Education:
67%
Master's Degree
22%
Post-Doctoral Training
Epidemiologist
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Job Outlook:
Much faster than average
Education:
Master's degree
Salary
High:
$123,430.00
Average:
$85,880.00
Hourly
Average:
$41.29
What they do:
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
On the job, you would:
- 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.
Important Qualities
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.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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96% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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90% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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89% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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86% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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85% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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82% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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82% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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78% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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76% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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75% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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75% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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71% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
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78% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. | |
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72% | Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status. | |
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72% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. | |
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67% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
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85% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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85% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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85% | Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). | |
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81% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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81% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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81% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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78% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |
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75% | Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). | |
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75% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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75% | Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. | |
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72% | Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem. | |
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69% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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69% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
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69% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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66% | Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material. | |
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66% | Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
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73% | Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. | |
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71% | Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems. | |
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68% | Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. | |
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68% | Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |
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68% | Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. | |
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66% | Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. | |
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66% | Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Communicate with government agencies.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Communicate with government agencies.
Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
Write articles, books or other original materials in area of expertise.
Write grant proposals.
Prepare proposals or grant applications to obtain project funding.
Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
Research diseases or parasites.
Plan biological research.
Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
Develop methods of social or economic research.
Advise others on healthcare matters.
Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
Instruct college students in physical or life sciences.
Establish standards for medical care.
Analyze biological samples.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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99% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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94% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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92% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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92% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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92% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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90% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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88% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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88% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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80% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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80% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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72% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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69% | Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos? | |
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76% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
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99% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. | |
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91% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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90% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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90% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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90% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. | |
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88% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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88% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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86% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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82% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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78% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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78% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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76% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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75% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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75% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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72% | Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. | |
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70% | Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. | |
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70% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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68% | Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. | |
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67% | Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
What Epidemiologists Do
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
Epidemiologists held about 10,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of epidemiologists were as follows:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 36% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 21 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 12 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 9 |
| Scientific research and development services | 7 |
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.
Getting Started
How to Become an Epidemiologist
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.
Job Outlook
Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow 27 percent from 2022 to 2032, 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. However, because epidemiological and public health programs largely depend on public funding, budgetary constraints may directly impact employment growth.
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.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about epidemiologists, visit
American College of Epidemiology
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
For more information about epidemiology careers in the federal government, visit
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For public health–related information, visit
American Epidemiological Society
American Public Health Association
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
National Academy for State Health Policy
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of epidemiologists.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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Master's degree | $63,940 |
|
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|
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|
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|
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Bachelor's degree | $59,990 |
|
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|
Microbiologists |
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|
Physicians and Surgeons |
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|
Political Scientists |
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|
Registered Nurses |
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|
Survey Researchers |
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|
Mathematicians and Statisticians |
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