As a biomedical engineer, you're able to apply your knowledge of engineering principles to develop innovative medical procedures and processes that solve medical and health-related problems. Read on to see salaries for this career and learn about factors that can affect your earning potential.
Salary Overview
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median annual salary for biomedical engineers in May of 2021 was $97,410 (www.bls.gov). The bottom 10% of workers made $60,680 or less, and the top 10% made $154,750 or more. However, your actual earning potential as a biomedical engineer varies based on a number of factors. Among those factors include your experience, education, geographical location and employer.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 10% growth</td></tr>
<tr><td>Required Education</td><td> Bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Analytical, problem-solving, communication, listening, and math skills</td></tr>
<tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> Hospitals, laboratories, manufacturing settings, or commercial offices</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Chemical engineer, mechanical engineer, physician, surgeon</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByEducationLevel">Salary by Education Level</h3><p>A bachelor's degree is usually sufficient for most entry-level engineering jobs. Annual incomes for biomedical engineers with bachelor's degrees ranged from $51K to $92K as of January 2023, according to <i>PayScale.com.</i> However, a master's degree is often necessary for research and development opportunities, as well as university faculty positions. Those with Master of Science degrees in biomedical engineering earned salaries ranging from $54K to $88K, according to the same salary data source.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByExperience">Salary by Experience</h3><p>As with most occupations, the more experience you have, the more you can expect you salary to grow. According to <i>PayScale.com</i> in December, biomedical engineers with four or less years of experience earned between $55K and $96K. In contrast, those with 5-10 years or more of experience benefited from a salary range of $59K and $117K.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation">Salary by Location</h3><p>Biomedical engineers across the country earn varying salaries. For example, if you live in Minneapolis you may earn more than if you live and work in San Francisco. According to the BLS, workers in the Flagstaff, AZ, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI earned the highest wages as of May 2021. The average annual salaries in those locales were $151,560, $122,950, and $120,340, respectively. As a whole, the top-paying states for this occupation based on mean wage included New Mexico ($134,120), Arizona ($120,970), Minnesota ($119,250), Connecticut ($116,430) and Massachusetts ($115,670).
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry">Salary by Industry</h3><p>The BLS listed the medical equipment and supplies manufacturing industry as having the highest level of employment for biomedical engineers, and the mean salary for this industry was $97,800 as of May 2021. The top-paying industries for this occupation as of May 2021 included wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers and semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing. Those working in wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers earned mean salaries of $170,080, while those working for semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing made annual mean salaries of $133,830.</p>
