Epidemiologists vs Medical Scientists
Median pay is about $16k higher for Medical Scientists. The usual entry education is master's for Epidemiologists and phD for Medical Scientists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Epidemiologists | Medical Scientists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $87,220 | $103,410, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $71,090 | $79,840, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $112,640 | $139,380, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +19% Growing fast, higher | +13% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 800 | 10,500 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Master's | PhD |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.8 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 65th pct | 50th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Epidemiologists
- Critical Thinking
Only Medical Scientists
- Active Learning
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, writing, speaking, science.
More comparisons
Compare Epidemiologists with
Compare Medical Scientists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.