Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1041) earn a median $87,220 a year ($41.93 an hour) in the United States, with 12,090 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What epidemiologists do
Epidemiologists study how diseases, injuries, and other health outcomes are distributed in populations and what causes them. They work to find out who gets sick, where, and why, and then to help design ways to prevent or control the problem. Typical tasks include investigating diseases or parasites to find causes, risk factors, and patterns, overseeing public health programs that involve statistical analysis, health care planning, and surveillance, and sharing research findings with health practitioners, policy makers, and the public. Epidemiologists also teach health care workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases. They monitor and report incidents of infectious disease to local and state health agencies, and they help design, manage, and evaluate study protocols and health status questionnaires. Epidemiologists differ from medical scientists, who conduct laboratory and clinical research on disease mechanisms and treatments, from physicians who treat patients, and from health education specialists, who run education programs rather than conduct the investigations.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a master's degree.
Also called: Epidemiologist, Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, Clinical Epidemiologist, Clinical Researcher, Communicable Diseases Specialist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $29.46 | $34.18 | $41.93 | $54.15 | $66.73 | $47.06 | 12,090 |
| Annual | $61,270 | $71,090 | $87,220 | $112,640 | $138,800 | $97,890 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where epidemiologists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $39.13 | $45.13 | $55.72 | $74.44 | $102.35 | $63.57 | 660 | 0.18 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $81,380 | $93,870 | $115,890 | $154,840 | $212,890 | $132,230 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $30.57 | $44.55 | $54.02 | $62.56 | $81.24 | $59.07 | 90 | 0.12 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $63,580 | $92,660 | $112,370 | $130,130 | $168,970 | $122,860 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $34.57 | $41.49 | $53.25 | $64.41 | $80.87 | $56.99 | 1,480 | 0.08 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $71,910 | $86,310 | $110,760 | $133,970 | $168,220 | $118,540 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $34.31 | $40.86 | $52.77 | $58.60 | $78.11 | $52.96 | 290 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $71,360 | $84,990 | $109,760 | $121,880 | $162,460 | $110,160 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.90 | $46.52 | $52.04 | $62.96 | $76.79 | $56.94 | 1,010 | 0.29 | 3.67 |
| Annual | $82,980 | $96,760 | $108,240 | $130,970 | $159,730 | $118,440 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $34.57 | $41.49 | $53.25 | $64.41 | $80.87 | $56.99 | 1,480 | 0.08 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $71,910 | $86,310 | $110,760 | $133,970 | $168,220 | $118,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.78 | $30.79 | $37.10 | $46.36 | $54.71 | $39.21 | 1,160 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $59,860 | $64,040 | $77,170 | $96,420 | $113,790 | $81,560 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.90 | $46.52 | $52.04 | $62.96 | $76.79 | $56.94 | 1,010 | 0.29 | 3.67 |
| Annual | $82,980 | $96,760 | $108,240 | $130,970 | $159,730 | $118,440 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $32.50 | $32.50 | $38.57 | $50.29 | $79.28 | $46.69 | 670 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $67,600 | $67,600 | $80,220 | $104,600 | $164,900 | $97,120 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $39.13 | $45.13 | $55.72 | $74.44 | $102.35 | $63.57 | 660 | 0.18 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $81,380 | $93,870 | $115,890 | $154,840 | $212,890 | $132,230 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $48.23 | $50.72 | $62.69 | $73.94 | $107.82 | $67.64 | 320 | 0.13 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $100,310 | $105,490 | $130,400 | $153,790 | $224,270 | $140,680 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $39.60 | $39.77 | $60.25 | $60.25 | $60.25 | $54.06 | 160 | 0.10 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $82,370 | $82,730 | $125,320 | $125,320 | $125,320 | $112,450 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $38.88 | $49.51 | $59.60 | $66.08 | $88.13 | $60.80 | 580 | 0.28 | 3.58 |
| Annual | $80,860 | $102,980 | $123,970 | $137,440 | $183,320 | $126,450 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $39.13 | $45.13 | $55.72 | $74.44 | $102.35 | $63.70 | 620 | 0.23 | 2.95 |
| Annual | $81,380 | $93,870 | $115,890 | $154,840 | $212,890 | $132,490 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $39.38 | $39.38 | $54.22 | $63.76 | $63.76 | $55.12 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $81,900 | $81,910 | $112,780 | $132,620 | $132,630 | $114,640 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $39.13 | $45.13 | $55.72 | $74.44 | $102.35 | $63.70 | 620 | 0.23 | 2.95 |
| Annual | $81,380 | $93,870 | $115,890 | $154,840 | $212,890 | $132,490 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $38.88 | $49.51 | $59.60 | $66.08 | $88.13 | $60.80 | 580 | 0.28 | 3.58 |
| Annual | $80,860 | $102,980 | $123,970 | $137,440 | $183,320 | $126,450 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $34.31 | $38.57 | $47.28 | $69.12 | $83.49 | $54.31 | 400 | 0.04 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $71,360 | $80,220 | $98,340 | $143,780 | $173,660 | $112,950 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.52 | $39.10 | $50.68 | $64.41 | $74.11 | $53.55 | 380 | 0.06 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $73,880 | $81,320 | $105,400 | $133,970 | $154,150 | $111,390 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $39.38 | $39.38 | $54.22 | $63.76 | $63.76 | $55.12 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $81,900 | $81,910 | $112,780 | $132,620 | $132,630 | $114,640 | ||||
