Microbiologists vs Epidemiologists
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Microbiologists and Epidemiologists on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Microbiologists | Epidemiologists |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $87,330 | $83,980 |
| Employment | 19,760 | 11,460 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | About average (+4.1%) | Growing fast (+16.2%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 1,700 | 800 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. | Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Moderate · 61st pct | Moderate · 62nd pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 77th pct · 40% of tasks | 77th pct · 40% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | Augmentation-leaning (56.2%) | Augmentation-leaning (74.7%) |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | Yes |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Biology, Science, Written Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Written Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Writing, Critical Thinking, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Category Flexibility, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Information Ordering, Judgment and Decision Making, Fluency of Ideas, Flexibility of Closure, Near Vision, English Language, Learning Strategies, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Speech Recognition, Computers and Electronics, Education and Training, Mathematics, Mathematics, Originality, Speech Clarity, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Systems Analysis.
Specific to Microbiologists
- Chemistry
- Selective Attention
- Instructing
- Service Orientation
- Time Management
Specific to Epidemiologists
- Systems Evaluation
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Communications and Media
- Number Facility
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Spreadsheet software , Office suite software , Presentation software , Word processing software , Data base user interface and query software , Electronic mail software , Analytical or scientific software .
Specific to Microbiologists
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Microbiologists or Epidemiologists — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Microbiologists vs Biochemists and Biophysicists
- Microbiologists vs Biological Technicians
- Microbiologists vs Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Microbiologists vs Histotechnologists
- Microbiologists vs Geneticists
- Microbiologists vs Chemists
- Microbiologists vs Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Microbiologists vs Biologists
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Microbiologists vs Epidemiologists." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/microbiologists-vs-epidemiologists
Singulariki. (2026). Microbiologists vs Epidemiologists. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/microbiologists-vs-epidemiologists
@misc{singulariki-microbiologists-vs-epidemiologists,
title = {Microbiologists vs Epidemiologists},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/microbiologists-vs-epidemiologists}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.