What percentage of the public health workforce is under age 35?

• A. 36%
• B. 50%
• C. 25%
• D. 10%

Answer: (A)

Understanding age distribution in the public health workforce helps explain how agencies plan training, recruitment, and future leadership. About thirty-six percent of the public health workforce is under thirty-five, meaning a sizable portion are early-career staff. This brings energy, new skills, and fresh ideas for addressing public health challenges, including disparities, but it also highlights the need for mentorship and development to help these workers advance and stay in public health as experienced staff retire. In North Carolina, where local health departments and state agencies rely on a steady influx of new talent, this age mix influences how programs are staffed, how policy is implemented, and how capacity to address disparities is built over time. The remaining options don’t align with typical workforce survey findings, which place the under-35 share in the low-to-mid thirties.