Top industries employing epidemiologists
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 32.8% of epidemiologists nationally (3,970 jobs) at a median $84,410 a year ($40.58 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (22.6%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (9.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 3,970 | 32.8% | $84,410 | $40.58 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 2,730 | 22.6% | $80,680 | $38.79 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 1,200 | 9.9% | $127,410 | $61.25 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 1,070 | 8.9% | $104,470 | $50.23 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 870 | 7.2% | $83,890 | $40.33 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (12,090). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,830 for epidemiologists in May 2021 and $87,220 in May 2025, with employment of 8,180 and 12,090.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,830 | $37.90 | 8,180 |
| May 2022 | $78,520 | $37.75 | 9,430 |
| May 2023 | $81,390 | $39.13 | 10,230 |
| May 2024 | $83,980 | $40.38 | 11,460 |
| May 2025 | $87,220 | $41.93 | 12,090 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | $55.72 | $115,890 | $81,380 | $212,890 | 660 | 0.18 | 2.34 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $54.02 | $112,370 | $63,580 | $168,970 | 90 | 0.12 | 1.57 |
| 3 | California profile | $53.25 | $110,760 | $71,910 | $168,220 | 1,480 | 0.08 | 1.05 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $52.77 | $109,760 | $71,360 | $162,460 | 290 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $52.04 | $108,240 | $82,980 | $159,730 | 1,010 | 0.29 | 3.67 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $50.22 | $104,460 | $79,000 | $124,300 | 310 | 0.10 | 1.33 |
| 7 | Illinois profile | $49.39 | $102,720 | $65,570 | $138,800 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.50 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $48.96 | $101,830 | $74,120 | $132,630 | 600 | 0.22 | 2.79 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $48.02 | $99,880 | $51,590 | $187,680 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.63 |
| 10 | Tennessee profile | $46.78 | $97,310 | $75,080 | $137,580 | 220 | 0.07 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $45.01 | $93,620 | $77,320 | $126,950 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $42.68 | $88,770 | $79,670 | $213,570 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.41 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania profile | $42.24 | $87,860 | $64,600 | $134,890 | 360 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| 14 | Michigan profile | $40.86 | $84,990 | $52,910 | $112,900 | 280 | 0.06 | 0.82 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $40.83 | $84,930 | $59,870 | $121,580 | 220 | 0.05 | 0.68 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $40.76 | $84,770 | $56,470 | $168,550 | 220 | 0.04 | 0.56 |
| 17 | South Carolina profile | $40.70 | $84,660 | $56,200 | $105,330 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.27 |
| 18 | Connecticut profile | $40.23 | $83,670 | $64,140 | $117,210 | 160 | 0.10 | 1.24 |
| 19 | Nebraska profile | $40.02 | $83,240 | $64,200 | $105,190 | 80 | 0.08 | 1.04 |
| 20 | New York profile | $38.57 | $80,220 | $67,600 | $164,900 | 670 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| 21 | New Mexico profile | $38.45 | $79,980 | $71,200 | $102,390 | 80 | 0.09 | 1.20 |
| 22 | Iowa profile | $38.41 | $79,880 | $48,080 | $108,210 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| 23 | Kansas profile | $38.28 | $79,620 | $60,200 | $97,820 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 24 | Montana profile | $38.22 | $79,500 | $55,090 | $93,880 | 100 | 0.19 | 2.44 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $38.20 | $79,460 | $57,500 | $129,930 | 300 | 0.03 | 0.39 |
| 26 | Kentucky profile | $37.89 | $78,810 | $58,010 | $96,150 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.79 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $37.14 | $77,250 | $64,830 | $103,650 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 28 | Texas profile | $37.10 | $77,170 | $59,860 | $113,790 | 1,160 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $37.00 | $76,960 | $53,140 | $119,250 | 190 | 0.11 | 1.37 |
| 30 | Hawaii profile | $36.91 | $76,780 | $58,290 | $109,300 | 70 | 0.11 | 1.41 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $36.77 | $76,480 | $54,410 | $130,560 | 300 | 0.05 | 0.70 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $35.93 | $74,740 | $47,830 | $106,590 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.44 |
| 33 | Louisiana profile | $35.51 | $73,850 | $49,740 | $105,240 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.79 |
| 34 | Colorado profile | $35.46 | $73,750 | $63,440 | $100,870 | 430 | 0.15 | 1.93 |
| 35 | Oklahoma profile | $34.90 | $72,590 | $55,130 | $103,790 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $34.08 | $70,880 | $49,040 | $114,790 | 510 | 0.10 | 1.34 |
| 37 | West Virginia profile | $33.91 | $70,540 | $49,070 | $92,610 | 100 | 0.14 | 1.83 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $33.10 | $68,850 | $52,000 | $84,760 | 60 | 0.10 | 1.25 |
| 39 | Arizona profile | $32.34 | $67,260 | $48,010 | $85,800 | 340 | 0.11 | 1.35 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $32.16 | $66,890 | $54,410 | $95,730 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Idaho profile | $31.86 | $66,280 | $60,710 | $141,240 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 42 | Mississippi profile | $27.37 | $56,930 | $46,450 | $98,870 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.43 |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.10 | 1.27 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-1040), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-1041 Epidemiologists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-1041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-1041.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.