Epidemiologists
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Also called: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist · Communicable Diseases Specialist · Environmental Epidemiologist · Epidemiologist · Epidemiology Investigator · Infection Control Practitioner (ICP)
Median pay (national)
$83,980
$56,950–$134,860 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
11,460
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+16.2%
~800 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for epidemiologists shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $134,860 versus $56,950 at the bottom 10% — 2.4x. The median of $83,980 leaves roughly 61% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +16.2% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 800 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 42 states with released data, New Jersey pays the most for this role (median $110,240, +31% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $49,820 — a 121% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, R as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Identify and analyze public health issues related to foodborne parasitic diseases and their impact on public policies, scientific studies, or surveys.
- Write grant applications to fund epidemiologic research.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- R
- SAS
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Python
- Structured query language SQL
- Tableau
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC WONDER
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epi Info
- Circle Systems Stat/Transfer
- Cytel Egret
- Data visualization software
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Education and Training
- Sociology and Anthropology