by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 102 U.S. colleges awarded 3,015 degrees and certificates in Epidemiology. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 85% of graduates. College Factual ranks 59 schools in its 2027 Best Epidemiology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $44,645 one year after completing, rising to $66,409 after four years.
A degree in Epidemiology explores Epidemiology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of Disease, Disability, And Trauma Patterns Within And Across Populations And The Development Of Health Management Mechanisms To Prevent And Control Disease Outbreaks And Injurious Behaviors. Includes Instruction In Biostatistics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Disease And Injury Determinants, Genetic Disease And Disability Factors, Behavioral Studies, Health Services Research, Environmental Disease And Injury Factors, And Population Studies.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, epidemiology draws strong interest, with 3,015 degrees awarded annually. 102 colleges award epidemiology degrees, an average of 30 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 262.
By level, the 3,015 awards include 101 bachelor’s degrees, 2,551 master’s degrees and 363 doctorates.
Women earned 76% of epidemiology degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,295 of 3,015). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (965) and Asian (407), and international students earned 871.
College Factual ranks 59 schools in its 2027 Best Epidemiology Schools ranking, including 20 for bachelor’s degrees, 46 for master’s degrees and 13 for doctorates. It also ranks epidemiology schools within 26 states. In all, 102 colleges offer epidemiology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Epidemiology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common epidemiology credential is the master’s degree: 2,551 of the 3,015 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to epidemiology call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Writing, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Biology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an epidemiology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 101 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,551 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 363 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to epidemiology, at 38.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 38.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 24.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 19.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 10.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Epidemiology, with an average median salary of $81,871; the strongest outlook belongs to Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 10.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Physical Medicine Teacher, Dental Laboratory Technology Teacher, College Faculty Member and Public Health Teacher.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to epidemiology, at 1,335,407.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Epidemiologists | 190,675 | 3.2% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 125,815 | 8.9% |
Epidemiology graduates earn a median $44,645 one year after completing their program, $66,409 after four years and $64,232 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,645 |
| 4 years | $66,409 |
| 5 years | $64,232 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to epidemiology is Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, with a median salary of $111,314.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $111,314 |
| Epidemiologists | $87,636 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Epidemiology has 11 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 6,682 degrees a year; the largest are Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography (2,663), Ecology (1,199) and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (935). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography | 2,663 |
| Ecology | 1,199 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 935 |
| Environmental Biology | 490 |
| Conservation Biology | 431 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other | 346 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 248 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 207 |
| Aquatic Biology/Limnology | 129 |
| Systematic Biology/Biological Systematics | 24 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
