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Job outlook for biomedical engineers in the United States
Biomedical engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected biomedical engineer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 1,700 new jobs for biomedical engineers are projected over the next decade.
Biomedical engineer salaries have increased 8% for biomedical engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 11,647 biomedical engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 33,662 active biomedical engineer job openings in the US.
The average biomedical engineer salary is $79,436.
Are biomedical engineer jobs in demand?
Biomedical engineer job and salary trends over time
Biomedical engineer jobs over time
Biomedical engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,647 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 12,643 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 13,402 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 12,853 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 13,618 | 0.00% |
Average biomedical engineer salary over time
Biomedical engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $79,436 | $38.19 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $78,399 | $37.69 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $75,946 | $36.51 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $75,508 | $36.30 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $73,433 | $35.30 | --0.7% |
Biomedical engineer jobs by state
Most common states for biomedical engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 174 | 25% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 576 | 7% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 63 | 7% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 351 | 5% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 327 | 5% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 280 | 5% |
| 7 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,465 | 4% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 302 | 4% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 169 | 4% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 200 | 3% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 96 | 3% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 57 | 3% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 45 | 3% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 21 | 3% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 16 | 3% |
| 16 | New York | 19,849,399 | 402 | 2% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 218 | 2% |
| 18 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 168 | 2% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 137 | 2% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 134 | 2% |
Most common cities for biomedical engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eden Prairie | 1 | 2% | $86,378 |
| 2 | Saginaw | 1 | 2% | $78,477 |
| 3 | San Rafael | 1 | 2% | $100,066 |
| 4 | Berkeley | 1 | 1% | $99,944 |
| 5 | Gainesville | 1 | 1% | $71,319 |
| 6 | Redwood City | 1 | 1% | $99,906 |
| 7 | Santa Clara | 1 | 1% | $99,648 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa | 1 | 1% | $99,748 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | 2 | 0% | $86,447 |
| 10 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $70,063 |
| 11 | Fort Wayne | 1 | 0% | $91,438 |
| 12 | Fremont | 1 | 0% | $99,722 |
| 13 | Montgomery | 1 | 0% | $49,815 |
| 14 | Oakland | 1 | 0% | $99,944 |
| 15 | Saint Paul | 1 | 0% | $86,445 |
| 16 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $88,273 |
| 17 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $100,088 |
| 18 | Seattle | 1 | 0% | $76,791 |
Biomedical Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of biomedical engineer experts
San Jose State University
Seattle University
University of Minnesota - Duluth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Weber State University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Maine
Arizona State University
Widener University
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Marilyn Cipolla PhD: There are many directions to go with a BME degree and it may take some trial and error to find what you are passionate about but keep trying! You are our future. Work hard to find solutions to big problems.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Marilyn Cipolla PhD: Having experience from an internship or doing research will likely make you more attractive as an applicant applying to different positions in BME. If looking for higher salary position, industry is probably the place to look. But having a career is not all about salary, and if you follow your interests, the money will come.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Marilyn Cipolla PhD: Computational and coding skills are increasingly being needed in many areas of BME, including image processing, robotics, digital health, wearable sensing, protein engineering and computational biology. Computational approaches can add a dimension to many other areas in BME as well. Also, working in collaboration with other disciplines. BME is already interdisciplinary; however, working with other engineering disciplines (electrical, computer, mechanical) will likely be more important as areas such as robotics and image processing expand.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Julie Brandis: Oregon State University provides support in salary negotiation, also students can work with mentors who are familiar with company hiring practices and wage structures. If you have internship experience, that can help to boost your starting salary.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Davide Masato: The high demand for plastics engineers facilitates maximizing starting salaries. Graduates with co-op experience enjoy a competitive edge. To grow both as engineers and team members, young professionals should actively seek professional development opportunities. Continuous learning and seeking advancement within the organization or externally are key. Pursuing advanced degrees or certifications, even remotely, enhances qualifications and marketability.
