💡 Why it matters: After COVID-19 and recurring outbreaks of diseases like cholera, governments and charities are investing more in tracking and preventing disease.
🌍 Around the world
- Nigeria: Outbreaks such as cholera and Lassa fever keep returning, and governments and charities are investing more in tracking and preventing disease.
- United States: Jobs are projected to grow 19% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1.8M – ₦4M
- Mid-career
- ₦4M – ₦10M
- Senior
- ₦10M – ₦25M
≈ ₦333k – ₦833k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Closest UK job profile: Environmental health practitioner. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Epidemiologists. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Closest Canadian job: Public health inspector. Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Track diseases to find out where they spread
- Plan vaccination and awareness campaigns
- Study data on community health
- Train health workers and teachers
- Work with government and international groups
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Data analysis
- Communication
- Planning
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Field epidemiology training programme
- Start with a health degree, then add public health at postgraduate level
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Public health practitioner apprenticeship (level 6)
- Start in a local council or NHS role and train on the job
🇺🇸 United States
- Start as a community health worker
- State and local health departments hire for entry-level roles, with requirements varying by state
🇨🇦 Canada
- Start in a public health unit or regional health authority
- Field epidemiology training programmes after a graduate degree
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Biology and Mathematics in school
- 2Take a degree in Public Health or a health science
- 3Do a Master of Public Health (MPH) for more advanced work
- 4Join a government health department, charity or health agency
- 5Move into outbreak response or health policy
⏰ A day in the life
You look at this week's report of fever cases from three nearby districts and notice a pattern. You call the clinics, plan a community talk about clean water and send a short report to your boss.