Life Scientists

How to become an Epidemiologist

Official title: Epidemiologists

Also called: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, Communicable Diseases Specialist, Environmental Epidemiologist, Epidemiologist, Epidemiology Investigator, Infection Control Practitioner (ICP), Nurse Epidemiologist, Public Health Epidemiologist, Research Epidemiologist, State Epidemiologist

Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.

Main 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.

How to become one

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.

Typical education to start: Master's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Infection Preventionist (Nof).
College: Health & Public Health degrees, Offered by 29 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $87,220 a year The middle half earn $71,090 to $112,640.
About 12,800 people work in this job now, and about 15,200 are projected by 2035. (+18.7%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Epidemiologist?

How much does an Epidemiologist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $87,220 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $71,090 to $112,640.

Is an Epidemiologist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 19% by 2035, from about 12,800 to about 15,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Epidemiologist?

Usually. 97% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Epidemiologist?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.