# 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. May practice population-based medicine or diagnose and treat patients in the context of clinical health promotion and disease prevention.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/preventive-medicine-physicians
- SOC code: 29-1229.05
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $265,930 (10th percentile $69,170, 90th percentile $452,360)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.4%
- Openings a year: 9,400
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Physicians, all other".

## Interest profile (code ISC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 40 |
| Investigative (I) | 95 |
| Artistic (A) | 15 |
| Social (S) | 74 |
| Enterprising (E) | 23 |
| Conventional (C) | 40 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 92/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 89/100)
- Processing Information (importance 87/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 86/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 85/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 82/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 82/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 81/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 80/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Medicine](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5112) (CIP 5112, 133 colleges)
- [Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5114) (CIP 5114, 79 colleges)
- Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs (CIP 6102, 2 colleges)

## Related careers

- [Emergency Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medicine-physicians): $335,550 median pay
- [General Internal Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/general-internal-medicine-physicians): $256,560 median pay
- [Family Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/family-medicine-physicians): $244,180 median pay
- [Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-physicians): $265,930 median pay
- [Pediatricians, General](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pediatricians-general): $210,040 median pay
- [Obstetricians and Gynecologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/obstetricians-and-gynecologists): $292,910 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.