Oregon · Verified September 2026

MPH Programs in Oregon

Where Can You Earn an MPH in Oregon?

3 schools in Oregon offer 12 MPH programs we verified, including National University of Natural Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University. 3 can be taken online.

Researched and edited by · Updated

Snow-covered Mount Hood glowing pink at sunset above floating homes and a marina on a channel of the Columbia River in Portland
Photo: John De Leon / Pexels

How Oregon’s Public Health System Hires

The Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division oversees the system, but county-based local public health authorities and Tribes deliver most services. OHA funds them through Financial Assistance Agreements tied to specific program deliverables. It reviews them through its Policy and Partnerships unit and coordinates with the Conference of Local Health Officials. If you want field epidemiology, communicable disease or environmental health work, your likely employer is a county health authority.

Oregon is also in the middle of rebuilding that system. Under public health modernization, each local authority completes an assessment and a modernization plan, and the Public Health Advisory Board tracks progress with accountability metrics. The goal is an equity-centered system. The effort includes grants to community-based organizations and regional partnerships between local and Tribal health authorities. If you like program planning, evaluation and community partnership work, that’s where much of Oregon’s new public health activity sits.

Two Universities and a Quarter-Credit System

Oregon’s MPH market is small and concentrated. The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, shared by Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State, offers 10 MPH programs. Oregon State University in Corvallis offers two. They’re close in size: Oregon State awarded 178 public health master’s degrees in 2022-23 and OHSU 174.

Both schools run on quarters, which is why Oregon programs list 54 to 62 credits instead of the 42 you see elsewhere. Oregon State puts it plainly: 18 quarter credits equal 12 semester credits. Application is simple too. 14 of Oregon’s 15 programs use SOPHAS, and 12 say the GRE isn’t required. See the SOPHAS guide before you start.

Oregon MPH Schools Compared

3 schools in Oregon offer an MPH or a related public health master's degree. 2 are on the CEPH accredited list.

SchoolMPH programsFormatsCEPHLowest per creditCredits
Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland · Public10 + 2Campus, OnlineAccredited54–62
Oregon State UniversityCorvallis · Public2Campus, OnlineAccredited56
National University of Natural MedicinePortland · Private nonprofit0 + 1

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

15 programs in Oregon

Program facts come from each school's own program pages, reviewed September 2026. Tuition is the school's published figure with its basis; per-credit sorting uses programs that publish a per-credit rate. CEPH status comes from the CEPH accredited list.

Largest Public Health Programs in Oregon

By public health master's degrees awarded in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS), Oregon State University has Oregon's largest program, followed by Oregon Health & Science University and National University of Natural Medicine. Size tells you how many classmates, electives and alumni to expect, not how good a program is.

SchoolPublic health master's awarded, 2022-23
Oregon State University178
Oregon Health & Science University174
National University of Natural Medicine6

Public Health Pay in Oregon

Among the public health jobs an MPH leads to, medical and health services managers earn the highest median pay in Oregon, $141,690. Epidemiologists earn a median $93,620 (7% above u.s.), 11th of 43 states with a published figure, across 140 jobs.

JobMedianvs U.S. medianState rankJobs
Epidemiologists$93,6207% above U.S.11th of 43140
Statisticians (including biostatisticians)$93,62011% below U.S.28th of 46600
Health education specialists$75,50018% above U.S.8th of 53840
Community health workers$53,3503% above U.S.17th of 521,980
Occupational health and safety specialists$95,2406% above U.S.14th of 531,820
Health information technologists and medical registrars$86,23027% above U.S.6th of 51660
Medical and health services managers$141,69014% above U.S.6th of 545,550

Annual wages in Oregon, 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 Oregon Residents

You aren't limited to schools in Oregon: 255 online MPH programs at schools in other states accept students nationwide. Before you apply, confirm on the school's site that it can enroll Oregon 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:

ProgramPer creditEstimated 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.

What Out-of-State Students Pay Online

Oregon State’s online MPH charges the same rate wherever you live. Ecampus lists $609 per credit with no extra charge for nonresident students. You need 56 quarter credits, including a 4-credit internship for applied practice. You have up to seven years, though most students finish in two to four. If you live outside Oregon, that flat rate means you pay what an Oregonian pays. Compare it on the online MPH programs page or with the affordable MPH list.

The OHSU-PSU Online Public Health Practice MPH is the faster route. It offers a two-year format or a 12-month accelerated format, with no GRE.

OHSU-PSU or Oregon State: Which Fits You

  • Choose OHSU-PSU for a specialized campus degree in Portland. It runs separate MPHs in Epidemiology (60 credits), Biostatistics (54 to 60), Health Promotion, Environmental Systems and Human Health, and Health Systems Management and Policy (62). Its Health Management and Policy students take a median 21 to 24 months full time or 33 months part time.
  • Choose Oregon State for breadth in one program. Its campus MPH offers Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, Global Health, Health Promotion and Health Behavior, and Health Systems and Policy. It takes six quarters full time, and some tracks finish in as few as 21 months.
  • Consider the non-CEPH alternative carefully. National University of Natural Medicine in Portland offers a 62-credit online MS in Global Health at $538 per credit. It isn’t on CEPH’s list, which the CEPH accreditation guide explains.

Traditional Health Worker Certification

Oregon certifies community health workers through OHA’s Traditional Health Worker program, which also covers peer support specialists, peer wellness specialists, personal health navigators, birth doulas and Tribal traditional health workers. A CHW must be at least 18, finish OHA-approved CHW training plus oral health training, and pass a background check. Renewal comes every three years with at least 20 hours of continuing education, three of them on suicide risk assessment and management. If you plan to run outreach programs in Oregon, you’ll likely supervise certified THWs. The community health worker career page covers the pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Out-of-State Students Pay More for Oregon State's Online MPH?

No. Oregon State Ecampus lists $609 per credit for its online MPH with no additional charge for nonresident students. You need 56 quarter credits, and you have up to seven years to finish.

How Do Community Health Workers Get Certified in Oregon?

The Oregon Health Authority certifies them as Traditional Health Workers. You must be at least 18, complete OHA-approved CHW training and oral health training, and pass a background check. Certification renews every three years with at least 20 hours of continuing education.

Why Do Oregon MPH Programs Have So Many Credits?

Oregon's programs count quarter credits, not semester credits. Oregon State notes that 18 quarter credits equal 12 semester credits, so its 56-credit online MPH is roughly a standard-length degree.

How Many MPH Programs Are in Oregon?

We verified 12 MPH programs and 3 related public health master's degrees at 3 schools in Oregon; 2 of those schools are CEPH accredited.

Which Oregon Schools Have CEPH-Accredited Public Health Programs?

Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University.

Can Oregon Residents Earn an MPH Online?

Yes. Beyond Oregon's own programs, 255 online MPH programs at schools in other states are open to students nationwide; check each program's state authorization for Oregon residents. Online MPH programs.

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

Epidemiologists: median $93,620; Statisticians (including biostatisticians): median $93,620; Health education specialists: median $75,500 (BLS, May 2025).

Nearby States

Sources

  1. Official program pages of the 3 Oregon schools listed, reviewed September 2026
  2. Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025

Every program here was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation comes from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) list, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list. How we verify programs