Science
Epidemiologist
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Median pay
$87,220
Growth to 2035
+19%
much faster than average
Openings a year
800
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Epidemiologist
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Epidemiologist: 53% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
- Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
- Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
- Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
- Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
- Write articles for publication in professional journals.
Also called: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist · Communicable Diseases Specialist · Environmental Epidemiologist · Epidemiologist · Epidemiology Investigator · Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) · Nurse Epidemiologist · Public Health Epidemiologist
Outlook and AI
Epidemiologists held 12,800 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 15,200 by 2035 (+19%, much faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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