Minnesota ranked as the sixth healthiest state in the country in 2014 according to the United Health Foundation. The state had the third lowest prevalence of diabetes and the second lowest number of cases of hypertension in 2013. Minnesota also ranks as one of the top performing states in public health and injury prevention. In addition, it has very low rates of homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses.
These statistics are a testament to the stellar work of Minnesota’s public health officials, who are well compensated for their dedication and expertise. Through a combination of preventing chronic and infectious diseases through education, environmental health monitoring, and public policy, public health professionals in the state are making an impact on the health of Minnesota’s residents.
The Minnesota Department of Health takes a number of approaches to keeping the state’s residents healthy. Professionals in the Environmental Health Division monitor public drinking water for more than 100 contaminants, enforce health standards to assure safe food, and even evaluate the health risks of eating sport fish that may be contaminated with chemicals. Epidemiologists for the state are aided by clinicians who are obligated to report a number of diseases to the Department of Health, ranging from such naturally occurring diseases as measles and diphtheria to such potential bioterrorism agents as anthrax and smallpox.
Public Health Salaries in Minneapolis-St. Paul
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development provides the median salary for a number of public health professions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area (2014). Highly educated public health officials such as those with a Master of Public Health are likely to earn substantially more than the median because of their high level of expertise.
Community and Social Services
- Community Health Workers – $45,594
- Health Educators – $46,946
- Healthcare Social Workers – $51,064
- Rehabilitation Counselors – $38,646
- Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors – $46,426
Computers and Mathematics
- Statisticians – $82,784
Healthcare Practitioners
- Occupational Health & Safety Specialists – $68,890
Life and Social Sciences
- Biological Scientists – $64,667
- Environmental Scientists & Specialists – $64,792
- Epidemiologists – $73,819
- Microbiologists – $67,226
- Social Science Research Assistants – $47,986
- Social Scientists – $65,603
Public Administration
- Social & Community Service Managers – $63,066
A Comparison of Public Health Professional Salaries in Minnesota
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a detailed breakdown of the hourly and annual salaries by percentile for public health professionals throughout Minnesota for 2014.
