Concentration · Verified September 2026

Epidemiology MPH and Master's Programs

218verified programs
200at CEPH-accredited schools
72offered online
$895median tuition per credit

What Is a Master's in Epidemiology, and Which Program Should You Choose?

A master's in epidemiology trains you to study how disease and injury spread through populations and what causes them, and it's the usual entry credential for the job: the BLS says epidemiologists typically need a master's degree. This site lists 218 epidemiology master's programs at 141 schools, 157 of them MPH degrees and 61 research-focused MS, MSPH or MHS degrees. Choose the MPH if you want public health practice work, the MS if you want research or a PhD next, and compare cost in the affordable MPH list.

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Close-up of a screen showing a world map with red circles marking confirmed disease cases and a table of case counts by country
Photo: Anton Uniqueton / Pexels

Epidemiology is the study of how often health problems occur, in whom, and why, and the use of that knowledge to control them. That’s close to the CDC’s own definition. A master’s degree is where most epidemiologists start: the BLS lists it as the typical entry-level education for the job.

This page covers every epidemiology master’s program on this site: 218 programs at 141 schools in 44 states. 200 of them sit at CEPH-accredited schools or programs. Most are public, with 153 at public universities and 62 at private nonprofits.

MPH in Epidemiology or MS in Epidemiology: The Real Difference

You’ll see two main degree types, and they lead to different places.

  • MPH in epidemiology (157 programs). A professional practice degree. CEPH requires every MPH to have at least 42 semester credits, an applied practice experience with real work products for a partner organization, and a culminating integrative project.
  • MS, MSPH or MHS in epidemiology (61 programs). Of these, 56 are MS degrees, 4 are MSPH and 1 is an MHS. CEPH classes academic master’s degrees as research degrees that “do not function as MPH equivalents.” They end with a research paper or thesis.

The clearest way to see it is one school offering both. At UAB, the two epidemiology degrees share their methods core but end differently:

UAB MPH, Epidemiology UAB MSPH, Applied Epidemiology
Credits 44 42
Field work 3-credit public health internship None required
Finish line Integrative learning experience (capstone) Thesis, defense and a publishable paper
Full-time length 16 to 20 months 16 to 21 months
Built for Public health practice Research training

Pick the MPH if you want to work in a health department, a hospital infection prevention team or a nonprofit. Pick the MS or MSPH if you’re heading to a PhD, medical school or a research group. The MPH vs MS guide goes deeper on that choice.

218 programs

Program facts come from each school's own program pages, reviewed September 2026. Tuition is the school's published figure with its basis; per-credit sorting uses programs that publish a per-credit rate. CEPH status comes from the CEPH accredited list.

What You Study in a Master’s in Epidemiology

Expect three layers: epidemiologic methods, statistics and software, and disease-specific electives.

At UAB, the MPH concentration requires Principles of Epidemiologic Research, Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology, Epidemiologic Study Design and Data Analysis, Introduction to Data Analysis with SAS, and two semesters of Intermediate Statistical Analysis. You then choose Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases or Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases.

The University of Delaware’s online MS follows a similar spine: Biostatistics I and II for Health Sciences, Epidemiology Methods I and II, and a SAS course, followed by content courses such as Methods in Field Epidemiology, Public Health Surveillance, Social Epidemiology and Disaster Epidemiology Methods. It ends with a Data Analysis Capstone.

The concentration names schools use tell you how the field splits. Across the programs on this page, “Epidemiology” appears 112 times, “Epidemiology and Biostatistics” 8 times and “Applied Epidemiology” 5 times. NYU’s MS lists tracks in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Noncommunicable Disease Epidemiology and Modeling. The BLS lists the same kinds of specialties in practice, from chronic and infectious disease to injury, maternal and child health, and mental health.

Biostatistics vs Epidemiology

Both use data, but they ask different questions. Epidemiology designs the study and explains what the results mean for a population. Biostatistics builds and tests the statistical methods behind the analysis. Epidemiology programs ask for statistics coursework. Biostatistics programs often ask for calculus and linear algebra before you start. If the math is what draws you, compare the biostatistics master’s programs.

Online Masters in Epidemiology

72 programs on this page offer an online option and 32 are fully online. Many are the same accredited degree as the campus version, with the same concentration. These are CEPH-accredited options with a published per-credit rate:

Program Format and length Credits Per-credit rate
Georgia State University MPH Online or campus, about two years 42 $464 online, plus a $660 per-semester online fee
University of South Florida online MPH Online, Epidemiology in as little as 21 months 42 $525
San Diego State online MPH Online, 22 months minimum 51 units $629
University of Arizona online MPH Online, 7.5-week courses 42 $950
University of Delaware online MS Online, 12 months, 7-week courses 30 $1,149
UC Berkeley online MPH About 90% online, two June campus visits, 27 months 42 units $1,629

Arizona’s online concentration is called Applied Epidemiology, and Berkeley’s is Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Check that the online version includes the concentration you want. Not every school puts every track online. See all formats in the online MPH programs.

What an Epidemiology Master’s Costs

Among the 84 programs on this page with a published per-credit rate, tuition runs from $205 to $2,824 per credit, with a median of $895. The middle half falls between about $550 and $1,305.

Estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) is available for 76 programs. It ranges from $11,480 to $118,608, with a median of $39,606.

Program Degree Estimated tuition
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences MPH $11,480
UTHealth Houston MPH $12,915
Stony Brook University MS, Epidemiology and Clinical Research $15,543
University of Nevada, Reno MPH $16,097
New York University MPH $115,322
Baylor University MPH $118,608

Two warnings before you rank by price. First, the low public figures use resident rates: UTHealth charges $287 per credit to Texas residents but $1,124 to non-residents, plus an $85 per-credit resource fee. Second, fees are excluded, so online fees and campus fees can move a program up the list. The affordable MPH programs page tracks the lowest-cost options across all concentrations.

Who Hires Epidemiologists and What They Earn

Government is the main employer. BLS figures show state governments employ 33% of epidemiologists and local governments 22%. Hospitals employ 10%, research and development firms 9%, and colleges and universities 6%. Day to day, epidemiologists plan studies, collect and analyze data to find causes of disease, and report findings to health practitioners, policymakers and the public.

The occupation is small but growing: 12,090 people held the job in May 2025, and the BLS projects 19% growth from 2025 to 2035.

Pay level (May 2025) Annual wage
Bottom 10% earned less than $61,270
Median $87,220
Top 10% earned more than $138,800

Location changes the picture more than almost anything else. The median is $115,890 in Massachusetts, $110,760 in California and $108,240 in Washington, against $56,930 in Mississippi. California also has the most epidemiology jobs of any state listed, at 1,480. The epidemiologist career guide has the full state breakdown.

Is an MPH in Epidemiology Worth It?

For most people aiming at this job, yes, because the degree is the entry ticket rather than an upgrade. The BLS names the master’s as the typical requirement, and the two largest employers are state and local governments, where public health practice training fits directly.

It’s a weaker deal in two cases. If you’d pay near the top of the range, the $118,608 estimate at the high end is more than the $87,220 median salary. And if you live somewhere with a low median wage, check local job postings before borrowing. The is an MPH worth it guide walks through that math in more detail.

How to Choose an Epidemiology Program

Use this checklist against the program table above:

  1. Accreditation. 200 of the 218 programs are at CEPH-accredited schools and 2 at CEPH applicants. The US Public Health Service and some state and local agencies fill MPH-level jobs only with graduates of CEPH-accredited schools and programs, so read the CEPH accreditation guide before you choose one outside that group.
  2. Degree type. MPH for practice, MS or MSPH for research. Check whether the program ends in a capstone or a thesis.
  3. Field experience. Every accredited MPH includes an applied practice experience, and CEPH requires at least two real work products from it. Programs package it differently: UAB builds a 3-credit internship into the degree, while an MS may have no placement at all.
  4. Start dates and schedule. Accelerated formats have rules. Northwestern’s one-year MPH is open to the Epidemiology concentration only with a summer start and some daytime classes.
  5. Total cost at your residency. Multiply the rate you’d actually pay by the credits, then add fees.
  6. Application route. 130 programs take applications through SOPHAS and 55 use the school’s own form, so check before paying for extra SOPHAS designations.

If global disease control interests you as much as methods, the global health programs often pair the two.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does a Master's in Epidemiology Take?

Most take about two years full time. UAB's MPH in Epidemiology typically takes 16 to 20 months full time, the University of Delaware's online MS in Epidemiology runs 12 months, and 19 programs on this site are listed as accelerated. Part-time study usually stretches to three or four years.

Can You Get a Master's in Epidemiology Online?

Yes. 72 of the 218 programs on this site offer an online option and 32 are online only. Examples include the online MPH at the University of South Florida (Epidemiology concentration in as little as 21 months) and the 30-credit online MS in Epidemiology at the University of Delaware.

Do Epidemiology Programs Require the GRE?

Few do. Of the 218 programs, 79 say the GRE is not required, 37 make it optional and 4 allow a waiver. Delaware's online MS lists no GRE, and UAB does not require it for its epidemiology MPH or MSPH.

What Math Do You Need for an Epidemiology Master's?

Less than for biostatistics. Programs expect comfort with statistics rather than calculus: UAB's MPH in Epidemiology includes two intermediate statistical analysis courses and a SAS course, and Delaware's MS opens with Biostatistics I for Health Sciences. The BLS notes that graduate epidemiology coursework includes math and statistics.

Is a PhD Needed to Work as an Epidemiologist?

No. The BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for epidemiologists. A PhD matters mainly for faculty jobs and leading independent research.

Keep Comparing

Sources

  1. Official program pages of each school listed, reviewed September 2026
  2. Council on Education for Public Health, accredited schools and programs
  3. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Epidemiologists
  4. CEPH: Accreditation Criteria, 2024
  5. CDC: Principles of Epidemiology, Lesson 1, Section 1
  6. UAB Graduate Catalog: Department of Epidemiology
  7. University of Delaware: Online MS in Epidemiology
  8. Northwestern University: MPH Curriculum

Every program here was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation comes from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) list, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list. How we verify programs