Epidemiologists earn an average annual salary of $115,640, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 32.5% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S.

Key Statistics

1,590
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$115,640
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Epidemiologists workforce.

Employment Over Time

1,590 Workforce in 2023

The Epidemiologists workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Epidemiologists.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$115,640 Average Wage

In 2023, Epidemiologists earned an average of $115,640.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Epidemiologists.

Salary distribution for Epidemiologists.

Employment Growth Projections

11.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

10,061 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 69.4%

17,042 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 186.9%

This occupation is projected to grow at 11.1% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Epidemiologists.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Epidemiologists and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Epidemiologists employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Epidemiologists.

Wage Trends by Industry

7.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Total, All Industry: -11.4% growth (Current: $148,014)

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Epidemiologists.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Epidemiologists.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 1,380 employees, $102,281 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Epidemiologists.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 450 employees, $102,734 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 240 employees, $112,640 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 160 employees, $148,014 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 150 employees, $131,992 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 130 employees, $111,634 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 130 employees, N/A avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 80 employees, $85,615 avg wage
  • Fresno MSA: 40 employees, $76,021 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Epidemiologists.

Diversity

Demographic information on Epidemiologists in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Epidemiologists in 2023 was 1,590 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Epidemiologists.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Epidemiologists.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Epidemiologists.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Epidemiologists in 2023 were Business Administration, Health Sciences, Business.

Common majors for Epidemiologists.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Epidemiologists workers.

Education level distribution for Epidemiologists.

Skills

Epidemiologists need many skills, but most especially Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Writing.

Required skills for Epidemiologists.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Epidemiologists.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Epidemiologists include Mathematics, Biology, Medicine and Dentistry, English Language, Computers and Electronics.

Knowledge areas required for Epidemiologists.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Epidemiologists include Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Written Expression, Problem Sensitivity.

Required abilities for Epidemiologists.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Epidemiologists.

Daily Activities

Epidemiologists spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, Processing Information, Working with Computers.

Most important work activities for Epidemiologists.

About

Epidemiologists

The average yearly wage for Epidemiologists was $115,640 in 2023.

SOC Code

19-1041 - Epidemiologists

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Epidemiologists reports an average salary of $115,640, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,590 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 11.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.