The state of Oklahoma has been aggressively working to improve the health of its residents through its Healthy Oklahoma 2020 strategic plan. Since the report was first issued in 2010, Oklahoma has made major gains in critical health metrics, including reductions in the rate of infant mortality and reductions in the use of tobacco among both adults and adolescents.
Oklahoma spent more than $168.2 million on public health in fiscal year 2013-14, while the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) spent an additional $88.5 million that year. This level of public health spending directly impacts the availability of jobs for professionals in this field, and helps to raise the bar on the salaries they are offered.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is the preeminent public health agency in the state, operating a sophisticated web-based platform for disease reporting to facilitate the surveillance of infectious diseases. Oklahoma’s Administrative Code requires clinicians to report certain diseases immediately, including measles, rabies, and suspected cases of bioterrorism. Epidemiologists report emergent infections to healthcare providers and partner agencies through the Oklahoma Health Alert Network.
Environmental health specialists in Oklahoma investigate and consult on such critical topics as possible foodborne diseases and potential cases of exposure to rabies.
A variety of stakeholders in Oklahoma’s public health system contribute to improving the health of the state’s residents. They range from state and local public health officials to healthcare providers to academic researchers and health policy administrators, all of which are well compensated for their unique expertise.
A Look at Public Health Salaries for Professionals in Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission provides the salary ranges for a number of public health professionals who were employed in the Oklahoma City metropolitan statistical area in 2014. Professionals with advanced degrees such as a Master of Public Health are likely to earn on the high end of the salary scales shown here:
A Salary Analysis for Public Health Professionals Throughout Oklahoma
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a detailed breakdown of the hourly wages and annual salaries of a number of different types of public health professionals who worked in Oklahoma in 2014:
