SOC 29-1229.05

    Preventive Medicine Physicians

    Apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death.

    Median pay
    $265,930
    Growth
    +3.4%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    9,400
    Typical education
    Doctoral or professional degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Physicians, all other"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $69,170
    Median
    $265,930
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $452,360
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    342,720 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Preventive medicine physicians focus on public health and medical practices to prevent disease, injury, and death for individuals and communities. The median annual pay for this field is $265,930.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What preventive medicine physicians do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death. May practice population-based medicine or diagnose and treat patients in the context of clinical health promotion and disease prevention.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    These medical professionals spend their days analyzing data, gathering information, and solving complex problems to promote health and reduce physical risks. They evaluate information to ensure compliance with standards and interpret complex medical meaning for patients, colleagues, and external organizations. The daily work requires strong skills in reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, and decision-making.

    To succeed in this role, individuals must have a strong investigative interest and deep knowledge in medicine, biology, psychology, and public safety. They also need a solid understanding of education, training, and government laws. Key work styles for these physicians include high attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, dependability, and integrity. They must also show leadership, cooperation, and self-control when coordinating patient care or managing population health programs.

    How to get there

    Entering this career requires extensive preparation. Candidates typically need a doctoral or professional degree, such as an MD. Most people in this field hold a graduate degree, which can also include a master's degree, PhD, or JD.

    Students preparing for this career usually major in medicine, medical clinical sciences, graduate medical studies, or multiple-pathway medical fellowship programs. In terms of professional credentials, some states list a license for this work. Additionally, practitioners can pursue certifications, such as the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality credential offered by the National Association for Healthcare Quality.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these physicians is $265,930. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $69,170, while the highest 10% earn more than $452,360. These wage figures represent the broader occupational group for all other physicians.

    There are 342,720 people employed in this broader field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.4%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in 9,400 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    40 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    95 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    15 / 100
    Social (S)
    74 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    23 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    40 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ISC. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    93
    Getting Information
    92
    Analyzing Data or Information
    89
    Processing Information
    87
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    86
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    85
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    82
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    82
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    81
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    80
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Speaking
    • Monitoring
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Coordination

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Biology
    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Psychology
    • Law and Government
    • Administration and Management
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Expression
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Clarity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Speech Recognition
    • Written Expression

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Leadership Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Cautiousness
    • Self-Control
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Adaptability

    Also called

    Aerospace Medicine Physician · Environmental Health Physician · Occupational Health Physician (OHP) · Occupational Medicine Officer · Occupational Medicine Physician · Occupational Physician · Physician · Preventive Medicine Officer · Preventive Medicine Physician · Preventive Medicine Specialist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to preventive medicine physicians

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Preventive Medicine Physicians$265,930 median pay

    3. Majors

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What preventive medicine physicians may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work. Showing 12 of 63.

    • Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program
    • Aerospace Medicine Residency Program
    • Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Program
    • Allergy and Immunology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
    • Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Fellowship Program
    • Clinical Biochemical Genetics Residency Program
    • Clinical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program
    • Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Program, General
    • Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
    • Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship Program
    • Family Medicine/Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Combined Specialty Program
    • Family Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    52 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Federal

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about preventive medicine physicians

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field may be called aerospace medicine physicians, occupational medicine physicians, environmental health physicians, or preventive medicine specialists.

    What are the primary fields of study for this job?

    Aspiring professionals typically major in medicine, medical clinical sciences, graduate medical studies, or multiple-pathway medical fellowship programs.

    What are some related medical careers?

    Related careers include emergency medicine physicians, general internal medicine physicians, family medicine physicians, pediatricians, and obstetricians.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.