Career comparison
Epidemiologist vs. Medical Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Medical scientists earn more at the median ($103,410 vs. $87,220), while epidemiologists usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Epidemiologists track diseases and find out what causes them to protect public health. Medical scientists research diseases and develop treatments to improve human health.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Epidemiologist | Medical Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $87,220 ($41.93/hr) | $103,410 ($49.72/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $61,270 – $138,800 | $64,800 – $177,780 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +18.7% (much faster than average) | +12.6% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 800 | 10,500 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 2 years after a bachelor’s | 5–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | CPH | Ph.D. or M.D. |
| Work setting | Epidemiologists work in health department offices, hospitals, labs and in the field.. | Medical scientists work in labs, hospitals and offices.. |
What each job does
Epidemiologist
- Track disease data
- Investigate outbreaks
- Design studies
- Analyze data
- Write reports
Medical Scientist
- Design studies
- Run lab experiments
- Design clinical trials
- Analyze data
- Write grants
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, helping others, in-demand, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose epidemiologist if…
- I like solving mysteries
- I like data
- I want to protect public health
Choose medical scientist if…
- I want to cure diseases
- I love research
- I’m persistent
Still torn? Take the Epidemiologist fit quiz and the Medical Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, epidemiologist or medical scientist?
Medical Scientists earn more at the median: $103,410 versus $87,220 for epidemiologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Epidemiologists typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than medical scientists (5–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects epidemiologists to grow +18.7% from 2025–35, compared with +12.6% for medical scientists.