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
Professor Winncy Du
Professor, PhD, PE, ASME FellowSan Jose State University
Mechanical Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Professor Winncy Du: Keep Engineering Ethics in mind -- protect the public and the engineers themselves. Make sure that they know and understand the core concepts of their field. No matter what they design, they need to follow the industrial standards or grades, and safety measurements closely. Check, check, and double check, especially when they design biomedical devices, mobile robots, autonomous vehicles or drones, and automated material handling systems. I saw increasing engineers' designs or products challenged by the prospect of being deposed in the courtroom.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Timothy Lannin: From what I've learned from my students, salary potential isn't necessarily a high priority. Sure, bioengineers want to be able to pay bills and live comfortably, but nearly every student I talk to views BIOE as a way to have an impact—to build and to discover things that improve the human condition. So most bioengineering students are prioritizing building a skillset to go do that, rather than to maximize salary.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Lannin: I've asked industry leaders the question 'why would you hire a bioengineer to a team instead of hiring a mix of mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, and biologists?' They gave a few insights. First, bioengineers design and execute great experiments. Biological things are squishy and messy, and although some things can be explained with math models and physics/chemistry, proving reliability comes down to experimentation. Some among engineers, bioengineers do that more than most other engineering disciplines. Bioengineers live at the interface between science (discovering new knowledge) and engineering (using knowledge to solve problems). Second, there is a breadth in bioengineering training that allows bioengineers to speak the language of many disciplines. There is training in mechanics, electronics, and biology that a bioengineer can use to bring teams together. Third, bioengineering has emerged with a number of techniques (e.g. genetic manipulations) that are specific to this discipline, that are the best way to solve many problems.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Timothy Lannin: My advice would be to 1) learn lots of hands-on skills (coding, wet lab, experimental design), 2) use math/chemistry/physics to describe something simply (but roughly) before diving into too much complexity, and 3) focus on finding a team of co-workers and colleagues who value your growth and treat you with kindness and respect.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jhon Smith: Expand your network, join professional organizations and committees, become valuable in whatever company you work for, never stop learning, seek for opportunities for professional work, get your PE license. After these you will become more valuable naturally and could comfortably ask for a promotion or a salary increase because you’d know you deserve it.
Jiayue Shen
Mechanical Engineering Technology Program CoordinatorWhat will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Jiayue Shen: In the next 3-5 years, skills such as electronic control, basic programming, and critical thinking will become increasingly important in the field of Mechanical Engineering Technology. As industries like robotics, automation, and semiconductors continue to grow, professionals will need to be well-versed in these areas to stay competitive. Additionally, skills such as collaboration and effective oral and written communication will be crucial for advancing in one's career.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Richard Davis: Likes: Engineers often enjoy working on cutting-edge technologies and solving challenging problems. For example, a biomedical engineer might find satisfaction in developing a new prosthetic limb that improves a patient's quality of life. The sense of accomplishment from seeing their designs come to life or their solutions implemented successfully can be gratifying. Engineers typically enjoy working in collaborative teams, where they can bounce ideas off colleagues. Engineering offers the chance to make a tangible difference in the world, whether it is through developing life-saving medical devices, improving infrastructure, or creating sustainable energy solutions. Dislikes: Like any profession, engineering has its share of challenges. It can sometimes involve long hours, especially when deadlines are approaching or projects hit unexpected roadblocks. Dealing with technical challenges and troubleshooting can be frustrating and mentally taxing, mainly when solutions are elusive. Depending on the industry and specific role, engineers may encounter bureaucracy or red tape that slows down project progress. Engineers may also face ethical dilemmas, such as balancing cost-effectiveness with safety or environmental concerns, which can be challenging to navigate.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Richard Davis: Engineering offers career opportunities across various industries, from technology and healthcare to infrastructure and environmental sustainability. With technological advancements and the increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, food and clean water, and urbanization, engineers are in high demand to develop innovative solutions. For example, environmental engineers are crucial in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Engineering provides opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, making it a rewarding career choice for those who enjoy tackling complex problems. The global focus on sustainability and renewable energy presents exciting prospects for engineers to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact society and the environment.