Contact Tracer: Job Description, Pay, and How to Become One

Key takeaways

Working as a contact tracer involves controlling the spread of disease to protect the members of your community. Discover more about this profession:

• As of October 2025, the average annual salary for a contact tracer is $46,030 [1].

• Some workplace skills necessary for a job in contact tracing include communication, persuasiveness, and empathy.

• You can develop interpersonal skills that may be helpful for contact tracing.

Learn more about contact tracing, the role of contact tracers, the necessary skills, and your potential salary. If you’re ready to explore public health and infectious diseases, enroll in the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization, where you can learn about health policy, data analysis, and chronic diseases.

What is contact tracing? 

The purpose of contact tracing is to identify people who have been exposed to a communicable disease, so those they may have been in close contact with can be notified. Contact tracing helps contain the spread of infectious diseases by quarantining those who are ill and those who may have been exposed to a sick person.

Contact tracers deploy when transmissible diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV are found in a community.

What does it mean to do contact tracing?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), essentially, contact tracing is “the process of identifying people who have recently been in contact with someone diagnosed with an infectious disease” [2].

What is the role of a contact tracer?

In your role as a contact tracer, you’ll reach out to someone with confirmed communicable diseases. You will ask a series of questions to determine where the person recently traveled, who they had contact with, and if they had been in any public settings such as schools, work, or large gatherings.

You’ll note anyone the person may have been in close contact with, so those people can be notified and advised on what to do next. You may also be responsible for making follow-up calls to check on patients, provide referrals if needed, and encourage them to practice social distancing. A contact tracer keeps patient records of symptoms, living arrangements, and underlying medical conditions. You may also research social media accounts, GPS data, and other databases to find out where a person has been.

Contact tracer jobs: Key skills

Most contact tracing positions don’t require a specialized background, but it is helpful to have an interest in public health. Here are some of the core skills you'll need as a contact tracer:

• Strong communication and persuasion

• Empathy and good listening skills

• Persistence

• Organizational skills

• Critical thinking

You should be comfortable speaking with a diverse group of patients who may be scared, confused, or aggressive. You’ll also need to be comfortable contacting those who may have been exposed to a communicable disease and ready to answer questions.

Read more: Professional Skills: What They Are and How to Use Them

How much does a contact tracer make?

According to Salary.com, the average annual base contact tracer salary is $46,030 as of October 2025 [1]. Additionally, the range of salaries for contact tracers typically falls between $38,263 and $55,704 [1]. 

Where they work

Many contact tracers work for local and state governments. Some private companies are providing contact tracers to government health departments. Many public health departments have applications on their websites, and you can contact them to see if they have any current openings. 

Check with your local temporary employment agencies, too. Some public health departments may hire contact tracers temporarily through an agency.

How to become a contact tracer 

The minimum educational requirement is generally a high school diploma. You can prepare to be a contact tracer in as little as seven hours. Johns Hopkins University offers a COVID-19 Contact Tracing online course on Coursera to earn a shareable certificate in contact tracing. You can work at your own pace and learn all you need to begin a new career helping others.

The CDC offers online training for contact tracers as well. You can also contact your local health department for any available training courses; some states might also offer training. Some colleges, universities, and private health organizations also offer contact tracer courses. 

Stay current on trends and job opportunities in public health

To keep up with trends and job opportunities in public health, you can join Career Chat on LinkedIn. Check out these other free resources:

• Watch on YouTube: Principles of Public Health with Zuzana Bic

• Use AI at work: How to Use GenAI in Your Job: Insight from Coursera’s Former CEO

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

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