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Public Health & Government
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, New York State Department of Health
Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists study how diseases spread, who is at risk, and what patterns show up in the data, then they turn that evidence into guidance for health departments, doctors, and the public. The work blends statistics, field investigation, and communication, but the tradeoff is that you often have to make decisions from incomplete, messy data while outbreaks and deadlines are still unfolding.
Also known as Public Health EpidemiologistInfectious Disease EpidemiologistDisease Surveillance EpidemiologistField EpidemiologistEpidemiology Specialist
Median Salary
$83,980
Mean $94,160
U.S. Workforce
~11K
0.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+16.2%
12.3K to 14.3K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Epidemiologists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~11K workers, with a median annual pay of $83,980 and roughly 0.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 12.3 K in 2024 to 14.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Master's degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Public Health Research Assistant and can progress toward Director of Epidemiology. High-value skills usually include Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Judgment and Decision Making, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
Core Responsibilities
- Collect reports from hospitals, clinics, and health agencies to track new disease cases.
- Look for patterns in the numbers to figure out where an illness is spreading, who is most affected, and what may be driving it.
- Write reports and briefings that explain technical findings in plain language for doctors, public officials, and community members.
- Advise health workers, schools, and government agencies on ways to reduce transmission and improve prevention.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Collect reports from hospitals, clinics, and health agencies to track new disease cases.
02 Look for patterns in the numbers to figure out where an illness is spreading, who is most affected, and what may be driving it.
03 Write reports and briefings that explain technical findings in plain language for doctors, public officials, and community members.
04 Advise health workers, schools, and government agencies on ways to reduce transmission and improve prevention.
05 Teach healthcare staff and the public how diseases spread and what steps help stop them.
06 Monitor outbreaks and support public health programs that use surveillance data, statistics, and planning tools.
Industries That Hire
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Hospitals & Health Systems
Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic
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Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Pfizer, Merck, Moderna
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Research & Academia
Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Emory University
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Consulting & Health Analytics
IQVIA, RTI International, Mathematica
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is strong for a public-health role, with a mean salary of $94,160 and a median of $83,980.
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Demand is projected to grow 16.2% by 2034, which adds about 2.0K jobs and brings total employment to 14.3K.
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The work mixes data analysis, field investigation, and communication, so the job rarely feels repetitive.
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You can have a direct impact on outbreak response, prevention campaigns, and public policy.
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The typical entry requirement is a master's degree and there is no on-the-job training requirement, so many people can start applying their graduate training right away.
Challenges
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It is a small field, with only 11,460 jobs now and roughly 0.8K annual openings, so competition can be real in many markets.
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The education bar is high: most workers need a master's degree, and 33.33% go on to post-doctoral or doctoral training.
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Pay is respectable, but the median of $83,980 is not especially high for a graduate-level role that also demands strong analytics skills.
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A lot of the work depends on outbreaks, surveillance deadlines, and incomplete data, which can make the job stressful and unpredictable.
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There is a structural ceiling in many organizations unless you move into management or research leadership, especially in agencies with limited funding.
Career Progression
Public Health Research Assistant
0-2 years
$45K-$62K
Entry-level work usually involves collecting data, cleaning records, and helping senior staff prepare outbreak summaries and research materials.
Epidemiologist
2-5 years
$63K-$95K
At this level, you analyze disease trends, investigate risk factors, and explain findings to health officials and clinical teams.
Senior Epidemiologist THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$96K-$125K
More experienced epidemiologists lead studies, shape surveillance methods, and often mentor junior staff or coordinate multiple investigations.
Lead Epidemiologist
9-14 years
$126K-$160K
This level usually includes program oversight, cross-agency coordination, and responsibility for high-stakes reporting during outbreaks or policy changes.
Director of Epidemiology
14+ years
$161K-$200K
Directors set strategy for disease monitoring programs, manage teams and budgets, and brief senior leaders on public health risk.
Education Paths
Master's degree
The most common entry point, held by 66.67% of workers in this role.
Post-doctoral training
An advanced path for people focused on research or academic work, and 22.22% of workers in this role report this level.
Doctoral degree
A smaller but important route for research-heavy positions, and 11.11% of workers in this role report this level.
Public health or biostatistics certification
A non-degree route some employers accept for people who already have health or data experience and want to add surveillance, SAS, or research training.
Key Skills
Technical
Complex Problem Solving 85%
Critical Thinking 85%
Judgment and Decision Making 85%
Reading Comprehension 85%
SAS, R & Python for Epidemiology 84%
Public Health Surveillance Systems 83%
ArcGIS, QGIS & Spatial Analysis 83%
Science 82%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningSpeakingWritingExplaining Technical FindingsCollaborationAttention to Detail Job Outlook and Trends
+16.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 12.3K to 14.3 K over the next decade, representing 16.2% growth. Around 0.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.