Top 10 Free Online Public Health Degrees 2025

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the importance of public health professionals became abundantly clear. Many colleges and universities offer public health degrees for those wanting to go into this field.

Of these, several offer affordable online public health degrees and a few have financial aid programs that can eliminate tuition costs for eligible students. Keep reading to discover the top 10 free online public health degrees for 2025.

Free Online Public Health Degree Programs

The cost of a college degree has been overwhelming in recent years, and to help combat that, many state governments, tuition-free colleges, and low-cost online schools in the U.S. have begun offering programs that cover tuition costs for qualifying students. Typically, these programs cover online learning as well. Below, we've highlighted some online bachelor's degree in public health that can be free with certain financial assistance programs.

1. Delaware State University

Delaware State University is a public HBCU in Dover, DE. It offers an online Bachelor of Science degree in public health that includes courses on:

• global public health
• infectious diseases
• public health education and promotion
• public health research

Students who graduated from a Delaware high school may qualify for the Inspire Scholarship. This full tuition scholarship is offered to full-time undergraduate students and requires 10 hours of community service each semester.

2. Eastern Illinois University

At Eastern Illinois University, students can earn an online BS in public health with a concentration in community health. EIU is a public university in Charleston, IL.

This degree offers core coursework on epidemiology, planning health programs, health services administration, and community health behavior. It also offers electives on topics like women's health, addiction, and disaster preparedness for public health.

The EIU Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it covers any tuition and fees remaining after other scholarships and grants, like the Federal Pell Grant, have been applied. Students must be full-time undergraduate students and residents of Illinois with an annual family-adjusted gross income (AGI) of $80,000 or less.

3. Empire State University

Empire State University offers a BS in public health to online students. This program covers the fundamentals of public health, including community health, epidemiology, health disparities, and epidemics.

Empire State University is a public institution in Saratoga Springs, NY, and a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Because it's a public school, students here may be able to use the state's Excelsior Scholarship, a last-dollar scholarship for New York residents with an AGI of $125,000 or less.

4. New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University is a public research institution in Las Cruces, NM. It offers an online Bachelor of Public Health (BPH), Master of Public Health (MPH), and a public health certificate program. These programs include coursework on:

• biostatistics
• environmental health
• global health
• public health policy

Undergraduate students may qualify to have their online courses covered through the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship. This is a last-dollar scholarship for New Mexico residents studying at public universities or colleges in the state.

5. Portland State University

Students at Portland State University can earn a bachelor's degree in public health studies or a master's degree in public health practice online. PSU is a public research university in Portland, OR, and offers these programs through its School of Public Health.

The bachelor's program offers courses on topics such as environmental health, program planning, health equity, and more. The master's degree is more for those already in healthcare and health sciences careers and offers courses on epidemiology, climate change and human health, and public health program management.

Oregon residents who are eligible for Pell Grant may qualify for PSU's Tuition-Free Degree program. This is a last-dollar program for undergraduate students.

6. San Diego State University

San Diego State University offers an online BS in public health that includes coursework on biostatistics, global health, and public health research. It also offers a Master of Public Health with optional concentrations in epidemiology or health promotion and behavioral science.

SDSU is a public research university in San Diego. California residents who meet the income requirements may qualify for full tuition coverage through the CalGrant; income requirements vary based on family size. Those who aren't eligible may qualify for the State University Grant, if they have an expected family contribution of $4,000 or less.

7. Texas Woman's University

Texas Woman's University is a public, co-ed school in Denton, TX. It offers an online BS in public health and an MPH, the latter of which focuses on rural health. The bachelor's program includes courses on:

• community health
• public health education
• public health issues and interventions
• public health research

Through TWU's Zero Tuition Guarantee, Pell Grant-eligible students may not pay anything in tuition. This last-dollar program requires students to be Texas residents and undergraduate students enrolled full-time.

8. University of Cincinnati

At the University of Cincinnati, students can earn a BS in public health online. It's a public research institution in Cincinnati.

The bachelor's degree includes courses on community health, health disparities, global health, and health education. While the university doesn't offer an online MPH, it does offer an online Master of Science in community health and prevention science.

Graduates of Cincinnati public schools can take advantage of the Cincinnati Pride Grant. This is a last-dollar program for Pell Grant-eligible students.

9. University of Missouri

The University of Missouri offers an online Bachelor of Health Science in public health. This program covers topics like environmental health, epidemiology, health education, and health policy.

Mizzou is a public research university in Columbia, MO. It offers the Missouri Land Grant to help Pell Grant-eligible Missouri students cover the cost of tuition for their undergraduate degrees.

10. Washburn University

Washburn University is a public institution in Topeka, KS. It offers an online Bachelor of Public Health degree that includes coursework on:

• current public health issues
• health psychology
• public health policy
• public health program planning

The university offers two different scholarships that can cover tuition. The Northeast Kansas Advantage scholarship is a last-dollar scholarship for students from 16 northeast Kansas counties, while the Shawnee County Promise is specifically for students from Shawnee County.

FAQs About Online Public Health Courses and Degrees

Below, we've answered a few frequently asked questions about online public health courses and degrees.

Is an Online Public Health Degree Valuable?

An online public health degree can be very valuable. It can lead to careers such as:

• community health worker
• epidemiologist
• environmental health professional
• public health educator

How Can I Tell if a Free Online Public Health Degree Program is Accredited?

The best way to tell if your public health degree program is accredited is to do a quick internet search for the school's accreditation. You want to look at schools that are regionally accredited.

Generally, all public schools are accredited. Schools that are not accredited cannot use federal or state student aid.

What Can I Get Out of a Free Online Public Health Course?

A free online course is a great way to learn the foundations of public health. You can also use these courses to focus on specific aspects of public health, like epidemiology or community health.

Platforms like Coursera and edX offer high-quality online courses from well-known institutions like Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University. These platforms often let you audit courses for free, and you can usually proceed through these courses at your own pace.

Find Affordable Online Degree Programs Today

Start your career in public health by exploring the online programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools today to learn more about their online programs and financial aid options.