Careers, task by task
Epidemiologist
Protecting whole populations by finding out who gets sick and why, and what works.
- Training
- College, then a master's degree
- Today's median pay, May 2025
- $87,220
- Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035
- 19%
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Last modified August 27, 2026
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Epidemiologists
Scope: United States.
How it was done: Federal employment and wage statistics. Pay is the May 2025 median, half earn more and half earn less. Growth is a 2025 to 2035 projection.
Limits: A median across all ages, regions and employers, before tax. A projection, not a promise. It tells you nothing about one person's income.
Checked against the original on November 6, 2026.
Open the source (opens in a new tab)A snapshot of people practicing today, not a forecast of your income.
The work, and what we can verify about AI in it
Task lists are our editorial summary of what the role involves. They vary by setting. The status describes the evidence we've checked, not whether a job is safe.
Analyzing health data
Information work
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.
Designing studies
Judgment and accountability
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.
Investigating outbreaks in the field
Hands-on work
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.
Explaining risk to the public and to leaders
Human relationship
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.
Skills that transfer
- Statistics
- Causal reasoning
- Communication
- Policy
What nobody has measured
- How AI analysis changes this work, which we haven't verified.
- How public funding affects openings, currently about 800 a year.
Read next
Sources last checked November 6, 2026
Next review by February 6, 2027.
What changed, and how we decideCareer guidance, not medical, legal or financial advice. For a major loan or licensing decision, talk with a qualified professional, and bring your questions from here.
Do you disagree?
If you have counterevidence, or we got something wrong, we want to see it. Don't take our word for any of this.
Send us the evidence