Massachusetts · Verified September 2026

MPH Programs in Massachusetts

Where Can You Earn an MPH in Massachusetts?

12 schools in Massachusetts offer 17 MPH programs we verified, including American International College, Bay Path University and Boston University. 13 can be taken online. Published tuition runs from $610 to $2,040 per credit.

Researched and edited by Taylor Rupe · Updated September 28, 2026

Rowing crews and a tour boat on the Charles River under heavy clouds, with Boston apartment towers along the far bank — Photo: Jack Sherman / Pexels

Who Employs Public Health Graduates in Massachusetts

Massachusetts delivers much of its public health work town by town, which shapes the jobs available to you. The Department of Public Health (DPH) runs statewide programs, and its Office of Local and Regional Health supports the local health departments that handle housing, food, pool and camp inspections, disease follow-up and emergency response in each community.

That local system has been rebuilt since the pandemic. Under a 2020 law, DPH set the first statewide performance standards, credentials and training requirements for local health departments in October 2023. In all, 305 municipalities took part in the capacity assessment behind the standards. DPH put $13.8 million in FY23 grants into more than 300 municipalities to fund shared services, where towns pool staff and expertise, and it is supporting 10 field training hubs. For you, that means more regional roles in planning, data and workforce training, not only inspection jobs.

Credentials You Can Earn in Massachusetts

Two state credentials sit alongside an MPH. Certified Health Officer and Registered Sanitarian credentials have been run by the Office of Local and Regional Health since January 1, 2023. And the Board of Certification of Community Health Workers, inside DPH, offers voluntary CHW certification for people working in public health and health care. If you plan to supervise or train CHWs, the community health worker career guide explains the role, and a community health MPH is the closest academic match.

Massachusetts MPH Schools Compared

12 schools in Massachusetts offer an MPH or a related public health master's degree. 8 are on the CEPH accredited list.

School	MPH programs	Formats	CEPH	Lowest per credit	Credits
University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst · Public	4 + 5	Campus, Online	Accredited	$675	42
Harvard UniversityCambridge · Private nonprofit	3 + 7	Campus, Online, Hybrid	Accredited		45
Boston UniversityBoston · Private nonprofit	2 + 4	Campus, Online	Accredited		42
Northeastern UniversityBoston · Private nonprofit	2	Hybrid, Online	Accredited		42
Bay Path UniversityLongmeadow · Private nonprofit	1	Online			42
MCPHS UniversityBoston · Private nonprofit	1	Online, Campus	Accredited		42
Regis CollegeWeston · Private nonprofit	1	Online			42
Simmons UniversityBoston · Private nonprofit	1	Online	Accredited		42
Tufts UniversityMedford · Private nonprofit	1	Campus, Online, Hybrid	Accredited	$2,040	42
University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell · Public	1	Online, Hybrid	Accredited	$610	42
American International CollegeSpringfield · Private nonprofit	0 + 1
Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover · Private nonprofit	0 + 1

"+" counts related public health master's degrees (MS, MSPH, MHS). Per-credit rates as each school publishes them, reviewed September 2026.

What an MPH Costs in Massachusetts

5 Massachusetts MPH programs publish both a per-credit rate and the credits you need, so you can estimate tuition before fees. Estimates run from $25,620 to $85,680. The median published rate in Massachusetts is $675 per credit, against $842 for the 213 MPH programs nationwide that publish one.

Program	Per credit	Credits	Estimated tuition
University of Massachusetts-Lowell: Master of Public HealthMaster of Public Health	$610	42	$25,620
University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Online MPH in Public Health PracticeOnline MPH in Public Health Practice	$675	42	$28,350
University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Online MPH in Global HealthOnline MPH in Global Health	$675	42	$28,350
University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Online MPH Worcester Program (with UMass Chan Medical School)Online MPH Worcester Program (with UMass Chan Medical School)	$675	42	$28,350
Tufts University: Master of Public Health (MPH)Master of Public Health (MPH)	$2,040	42	$85,680

Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the published credits, before fees. Public schools usually charge non-residents more. Turn any program into a full cost and loan estimate with the MPH cost and loan calculator.

Largest Public Health Programs in Massachusetts

By public health master's degrees awarded in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS), Harvard University has Massachusetts's largest program, followed by Boston University and MCPHS University. Size tells you how many classmates, electives and alumni to expect, not how good a program is.

School	Public health master's awarded, 2022-23
Harvard University	800
Boston University	674
MCPHS University	224
University of Massachusetts-Amherst	214
Tufts University	182
University of Massachusetts-Lowell	108
Northeastern University	92
Simmons University	52

Public Health Pay in Massachusetts

Among the public health jobs an MPH leads to, medical and health services managers earn the highest median pay in Massachusetts, $134,360. Epidemiologists earn a median $115,890 (33% above u.s.), 1st of 43 states with a published figure, across 660 jobs.

