by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying 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. Read on to learn the essential details every infectious disease and global health student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering infectious disease and global health programs.
Nationwide, infectious disease and global health draws strong interest, with 162 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Infectious Disease and Global Health Schools ranking analyzes these 9 schools to determine the best overall colleges for infectious disease and global health students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of infectious disease and global health programs later in this article.
Programs in Infectious Disease and Global Health emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations infectious disease and global health graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a infectious disease and global health program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a infectious disease and global health major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several infectious disease and global health degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 160 |
People currently working in careers related to infectious disease and global health tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| Some college courses | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in infectious disease and global health careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in infectious disease and global health prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to infectious disease and global health.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to infectious disease and global health.
| 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% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of infectious disease and global health graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39,180 |
| 4 years | $52,367 |
| 5 years | $65,002 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for infectious disease and global health graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers infectious disease and global health grads often go into.
| 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 |
With 9 different infectious disease and global health programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased infectious disease and global health school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in infectious disease and global health, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Microbiology, General | 2,646 |
| Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology | 961 |
| Microbiology and Immunology | 443 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other | 253 |
| Immunology | 220 |
| Virology | 16 |
| Mycology | 6 |
| Parasitology | 4 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
