Public Health: American Public University System vs Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
17.5x
$33,600 tuition
13.9x
$51,584 tuition
Out-of-State
17.5x
$33,600 tuition
5.3x
$135,004 tuition
$587,576 10-yr earnings · Private for-profit
$718,682 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

American Public University System Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.5x 13.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 17.5x 5.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $51,584
Year 1 Earnings $47,100 $52,540
10-Year Earnings $588K $719K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 65/100 63/100

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Public Health graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Public Health graduates.

American Public University System Colorado State University-Fort Collins
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $51,584
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $33,600 $135,004
10-Year Projected Earnings $588K $719K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.5x 13.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 17.5x 5.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +35% +58%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Public Health (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

American Public University System Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $592K $588K $530K $729K $719K $621K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.6x 17.5x 15.8x 14.1x 13.9x 12.0x
DegreeWorth Score 65 65 59 63 63 56

For the full AI analysis of Public Health career paths, see the American Public University System or Colorado State University-Fort Collins program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Public Health graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$17,984
American Public University System saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,440/yr
Colorado State University-Fort Collins grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.5x / 13.9x
Out-of-state: 17.5x / 5.3x

Career Paths

Public Health graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Physicists $166,290 1,700 +4.0% 75%
Medical and health services managers $117,960 62,100 +23.2% 43%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620 27,400 +17.3% 48%
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590 9,600 +8.7% 52%
Genetic counselors $98,910 300 +9.3% 50%
Physics teachers, postsecondary $97,360 1,300 +2.5% 42%
Epidemiologists $83,980 800 +16.2% 44%
Occupational health and safety specialists $83,910 14,900 +12.5% 33%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

More Public Health Comparisons

Public Health Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Public Health: American Public University System or Colorado State University-Fort Collins?
American Public University System scores 65/100 while Colorado State University-Fort Collins scores 63/100. American Public University System has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Public Health?
American Public University System has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.5x vs Colorado State University-Fort Collins's 13.9x. That means American Public University System grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do American Public University System and Colorado State University-Fort Collins compare on Public Health earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $47,100 at American Public University System vs $52,540 at Colorado State University-Fort Collins. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $587,576 vs $718,682 — a difference of $131,106.
How much does Public Health cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $33,600 at American Public University System and $51,584 at Colorado State University-Fort Collins. Both programs lead to the same Public Health career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.