tuition and Cost
The program follows standard University of Arizona graduate tuition rates. Arizona residents pay $12,700 in tuition and fees per year, while non-residents pay $23,400. MPH students qualify for federal loans up to $33,000 per year with a lifetime maximum of $224,000.
Career Outcomes
Medical and health services managers earn a median annual salary of $117,960. These professionals plan and oversee health and medical services, often bringing healthcare backgrounds such as nursing. They may manage entire facilities or specific departments.
University of Arizona MPH – Climate Change and Health
Location: Tucson, AZ and Online
Climate change represents humanity’s biggest health threat. It drives droughts, floods, severe storms and wildfires that displace millions and create food insecurity on a massive scale. The concentration launched in Summer 2024 for online students and Fall 2024 for campus-based learners. It addresses these urgent challenges through a 42-unit curriculum. The program holds CEPH accreditation through December 2027. This makes it one of only a few accredited programs focusing on climate change response in the United States.
The structure combines courses from Environmental Health Science, Global Health, One Health, Food Systems, Community Engagement, Policy and Communications departments. You’ll complete 16 units of required core courses and 23 units of Climate Change and Health-specific coursework. A minimum of 3 elective units rounds out the program. The curriculum has EHS 525 A Public Health Lens to Climate Change, CPH 502 Climate and Health, EPID/EHS 545 One Health Foundations and CPH/GHI 532 Food in 2050 and Beyond. You’ll also take CPH/GHI 566 Climate Change and Health Policy, Communication and Community Engagement, along with a 5-unit Master’s Report.
Available Concentrations
Climate Change and Health operate as a focused concentration. Courses span analyzing health and environmental data and collaborating with different sectors to develop trailblazing solutions. You’ll deliver assessments that translate research into action.
Admission Requirements
You need one semester of college-level introductory, human or general biology. This is on top of standard MPH criteria. The admissions committee reviews your work and volunteer experience. They also consider your statement of interest and recommendations.
Tuition and Cost
The concentration follows the standard University of Arizona MPH tuition structure detailed earlier in this piece.
Career Outcomes
You’ll acquire skills to build climate resilience within communities. The program prepares you for roles addressing extreme heat, drought, wildfires and climate-driven health emergencies.
University of Arizona MPH – Global Health Concentration
Location: Tucson, AZ and Online
The Department of Health Promotion Sciences launched this online concentration and began accepting applications for Fall 2023. The program builds on more than twenty years of experience delivering the in-person Global Health program. The curriculum guides you through the history of global responses to health problems and provides understanding of social, political, and economic determinants of health in a global context. Faculty bring depth of experience conducting research internationally and implementing community-based health education programs.
The college’s Global Health Institute supports the program. The Institute has developed partnerships with universities worldwide, supports faculty with global expertise, and promotes unique student opportunities for international study and research. The concentration maintains CEPH accreditation through December 2027.
Available Concentrations
Course offerings include global health, international nutrition, infectious disease epidemiology, and changing health policy. All students take courses focusing on international nutrition, maternal and child health problems, international and government policies, and epidemiology applied to global contexts. You’ll develop an individualized plan of study for your specialized interest area with faculty mentor guidance.
Admission Requirements
The admissions committee looks at work or volunteer experience with underserved populations along with general admission requirements. The concentration encourages people with various professional and academic backgrounds to apply. This includes nurses, nutritionists, social workers, and physicians.
Tuition and Cost
The program charges $35,012 in tuition and fees.
Career Outcomes
Graduates plan and implement international health programs and conduct global public health research.
Start Your Journey to Public Health
Arizona’s different MPH programs offer a wide variety of pathways into the field that, depending on your career goals, you’ll be able to find something to suit you. Most of the programs are CEPH accredited, which, while not required, does ensure your program is held to a high standard. Currently, U of A has 11 separate concentrations you can choose from to build a program where you have the knowledge to make a real difference in this world.
Most of the programs here are available online, so you can take advantage of Arizona’s selection even if you don’t live in the state. Best of luck in your new career!