Salary distribution
Where California epidemiologists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $86,150 and $126,450, with a median of $100,410.
Epidemiologists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 49 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $90,177. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 7 | $85,056 |
| Level II — qualified | 12 | $97,288 |
| Level III — experienced | 6 | $125,331 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 9 | $172,678 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Epidemiologists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, San Francisco | RESEARCH DATA ANALYST 3 | 5 | $99,000 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Project Policy Analyst | 4 | $86,418 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO | Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee | 3 | $71,632 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Instructor | 3 | $83,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR | 2 | $77,179 |
| Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research | Clinical Research Epidemiologist & Data Analyst | 2 | $75,774 |
| Carelon Research, Inc. | Research Scientist | 2 | $144,736 |
| The University of Southern California | Senior Research Associate | 2 | $77,673 |
| Amgen Inc. | Observational Research Manager | 2 | $141,880 |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. | Associate Director, Epidemiology | 2 | $141,628 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE$77,179IRVINEDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25352-492658
- Clinical Research Epidemiologist & Data Analyst at Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research$75,774Palo AltoDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-456688
- Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO$71,632La JollaDecided Sep 25, 2025I-200-25261-319811
- Project Policy Analyst at University of California, Los Angeles$87,780Los AngelesWage Level IDecided Sep 24, 2025I-200-25260-315461
- Research Scientist at Carelon Research, Inc.$144,736Walnut CreekWage Level IIDecided Aug 21, 2025I-200-25226-244267
- Postdoctoral Scholar at University of California, San Francisco$69,209San FranciscoDecided Aug 20, 2025I-200-25225-239806
- Senior Research Associate at The University of Southern California$88,608Los AngelesWage Level IIIDecided Aug 14, 2025I-200-25220-229649
- Research Scientist at Carelon Research, Inc.$144,737Walnut CreekWage Level IIDecided Aug 13, 2025I-200-25219-226698
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Epidemiologists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Epidemiologists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 22 certified offers. The most common variant is Postdoctoral Scholar at a median of $77,179.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scholar | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | 6 | $77,179 |
| Research Scientist | Carelon Research, Inc. | 4 | $144,736 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO | 3 | $71,632 |
| Associate Director, Epidemiology | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 3 | $146,994 |
| Scientist | Amgen Inc. | 3 | $124,740 |
| RESEARCH DATA ANALYST | University of California, San Francisco | 3 | $99,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Epidemiologists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 49 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $83,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | University of California, San Francisco | 21 | $83,000 |
| Professional services | Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research | 12 | $130,501 |
| Healthcare | Washington Township Healthcare District | 8 | $161,096 |
| Government and public sector | California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. | 5 | $91,014 |
| Finance and insurance | Carelon Research, Inc. | 2 | $144,736 |
| Manufacturing | AbbVie Inc. | 1 | $176,375 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.5 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.4 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.4 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Biology
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.3 / 5
Judgment and Decision Making
Technical
- 4.3 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
- 02
Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
- 03
Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
- 04
Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
- 05
Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
- 06
Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- 07
Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
- 08
Write articles for publication in professional journals.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+16.3%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for epidemiologists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$126,390
- Sacramento$106,660
- Los Angeles$92,210
- San Diego$92,140
- Riverside$77,180
- San Jose—
Compare Epidemiologists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Epidemiologists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Epidemiologists in California is $100,410.
- How does California compare to the national median for Epidemiologists?
- The California median is +18.0% versus the BLS national figure of $85,080.
- What is the salary range for Epidemiologists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $65,140 and the 90th-percentile at $172,160, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Epidemiologists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 16.3% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Epidemiologists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.