by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 12 U.S. colleges awarded 196 degrees and certificates in Infectious Disease and Global Health. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 98% of graduates. College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Infectious Disease and Global Health Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $39,180 one year after completing, rising to $65,487 after four years.
Studying Infectious Disease and Global Health covers A Program That Focuses On The Biological, Social, And Behavioral Factors Contributing To The Cause And Spread Of Infectious Diseases. Includes Instruction In Research Design And Evaluation, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, International Health Policy And Management, Microbiology, Microbial Genetics, Molecular Virology, Disease Mechanisms, Antimicrobial Resistance, Immunology, And Bioterrorism.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, infectious disease and global health draws strong interest, with 196 degrees awarded annually. 12 colleges award infectious disease and global health degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 42.
By level, the 196 awards include 3 bachelor’s degrees and 193 master’s degrees.
Women earned 70% of infectious disease and global health degrees and certificates in the latest year (137 of 196). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (60) and Asian (25), and international students earned 75.
College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Infectious Disease and Global Health Schools ranking, including 9 for master’s degrees. It also ranks infectious disease and global health schools within 4 states. In all, 12 colleges offer infectious disease and global health programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Infectious Disease and Global Health Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common infectious disease and global health credential is the master’s degree: 193 of the 196 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to infectious disease and global health call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Writing, and for knowledge of English Language, Biology and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an infectious disease and global health degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 193 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to infectious disease and global health, at 32.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 20.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 11.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.4% |
| First professional degree | 1.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| Some college courses | 1.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET Online.
8 occupations are related to Infectious Disease and Global Health, with an average median salary of $87,902; the strongest outlook belongs to Biological Scientists, All Other, at 9.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Research Scientist, Scientist, Clinical Researcher and Neurophysiologist.
The occupation related to infectious disease and global health with the most projected jobs is Medical and Health Services Managers, at 419,330.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Epidemiologists | 190,675 | 3.2% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 125,815 | 8.9% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 23,620 | 9.2% |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 11,006 | 5.4% |
Infectious Disease and Global Health graduates earn a median $39,180 one year after completing their program, $65,487 after four years and $65,002 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39,180 |
| 4 years | $65,487 |
| 5 years | $65,002 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to infectious disease and global health, with a median salary of $129,557.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $111,314 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Epidemiologists | $87,636 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
| Geneticists | $48,526 |
Infectious Disease and Global Health has 8 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 4,542 degrees a year; the largest are Microbiology, General (2,556), Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology (977) and Microbiology and Immunology (490). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Microbiology, General | 2,556 |
| Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology | 977 |
| Microbiology and Immunology | 490 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other | 250 |
| Immunology | 242 |
| Mycology | 14 |
| Virology | 7 |
| Parasitology | 6 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
