What Is the Average Salary of a Bioengineer?
Bioengineers help design medical devices. Keep reading to learn more about a career in bioengineering, along with the average salary and job outlook for this occupation. Schools offering Engineering & Technology Management degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Career Description
Bioengineering is a term used interchangeably with biomedical engineering. This research-intensive career focuses on solving health and medical problems by designing and developing useful procedures or devices with engineering principles. These professionals normally work in the medical industry alongside doctors and medical scientists.
An education in bioengineering may lead you to a career creating life-saving devices and systems, such as medical instruments, prostheses and artificial organs. Other devices you might create include imaging systems and insulin injection machines. In college, you typically focus on another engineering specialty in addition to your biomedical education. Such specialties may include electronics, mechanical, medical imaging, orthopedic and bio-materials engineering.
Important Facts About This Occupation
| Required Education | Bachelor's degree |
| Key Skills | Math, reading, listening, and science skills; ability to solve problems, communicate with others, and analyze data |
| Work Environment | Varies; hospital, manufacturing, laboratory, and office settings are common |
| Similar Occupations | Biochemist, chemical engineer, mechanical engineer, sales engineer |
Salary Overview
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), biomedical engineers earned an average hourly wage of $45.72 which amounted to an average annual income of $95,090, as of May 2018 (www.bls.gov). The top ten percent of these workers made upwards of $144,350 per year, while the bottom ten percent made $51,890 or less per year.
Salary by Industry
The highest-paying industry was computer systems design and related services, which had an average annual income of $120,190 in May 2018, according to the BLS. Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing industry paid the second highest salary of $112,410. The highest biomedical engineer employment level was found in the medical equipment and supplies manufacturing industry, which had an average salary of $93,560. Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing had the second highest employment level, and the average wage was $95,970.
Salary by Location
According to May 2018 figures from the BLS, average salaries for the five states with the highest biomedical engineer employment levels were $101,210 for California, $105,580 for Massachusetts, $98,420 for Illinois, $78,840 for Pennsylvania and $114,380 for Minnesota. The highest average wages were found in Minnesota ($114,380), New Jersey ($113,140), Massachusetts ($105,580), Arizona ($103,650) and Connecticut ($102,970). Lower-than-average earnings of $55,840-$70,810 were found in states that included Gainesville, FL, and Salt Lake City, UT.
Salary by Experience
PayScale.com reported how biomedical engineer salaries varied by experience in May 2019. The salary ranges were as follows:
- 0-5 years: $49,000-$87,000
- 5-10 years: $56,000-$107,000
- 10-20 years: $58,000-$120,000
- 20+ years: $57,000-$146,000
Job Outlook
The BLS predicted that 7% employment growth for biomedical engineers between 2016 and 2026. This is as fast as the average growth when compared to other occupations. The expected increase in demand is due in part to a rising aging population, which has a greater need for healthcare.
As healthcare becomes a bigger focal point, there will be a greater demand for the medical equipment that bioengineers create. Additionally, employment growth will be spurred by a need for better and more cost-effective equipment.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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