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: An underappreciated skill that I think will become more sought-after is the ability to validate computer-made decisions and their shortcomings. With the growing prominence of AI use in design, problem solving, and decision making, the engineering field will need experts to error-check decisions made using these technologies. Sometimes there are unexplored gaps that these technologies overlook, and sometimes there are biases or inappropriate assumptions baked into AI-based results. Humans are inherently imaginative and creative. We excel at picking up on things that computer algorithms may miss. Talented experts that recognize and address these issues will remain invaluable in the workforce. Another indispensable skill that is often overlooked in engineering is effective interpersonal communication. Whether in a teamwork context, a leadership role, or a client interaction, competent communication is crucial. This can take the form of conversation, live presentations, written correspondence, and beyond. People that hone their communication skills are often recognized, and tend to be the individuals that are promoted to more senior roles.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Concurrent with building technical skills, they must build soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These skills are often the differentiators between good and great engineers.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Megumi Usui: Even after obtaining a degree, it is crucial to recognize that continuous learning is a fundamental aspect of professional development in the workplace. One must cultivate an open-minded attitude and demonstrate a willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills at any time and in any context. Effective communication with colleagues and clients is essential for successful collaboration and project execution. It is important to understand that the professional environment is significantly different from the academic setting. In a company, the focus is delivering work that meets the expectations and standards set by the employer and satisfies the needs of clients, rather than merely fulfilling personal criteria. Furthermore, it is imperative to produce high-quality work consistently. Mediocre performance is unacceptable, and organizations will not hesitate to seek replacements if the work delivered does not meet their standards. Ensuring that your work is thorough, precise, and aligns with the company's objectives is critical for maintaining the position and advancing their career.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Michael Denn: 1. Become the expert in whatever you do. 2. Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture and keep that in mind when you do your work. 3. Keep learning! Your engineering degree is not the end of your education! 4. Take stretch assignments and opportunities whenever you can.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Denn: 1. The time needed to progress from an idea to a quality prototype is continually decreasing. That trend will likely continue. Skills that support short development times, such as computer modeling, simulations and rapid prototyping, will continue to be valued. 2. One skill that will always be valuable is the ability to acquire new knowledge and apply it to the task at hand.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Michael Denn: The answers to this question are largely the same as the answer to question 1. However, here are some additional points: 1. Excel in your job. Become the person everyone goes to for whatever type of work you do. 2. Develop and maintain a career plan. Make sure your assignments and tasks align with your plan. When you have the opportunity to change positions, keep you plan in mind.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Karissa Tilbury Ph.D: It is critical to demonstrate that you are a lifelong learner. Take online courses, develop portfolios of your work to showcase and learn the art of negotiating.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Karissa Tilbury Ph.D: With the use of AI, the importance of critical thinking is vital. I anticipate that this will continue as critical thinking is what separates us from AI technology.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Karissa Tilbury Ph.D: Be willing to take calculated risks, frequently biomedical engineering students graduate feeling as if they are a jack of all trades but master of none. Turn this on its head and be sure to know how you can sell yourself as a potential employee.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Josh Hihath Ph.D.: It is becoming increasingly important to be able to work with machine learning systems. As these systems become more prevalent they will become part of the workflow for many engineering jobs. Understanding how they work, and how to work with them will be critical to being successful.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Josh Hihath Ph.D.: I would say its very important to look at what specific subfield you want to specialize in. When you come out of engineering school with a bachelor's degree, you have a very general skill set, it is your first job that will help define your specialty within Biomedical Engineering.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Josh Hihath Ph.D.: Don't be afraid to negotiate, work hard, and keep an eye open for new opportunities. And above all, don't let yourself become stagnate.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Daniel Armentrout: The excessive number of baby boomer engineers are retiring at high rates and you as a new engineering graduate are desperately needed to make up for their loss in the workforce. You will face challenges in your career we could not anticipate or prepare you for in your education. You will have to adapt and continue to learn new fields of study which did not exist when you graduated. We have given you tools to learn and you will have to use those tools to remain relevant throughout your career. Find your place as an engineer when you can be effective, help humanity, and have fun. Plot a career path where you can utilize your strengths and challenge your mind to do new things. Contribute to making a better world and you will be able to enjoy immense satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.
