Epidemiologist salary in Australia
Epidemiologists study patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in populations. They work in government health departments, universities, research institutes, and private industry. If you are looking for a precise figure for an epidemiologist salary, the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a separate category for this occupation. However, we can use related data to understand where this pay typically sits.
What the data shows
The ABS groups epidemiologists under the Professionals occupation group. In the latest Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025), Professionals had an average weekly total cash earnings of $2,049.60, which equates to about $106,579 per year. The median weekly earnings for Professionals was $1,900 in the August 2025 Employee Earnings survey, or about $98,800 annually. Both figures are close to the national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year) from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026.
For context, the all-employees median (including part-time) was $1,436 per week ($74,672 per year) in May 2025, and the full-time median was about $90,532 per year. Epidemiologists, being highly skilled professionals, typically earn above these medians.
What would move this pay above or below the average?
Several factors can push an epidemiologist's salary above or below the national full-time average of $108,352:
- Sector: Epidemiologists in the private sector (pharmaceutical companies, consulting, biotech) often earn more than those in government or academia. Public sector roles may follow enterprise agreements or awards, which can cap pay but offer job security and benefits.
- Location: State averages vary significantly. The Australian Capital Territory has the highest full-time average at $119,090, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. Tasmania has the lowest at $96,008. An epidemiologist in Canberra or Perth may earn above the national average, while one in Hobart may earn below.
- Experience and qualifications: Senior epidemiologists with PhDs, specialised skills in biostatistics or data science, or extensive experience in outbreak response can command higher salaries. Entry-level roles or those in lower-funded research projects may pay less.
- Award coverage: From 1 July 2026, award minimum wages rose by 4.75%. Epidemiologists in the public health system may be covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award or a state public service award, which set minimum rates but often have higher actual pay through classification levels.
How to see where your salary sits
You can Place a salary on the line to compare your own pay against the national full-time average. The tool uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026 figure of $2,083.70 per week as the benchmark. It also shows how your pay compares to the full-time median and the minimum wage.
For more detail on how different occupations compare, see Job medians which draws on ABS Employee Earnings data. Note that the ABS publishes average weekly earnings twice a year (May and November), while median earnings are updated annually from the Employee Earnings survey.
Key takeaways
- No specific ABS figure exists for epidemiologists, but the Professionals category provides a reliable proxy.
- The average for Professionals ($106,579) is very close to the national full-time average ($108,352).
- Epidemiologists in private sector, senior roles, or high-paying states like the ACT or WA are likely to earn above the average.
- Those in entry-level, public sector, or lower-paying states may earn below the average.
Always check your own pay against the latest data. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, but most epidemiologists will earn well above that threshold.