Public Health Surveillance Analyst

Career Guide

A Public Health Surveillance Analyst monitors health trends in populations by collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and reporting data. The role helps public health teams detect outbreaks early, track ongoing health issues, and guide prevention efforts through clear, timely insights.

Browse All Roles

Key Responsibilities

Collect and validate data from reporting systems, laboratories, and healthcare partners
Clean and organize datasets to ensure accuracy and consistency
Monitor trends in cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and other key indicators
Detect unusual patterns that may signal outbreaks or emerging risks
Create regular reports for public health leaders and community partners
Build and maintain dashboards and data summaries for ongoing monitoring
Support field investigations by supplying timely data and analysis
Document data definitions, processes, and quality checks
Coordinate with epidemiologists, clinicians, and program teams to interpret findings
Ensure data handling follows privacy rules and data sharing agreements

Top Skills for Success

Data Cleaning

Data Quality Assurance

Statistical Analysis

Epidemiology Fundamentals

Disease Surveillance Methods

Data Visualization

Dashboard Development

SQL

Python

Report Writing

Stakeholder Communication

Privacy Compliance

Project Management

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Public Health Surveillance Analyst

Epidemiologist

Public Health Data Analyst

Informatics Specialist

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Transition Opportunities

Public Health Data Scientist

Analytics Manager

Population Health Analyst

Health Informatics Manager

Program Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Data Pipeline BasicsData GovernanceAdvanced Data VisualizationData StorytellingAutomation of Routine ReportingData Privacy PracticesOutbreak Detection Techniques

Development SuggestionsStrengthen core tools used in surveillance work by practicing SQL and building repeatable analysis workflows in Python or R. Create a small portfolio that includes a clean dataset, a trend analysis, and a simple dashboard. Seek exposure to data quality processes, clear metric definitions, and privacy requirements through cross-team projects or guided shadowing.

Market Intelligence Report

Public Health Surveillance Analyst is part of the Data Analysis category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

See the market intelligence report

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level$55,000 to $75,000

Mid Level$75,000 to $100,000

Senior Level$100,000 to $135,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, with spikes during outbreaks and expanding needs for real-time reporting, data quality improvement, and modernized public health data systems.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Centers for Disease Control and PreventionWorld Health OrganizationState Health DepartmentsCounty Health DepartmentsCity Health DepartmentsKaiser PermanenteMayo ClinicHCA HealthcareUnitedHealth GroupIQVIARTI InternationalICF

Industry Sectors

Government Public HealthInternational Health OrganizationsHospitals and Health SystemsHealth InsuranceResearch InstitutesConsulting FirmsNonprofit Public Health Organizations

Recommended Next Steps

Build a weekly surveillance report using a public dataset and publish a one page summary

Create a dashboard that tracks at least three key indicators and refreshes on a schedule

Practice writing a short alert note that explains an unusual trend and recommended follow up

Complete a course in SQL and apply it to a sample case registry dataset

Join a public health data community and attend one event per month

Request a stretch assignment focused on data quality checks and documentation

Prepare a targeted resume that highlights reporting cadence, timeliness, and impact