Job	Median	vs U.S. median	State rank	Jobs
Epidemiologists	$115,890	33% above U.S.	1st of 43	660
Statisticians (including biostatisticians)	$96,710	8% below U.S.	25th of 46	2,480
Health education specialists	$57,510	10% below U.S.	44th of 53	2,420
Community health workers	$55,560	7% above U.S.	13th of 52	2,970
Occupational health and safety specialists	$103,970	15% above U.S.	2nd of 53	3,390
Health information technologists and medical registrars	$81,420	20% above U.S.	7th of 51	880
Medical and health services managers	$134,360	8% above U.S.	10th of 54	17,600

Annual wages in Massachusetts, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. A high median on few jobs describes a small market, so read pay beside the job count.

Online MPH Options for Massachusetts Residents

You aren't limited to schools in Massachusetts: 245 online MPH programs at schools in other states accept students nationwide. Before you apply, confirm on the school's site that it can enroll Massachusetts residents online. These CEPH-accredited online programs have the lowest estimated tuition of any online MPH that publishes a per-credit rate and its credits:

Program	Per credit	Estimated tuition
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston: Master of Public HealthTexas	$287	$12,915
University of West Florida: Master of Public Health (online)Florida	$386	$16,206
University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Master of Public HealthNevada	$383	$18,013
Georgia State University: Master of Public HealthGeorgia	$464	$19,488
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University: Master of Public HealthNew York	$471	$19,782

Compare every option on the online MPH programs page, or let the program matcher rank them for you.

Choosing Among Massachusetts’ MPH Programs

Massachusetts gives you unusual choice: 17 MPH programs at 10 schools, and 16 of the state’s 35 public health master’s programs can be taken online. Most sit at CEPH-accredited schools; the MPH programs at Bay Path University and Regis College do not, which matters for federal jobs and some agency roles.

Harvard and Boston University are the big research schools. Harvard awarded 800 public health master’s degrees in 2022-23 and BU 674, the two largest totals in the state. Harvard’s on-campus MPH is 45 credits over one year full time at $77,400 per year, with fields from quantitative methods to occupational and environmental health. BU’s online MPH is the standout value among the private schools: $25,000 in total tuition, whether you finish in 24 months or five years, with no GRE.

The UMass campuses are the public options. UMass Amherst runs a campus MPH plus three online MPH programs at $675 per credit, including a Worcester program with UMass Chan Medical School with biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health and nutrition tracks. UMass Lowell charges $610 per credit online for a 42-credit MPH with epidemiology, social and behavioral science, healthcare management and dietetics options, the lowest published rate in the state.

Tufts, Northeastern, Simmons and MCPHS fill the middle. Tufts charges $2,040 per credit, the highest rate in the state, but offers a 12-month accelerated option for some concentrations. Northeastern has a one-year accelerated online MPH, and Simmons an accelerated 15-month online track. MCPHS takes applications directly with fall, spring or summer starts, a useful option if you miss the SOPHAS cycle that Harvard, Tufts and UMass Amherst use.

What to Weigh Before You Apply

Price spreads widely: estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) runs from $25,620 at UMass Lowell to $85,680 at Tufts. If you want the lowest total, compare Lowell, Amherst’s online programs and BU’s flat $25,000. If you want to work in Massachusetts local public health, look for practicum placements with a local health department or regional shared-services group, since that’s where the state has been adding capacity. And if speed matters most, the accelerated MPH programs page lists the one-year options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Massachusetts Certify Community Health Workers?

Yes, on a voluntary basis. The Board of Certification of Community Health Workers, within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, certifies CHWs working in public health and health care, and approves CHW training programs and continuing education courses.

What Is the Most Affordable MPH in Massachusetts?

By published price, the online programs. UMass Lowell charges $610 per credit online plus a $30 term registration fee, an estimated $25,620 in tuition over 42 credits, and Boston University's online MPH is $25,000 in total tuition however long you take.

What Changed for Local Public Health in Massachusetts in 2023?

In October 2023 the Department of Public Health set statewide performance standards, credentials and workforce training requirements for local health departments for the first time, under a 2020 law that strengthened the local and regional public health system.

How Many MPH Programs Are in Massachusetts?

We verified 17 MPH programs and 18 related public health master's degrees at 12 schools in Massachusetts; 8 of those schools are CEPH accredited.

Which Massachusetts Schools Have CEPH-Accredited Public Health Programs?

Boston University, Harvard University, MCPHS University, Northeastern University, Simmons University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts-Amherst and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Can Massachusetts Residents Earn an MPH Online?

Yes. Beyond Massachusetts's own programs, 245 online MPH programs at schools in other states are open to students nationwide; check each program's state authorization for Massachusetts residents. Online MPH programs.

How Much Do Epidemiologists and Public Health Workers Earn in Massachusetts?

Epidemiologists: median $115,890; Statisticians (including biostatisticians): median $96,710; Health education specialists: median $57,510 (BLS, May 2025).

Nearby States

Sources

Official program pages of the 12 Massachusetts schools listed, reviewed September 2026
Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025