Recommended citation: Public health’s youngest: perspectives of the workforce age 35 and under. Bethesda, MD: de Beaumont Foundation; 2025. https://debeaumont.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Workforce-Age-35-and-Under-Brief.pdf
One-quarter of state and local government public health employees are age 35 years and under, according to PH WINS 2024. Concerningly, nearly a third of these young professionals said they intended to leave their agencies in the next year, a proportion higher than that of older employees. By understanding and responding to the needs, characteristics, and strengths of the young workforce, public health departments can improve the retention of this population of future leaders. Read the research brief, published in May 2025.
Key findings:
- One in four (25%) of the state and local government public health workforce is 35 years of age and younger
- Many young professionals come to government public health from another job (70%), and over six in ten (64%) are attracted to the ability to do meaningful work and serve others
- Nearly one in three young professionals (29%) intend to leave their agency in the next year
- More than one-third (36%) of the 35 and under workforce earn post-secondary public health degrees, compared to 17% of their older counterparts