Epidemiologist

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 8,600 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of epidemiologists were as follows:

State government, excluding education and hospitals 36%
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 22
Hospitals; state, local, and private 14
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private        8
Scientific research and development services 6

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.

Education and Training

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.

Personality and Interests

Epidemiologists typically have an interest in the Thinking and Helping interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Thinking interest area indicates a focus on researching, investigating, and increasing the understanding of natural laws. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people.

If you are not sure whether you have a Thinking or Helping interest which might fit with a career as an epidemiologist, you can take a career test to measure your interests.

Epidemiologists should also possess the following specific qualities:

Communication skills. Epidemiologists must use their speaking and writing skills to inform the public and community leaders of public health risks. Clear communication is also required to work effectively with other health professionals.

Critical-thinking skills. Epidemiologists analyze data to determine how best to respond to a public health problem or an urgent health-related emergency.

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

Math and statistical skills. Epidemiologists may need advanced statistical skills when designing and administering studies and surveys. Skill in using large databases and statistical computer programs may also be important.

Teaching skills. Epidemiologists may be involved in community outreach activities that educate the public about health risks and healthy living.

Pay

The median annual wage for epidemiologists was $78,830 in May 2021. 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 $50,100, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,050.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for epidemiologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Scientific research and development services $126,470
Hospitals; state, local, and private 83,230
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private          78,410
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 74,370
State government, excluding education and hospitals 66,840

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

Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow 26 percent from 2021 to 2031, 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

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increased demand for epidemiologists to identify and mitigate the impact of diseases. However, because it is a small occupation, the fast growth will result in only about 2,200 new jobs over the projections decade.

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 their adverse health consequences.

Many jobs for these workers are in state and local governments, where they are needed to help respond to emergencies and to provide public health services. 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.

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

National Institutes of Health

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

Public Health Foundation

 

 

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The career information above is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. This excellent resource for occupational data is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every two years. Truity periodically updates our site with information from the BLS database.

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