Epidemiologists

Summary

What Epidemiologists Do About this section

Epidemiologists monitor infectious diseases, bioterrorism threats, and other problem areas for public health agencies.

Epidemiologists are public health workers who investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury. They seek to reduce the risk and occurrence of negative health outcomes through research, community education and health policy.

Duties

Epidemiologists typically do the following:

• Plan and direct studies of public health problems to find ways to prevent them or to treat them if they arise
• Collect and analyze information—including data from observations, interviews, surveys, and samples of blood or other bodily fluids—to find the causes of diseases or other health problems
• Communicate findings to health practitioners, policymakers, and the public
• Manage programs through planning, monitoring progress, and seeking ways to improve
• Supervise professional, technical, and clerical personnel
• Write grant proposals to fund research

Epidemiologists collect and analyze data to investigate health issues. For example, an epidemiologist might study demographic data to determine groups at high risk for a particular disease. They also may research trends in populations of survivors of certain diseases, such as cancer, to identify effective treatments.

Epidemiologists typically work in applied public health or in research. Applied epidemiologists work for state and local governments, often addressing public health problems through education outreach and survey efforts in communities. Research epidemiologists typically work for universities or in affiliation with federal agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Epidemiologists who work in private industry may conduct research for health insurance providers or pharmaceutical companies. Those in nonprofit companies often focus on public health advocacy instead of research, which is expected to be unbiased.

Epidemiologists typically specialize in one or more public health areas, including the following:

• Chronic diseases
• Environmental health
• Genetic and molecular epidemiology
• Infectious diseases
• Injury
• Maternal and child health
• Mental health
• Public health preparedness and emergency response
• Veterinary epidemiology

For more information on occupations that concentrate on the biology or effects of disease, see the profiles for biochemists and biophysicists, medical scientists, microbiologists, and physicians and surgeons.

Work Environment About this section

Field work may require interaction with sick patients, yet safety precautions ensure that the likelihood of exposure to disease is minimal.

Epidemiologists held about 12,300 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of epidemiologists were as follows:

Work environments vary because of the diverse nature of epidemiological specializations. Epidemiologists typically work in offices and laboratories to study data and prepare reports. They also may work in clinical settings or the field, supporting emergency actions.

Epidemiologists working in the field may need to be active in the community, including traveling to support education efforts or to administer studies and surveys. Because modern science has reduced the prevalence of infectious disease in developed countries, infectious disease epidemiologists often travel to remote areas and developing nations in order to carry out their studies.

Epidemiologists encounter minimal risk when working in laboratories or in the field, because they have received appropriate training and take precautions before interacting with samples or patients.

Work Schedules

Epidemiologists who work full time and typically have a standard schedule. Occasionally, epidemiologists may have to work irregular schedules in order to complete fieldwork or attend to duties during public health emergencies.

How to Become an Epidemiologist About this section

Epidemiologists typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation.

Epidemiologists typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation. They may have a master’s degree in public health (MPH) or a related field, and some have completed a doctoral degree in epidemiology or medicine.

Education

Epidemiologists typically need at least a master’s degree. The degree may be in a range of fields or specializations, although a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in epidemiology is common. Epidemiologists who direct research projects—including those who work as postsecondary teachers in colleges and universities—often have a Ph.D. or medical degree in their chosen field.

To enter graduate programs in epidemiology, applicants typically need a bachelor's degree in a field such as biology, public policy and social services, or social science. Epidemiology programs include coursework in public health, biological and physical sciences, and math and statistics. Topics of study may include comparative healthcare systems, medical informatics, and survey and study design.

Master’s degree programs in public health, as well as other programs that are specific to epidemiology, may require students to complete an internship or practicum that typically ranges in length from a semester to a year. Internships and other training opportunities are available at federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Some epidemiologists have degrees in both epidemiology and medicine. These scientists often focus on clinical work. In medical school, students spend most of their first 2 years in laboratories and classrooms, taking courses such as anatomy, microbiology, and pathology. Medical students also learn to take medical histories, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses.

Important Qualities

The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page.

Communication skills. Epidemiologists use speaking and writing skills to inform officials and the public, such as for community outreach activities to explain health risks. They also must be able to convey information effectively to other health workers.

Critical-thinking skills. Epidemiologists must be able to consider a variety of resources in responding to a public health problem or health-related emergency.

Detail oriented. Epidemiologists must be precise and accurate in moving from observation and interview to conclusions.

Leadership skills. Epidemiologists may direct staff in research or in investigating a disease. They also may need to assign work and evaluate staff performances.

Math and statistical skills. Epidemiologists may need to analyze data when reviewing results from studies and surveys. Skill in using large databases and statistical computer programs is critical.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for epidemiologists was $83,980 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,950, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $134,860.

In May 2024, the median annual wages for epidemiologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Epidemiologists who work full time typically have a standard schedule. Occasionally, epidemiologists may have to work irregular schedules in order to complete fieldwork or attend to duties during public health emergencies.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 800 openings for epidemiologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Demand for epidemiologists is expected to increase as enhancements in healthcare technology permit the discovery of new and emerging diseases. These discoveries require research to understand the diseases and to develop methods for mitigating adverse health consequences.

Many jobs for these workers are in state and local governments, where epidemiologists are needed to help provide public health services and respond to emergencies. Government budgets may affect the employment of these workers because epidemiological and public health programs largely depend on public funding.

Demand for epidemiologists also is expected to increase as more hospitals join programs such as the National Healthcare Safety Network and realize the benefits of strengthened infection-control programs.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about epidemiology careers in the federal government, visit

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institutes of Health

CareerOneStop

For a career video on epidemiologists, visit

Epidemiologists

O*NET

Epidemiologists