How to Make Six Figures in Public Health (Without Burning Out)

05/08/25 • 18 min

In this powerful and transparent episode, Dr. Des tackles one of the most-asked questions in public health: "How do I get to six figures?" Whether you’re an early-career professional, a seasoned expert stuck at a salary ceiling, or someone curious about side hustles and consulting, this episode is your no-fluff blueprint. Dr. Des shares her personal journey—from making $36K in public health to bringing in six figures from consulting—and breaks down the mindset shifts, overlooked opportunities, and real strategies that helped her and her students reach new income levels.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🔑 Why mindset is the first step to breaking income ceilings in social impact careers
📍 Where six-figure public health jobs are really hiding (hint: it’s not always the CDC)
💼 How to leverage your skills for consulting and freelance opportunities
🧠 Why it’s time to drop the scarcity mindset and shift into strategic career planning
🛠️ The practical blueprint you’ll need to scale your income—with or without a promotion

Mentioned in this Episode:

Join the Public Health Club and start making the right moves to elevate your income!
🎯 Free Training: The Six-Figure Public Health Career Blueprint – May 14th
💬 The Public Health Club: Join for mentorship, consulting opportunities, and workshops
💼 Dr. Des’s personal story of going from underpaid to thriving through a health equity consulting contract
🔁 The power of using public health skills in nontraditional sectors like tech, insurance, and social impact

Join the Movement:
Get inspired. Take action. And surround yourself with other public health professionals who are building lives filled with purpose and prosperity. Whether you need help navigating job transitions, want to launch your consulting side hustle, or just need someone to remind you that six figures is possible—you’re in the right place.

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🔑 Why mindset is the first step to breaking income ceilings in social impact careers
📍 Where six-figure public health jobs are really hiding (hint: it’s not always the CDC)
💼 How to leverage your skills for consulting and freelance opportunities
🧠 Why it’s time to drop the scarcity mindset and shift into strategic career planning
🛠️ The practical blueprint you’ll need to scale your income—with or without a promotion

Mentioned in this Episode:

Join the Public Health Club and start making the right moves to elevate your income!
🎯 Free Training: The Six-Figure Public Health Career Blueprint – May 14th
💬 The Public Health Club: Join for mentorship, consulting opportunities, and workshops
💼 Dr. Des’s personal story of going from underpaid to thriving through a health equity consulting contract
🔁 The power of using public health skills in nontraditional sectors like tech, insurance, and social impact

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

Previous Episode

Is it Time To Quit Your Job? Public Health Edition

In this solo episode, Dr. Des takes you deep into the real talk behind job promotions and career pivots. From her first promotion at the Florida Department of Health to launching a consulting career, she unpacks the unglamorous truth behind getting ahead in public health. You’ll hear about the power of a digital portfolio, why you might have to apply for a promotion (even when you’re already doing the work), and how to tell when it’s time to move on from a job that’s no longer serving you. Whether you're feeling stuck, underpaid, or just ready for your next step, this episode will help you get clear—and get moving.

Key Takeaways:

💼 Promotions in Public Health Aren’t Always Guaranteed: Unlike some industries, public health doesn’t always offer a clear path to advancement—you often have to apply and compete, even internally.
📁 Build a Digital Portfolio: Dr. Des shares how her collection of saved work—GIS maps, RFPs, presentations—helped her land both jobs and her first consulting contract.
📉 Don’t Wait for Fairness—Build Your Leverage: You may be the most qualified, but if you’re underpaid or overlooked, focus on stacking your skills and resume to pivot up or out.
🚪 Knowing When to Leave: When your job becomes repetitive, unfulfilling, or stalls your salary growth, it may be time to move on—even if the benefits are decent.
🧭 Get Mentorship and Be Proactive: Investing in mentors, joining communities like the Public Health Club, and taking initiative (even when unpaid) can create new leadership and income opportunities.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Public Health Club – Get access to mentorship sessions, workshops, and the digital portfolio training
How to use informational interviews on LinkedIn to connect with potential mentors
Dr. Des’s own leap from administrator to consultant—and what sparked the shift

Join the Public Health Club for a free 7-day trial and access the Digital Portfolio Workshop. Whether you're job hunting, preparing to pivot, or trying to position yourself for a promotion, the tools and community are here to help you thrive.

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

Next Episode

3 Tech Jobs for Public Health Professionals That Pay Big—No Coding Needed

In this episode of The Dr. Des Show, we explore how public health professionals can pivot into high-paying roles in the tech industry—without needing a coding bootcamp. Dr. Des breaks down three career paths you might not have considered, shares how your existing skills already align, and offers practical strategies to start applying today. If you've done community assessments, program planning, or compliance work, there's a place for you in tech—and this episode is your roadmap.

What You’ll Learn:

Why tech is one of the fastest-growing opportunities for public health professionals
The 3 tech roles you can get with a public health background:
1. UX Researcher – Learn how your qualitative evaluation skills translate into product usability work
2. Data Product Manager – Discover how your program and KPI experience aligns with product and platform strategy
3. Digital Health Ethics & Privacy Consultant – Explore how HIPAA, compliance, and policy knowledge are in demand at startups and tech companies
How to reframe your resume language to speak the language of tech recruiters
Salary ranges for each role (ranging from $95K to $140K+)
Why networking and visibility (not just job boards) are essential to finding hidden tech opportunities

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Public Health Ideal Career Quiz
Public Health and Tech Workshop inside The Public Health Club
The Business of Public Health Summit

Action Steps:

Take the Public Health Ideal Career Quiz
Join the Public Health Club to access workshops and virtual rooms to build your tech readiness
Rework your resume using the job description as your cheat code
Start telling people about your skills—especially on LinkedIn

Quotable Moment:

“When you think about tech, I want you to think: I can do that. Because your skills are needed—and they’re wanted.”

Subscribe & Share:
If this episode sparked ideas for your next career move, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a public health friend who needs to hear it!

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/