Epidemiologists
Overview
Introduction
Epidemiologists study the cause, spread, and control of diseases and injuries that affect groups of people or communities. They use statistics, research, and field investigations to try to connect incidences of a disease or injury with characteristics of populations and communities. Some epidemiologists focus on infectious diseases, which are caused by bacteria and viruses and include HIV, chicken pox, rabies, and meningitis. Others focus on noninfectious diseases including heart disease, lung cancer, breast cancer, and ulcers. Appr...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), median annual earnings for epidemiologists were $69,660 in May 2018, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $42,240, and the highest 10 percent earning more than $112,600. The DOL reports that epidemiologists in the following states and territories had the highest mean salaries:
- Massachusetts: $107,670
- Di...
Work Environment
Depending on where epidemiologists work, part of their day might be spent in the office and part in the community. Most spend part of their time working in teams and part on their own. They may monitor the site of a disease, take samples, collect data, and check out any outbreaks among community residents. Back in the office, they might download their data, conduct research, analyze samples, an...
Outlook
Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Job prospects for epidemiologists are promising because there will always be a need to understand, control, and prevent the spread of disease. There is particular promise in the growing field of environmental epidemiol...