Epidemiologists Career, Salary and Skills
Epidemiologists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $87,220 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 12,090. Wage data is published for 100 locations.
Occupation description
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
O*NET code
19-1041.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$87,220
Hourly median
$41.93
Employment
12,090
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.25 | 5.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.25 | 4.62 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.25 | 4.50 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.25 | 4.38 |
| Science | 4.12 | 5.00 |
| Writing | 4.12 | 4.62 |
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.75 |
| Active Listening | 4.12 | 4.75 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Systems Analysis | 4.00 | 4.12 |
Typical 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.
Technology
- 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
- Database software
- Disease Mapping and Analysis Program DMAP
- Epicenter Software Epilog
- EpiData Analysis
- Esri ArcGIS
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- ESRI ArcInfo
- ESRI ArcView
- Expert Health Data Programming Vitalnet
Epidemiologists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Epidemiologists Salary in CAMedian $110,760 · Employment 1,480
- Epidemiologists Salary in TXMedian $77,170 · Employment 1,160
- Epidemiologists Salary in WAMedian $108,240 · Employment 1,010
- Epidemiologists Salary in NYMedian $80,220 · Employment 670
- Epidemiologists Salary in MAMedian $115,890 · Employment 660
- Epidemiologists Salary in Boston, MAMedian $115,890 · Employment 620
- Epidemiologists Salary in MDMedian $101,830 · Employment 600
- Epidemiologists Salary in Seattle, WAMedian $123,970 · Employment 580
- Epidemiologists Salary in GAMedian $70,880 · Employment 510
- Epidemiologists Salary in COMedian $73,750 · Employment 430
- Epidemiologists Salary in New York, NYMedian $98,340 · Employment 400
- Epidemiologists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $105,400 · Employment 380
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.