Professor Alejandro Ojeda
ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Professor Alejandro Ojeda: Demonstrate that you can contribute and add value right away. One differentiator between BMEs and other engineering fields is that you have been introduced to product and process development, in addition to the engineering fundamentals you and your peers in other engineering majors have learned in school. This means that you are, although inexperienced, knowledgeable in the fields of design development, risk management, project management, verification, validation, and operations. You speak the industry’s language. Additionally, BME requires students to be well-versed in multiple engineering and scientific fields, instead of hyperspecializing in one. Use this to your advantage. Become articulate in communicating this skillset to potential employers. I have seen numerous recent grads who skip entry-level Engineering I positions or are offered higher starting salaries because they can contribute beyond what is expected at their experience level.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Alejandro Ojeda: As amazing new technologies such as AI invariably become mainstream, I believe, however, that the skills which will become even more important and valuable aren’t necessarily technical, but rather intra and interpersonal. Great engineering is, has always been, and will always be about *people*. Machines and computers are wonderful tools, but they will never replace the human element. They’re complimentary, not substitutive. The most successful engineers are those who have mastered the ability to lead, to communicate effectively, to reciprocate, to think critically and creatively, to feel comfortable taking risks, to problem solve, to prioritize, to make difficult decisions, to work well within teams, to show confidence in adversity, to perform under pressure, and to self-motivate and self-validate.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Professor Alejandro Ojeda: Accept the fact that this is only the beginning of your journey. Despite how well prepared and knowledgeable you are coming out of engineering school, there is still so much to learn and discover. Keep an open mind. Make it your ethos to become approachable and coachable. You will now have the time and latitude to actively pursue your interests and grow as an engineer. Learn something new every day. You’d be amazed at how many seasoned engineering professionals are willing to teach you and train you if you are willing to ask.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mohammed Daqaq: Given its breadth, I feel that ME is the most versatile engineering degree. It covers many different fundamental fields including thermofluidic sciences, dynamical systems, controls, design, mechatronics, robotics, etc. With minor additional training, ME graduates can also easily adapt to work in the aerospace industry, nuclear, and bioengineering domains. Thus, an ME degree is always trendy and companies seek to hire ME graduates regardless of how the market changes.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Mohammed Daqaq: It depends on what aspect of the job they are hired to do. Some graduating MEs work in industrial plants where they are expected to deal with and fix engineering related problems, or work on the design and testing of innovative industrial solutions. Many MEs end up in the sales and maintenance departments of companies that manufacture specialized machinery and equipment. Some ME graduates are hired by the research departments of companies and federal labs where they participate in the research and development of new technologies, etc. A recent trend that we have been observing with our graduates is that they are being sought after by major consulting companies especially in business development and finance. Such companies like the versatility of the engineering education, and the logical/structured way of thinking that engineers are trained to follow during their studies.
What general advice would you give to a Biomedical Engineer?
Aylin Acun PhD: Stay informed about industry trends and be proactive about continuously improving your skills. Seek professional development opportunities: advanced degrees, certifications, or specialized training in areas such as machine learning or healthcare analytics.
What Biomedical Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aylin Acun PhD: I would encourage the new graduates to keep a close eye on the latest advancements, trends, and technologies in biomedical information sciences as the field is rapidly evolving. Make sure to build and maintain a strong professional network within the information sciences community as well as others with diverse backgrounds such as engineers, computer scientists, and clinicians. Usually building a network is promoted but not enough emphasis is given to maintaining these connections, which is very crucial. Finally, do not shy away from asking for mentorship from those with experience in the specific subfields that you are particularly interested in. Hearing about their valuable insights, advice, and perspective could be career defining.
What will help Biomedical Engineers increase their earning potential?
Aylin Acun PhD: I believe that in the next 3-5 years an increasing volume of complex, large-scale genomic and clinical data will be available to investigate trends in biomedical research and healthcare. There is growing interest in secretome, proteome, and transcriptome analysis which intend to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of biological processes and disease leading to emergence of preventive and therapeutic approaches. In addition, the integration of artificial intelligence to information science will continue to grow. An increased number of AI-powered tools and applications may play important roles in disease diagnostics and drug discovery. In relevance to all these advancements, cybersecurity and data privacy will gain its important role in keeping private healthcare information secure.