Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031) earn a median $109,370 a year ($52.58 an hour) in the United States, with 23,480 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Arizona.
What bioengineers and biomedical engineers do
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers combine engineering with biology, chemistry, and computer science to design and improve products and systems used in health care and other biological settings. Examples include artificial organs, prostheses, diagnostic instruments, and clinical equipment. Typical tasks include designing or developing diagnostic and clinical equipment or procedures, collaborating with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists on the engineering side of research problems, and evaluating whether biomedical equipment is safe, efficient, and effective. They also write technical reports, data summaries, and research articles. The occupation differs from medical scientists, who investigate disease and health, and from clinical engineering technicians, who maintain and repair medical equipment instead of designing it. They also build statistical models and simulations, adapt computer hardware or software for medical uses, and maintain databases of experimental results.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Biomedical Engineer, Bioengineer, Biochemical Engineer, Biomechanical Engineer, Analytical Biochemical Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $34.55 | $41.82 | $52.58 | $65.68 | $80.86 | $56.20 | 23,480 |
| Annual | $71,850 | $86,980 | $109,370 | $136,600 | $168,180 | $116,890 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where bioengineers and biomedical engineers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $47.90 | $59.77 | $67.90 | $78.64 | $82.00 | $66.40 | 610 | 0.19 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $99,630 | $124,330 | $141,230 | $163,560 | $170,560 | $138,120 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $17.40 | $51.61 | $64.30 | $65.93 | $66.15 | $56.28 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $36,190 | $107,350 | $133,750 | $137,130 | $137,600 | $117,060 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $42.99 | $50.94 | $61.69 | $73.88 | $86.45 | $63.65 | 2,750 | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $89,420 | $105,950 | $128,310 | $153,670 | $179,810 | $132,400 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $42.56 | $49.21 | $61.41 | $77.29 | $84.78 | $62.65 | 1,230 | 0.42 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $88,530 | $102,360 | $127,730 | $160,770 | $176,330 | $130,320 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.90 | $48.19 | $61.33 | $72.22 | $93.64 | $60.91 | 4,740 | 1.30 | 8.63 |
| Annual | $76,750 | $100,240 | $127,570 | $150,220 | $194,760 | $126,700 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.90 | $48.19 | $61.33 | $72.22 | $93.64 | $60.91 | 4,740 | 1.30 | 8.63 |
| Annual | $76,750 | $100,240 | $127,570 | $150,220 | $194,760 | $126,700 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $42.99 | $50.94 | $61.69 | $73.88 | $86.45 | $63.65 | 2,750 | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $89,420 | $105,950 | $128,310 | $153,670 | $179,810 | $132,400 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.63 | $36.08 | $44.52 | $59.35 | $76.70 | $48.50 | 2,050 | 0.15 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $59,540 | $75,040 | $92,600 | $123,450 | $159,540 | $100,870 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $42.56 | $49.21 | $61.41 | $77.29 | $84.78 | $62.65 | 1,230 | 0.42 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $88,530 | $102,360 | $127,730 | $160,770 | $176,330 | $130,320 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $37.19 | $46.94 | $58.92 | $66.28 | $76.25 | $57.74 | 950 | 0.16 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $77,360 | $97,640 | $122,560 | $137,870 | $158,600 | $120,110 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $50.21 | $60.21 | $67.90 | $76.36 | $82.00 | $66.07 | 450 | 0.19 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $104,440 | $125,240 | $141,230 | $158,820 | $170,560 | $137,420 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $40.32 | $57.69 | $67.63 | $74.70 | $90.07 | $67.32 | 650 | 0.27 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $83,870 | $119,990 | $140,660 | $155,370 | $187,350 | $140,020 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $46.02 | $52.45 | $65.60 | $83.60 | $100.01 | $69.06 | 270 | 0.24 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $95,720 | $109,090 | $136,450 | $173,890 | $208,020 | $143,640 | ||||
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | Hourly | $39.80 | $49.53 | $63.06 | $80.58 | $80.58 | $62.90 | 280 | 0.25 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $82,780 | $103,020 | $131,170 | $167,600 | $167,600 | $130,830 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $39.63 | $47.17 | $62.33 | $74.76 | $77.02 | $60.74 | 90 | 0.11 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $82,420 | $98,110 | $129,640 | $155,490 | $160,190 | $126,340 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $36.51 | $48.66 | $61.80 | $75.49 | $93.65 | $61.67 | 4,040 | 1.50 | 9.90 |
| Annual | $75,930 | $101,220 | $128,550 | $157,020 | $194,790 | $128,280 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $42.95 | $49.53 | $61.49 | $77.46 | $84.77 | $62.68 | 1,070 | 0.55 | 3.63 |
| Annual | $89,340 | $103,020 | $127,890 | $161,120 | $176,310 | $130,380 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $38.97 | $45.07 | $53.29 | $74.74 | $98.82 | $60.27 | 980 | 0.10 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $81,050 | $93,740 | $110,830 | $155,460 | $205,550 | $125,360 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $42.99 | $49.47 | $61.65 | $69.71 | $83.42 | $61.65 | 910 | 0.15 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $89,420 | $102,900 | $128,240 | $145,000 | $173,510 | $128,230 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 810 | 0.39 | 2.58 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Top industries employing bioengineers and biomedical engineers
Scientific Research and Development Services employ 22.8% of bioengineers and biomedical engineers nationally (5,360 jobs) at a median $125,160 a year ($60.17 an hour), followed by Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (10.5%) and Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (8.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 5,360 | 22.8% | $125,160 | $60.17 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing NAICS 339100 | 2,460 | 10.5% | $107,550 | $51.71 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing NAICS 334500 | 2,010 | 8.6% | $130,340 | $62.67 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing NAICS 325400 | 1,870 | 8.0% | $113,320 | $54.48 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,620 | 6.9% | $75,040 | $36.08 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (23,480). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $97,410 for bioengineers and biomedical engineers in May 2021 and $109,370 in May 2025, with employment of 17,190 and 23,480.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $97,410 | $46.83 | 17,190 |
| May 2022 | $99,550 | $47.86 | 19,210 |
| May 2023 | $100,730 | $48.43 | 19,320 |
| May 2024 | $106,950 | $51.42 | 21,860 |
| May 2025 | $109,370 | $52.58 | 23,480 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
39 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona profile | $67.90 | $141,230 | $99,630 | $170,560 | 610 | 0.19 | 1.24 |
| 2 | Idaho profile | $64.30 | $133,750 | $36,190 | $137,600 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | California profile | $61.69 | $128,310 | $89,420 | $179,810 | 2,750 | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| 4 | Minnesota profile | $61.41 | $127,730 | $88,530 | $176,330 | 1,230 | 0.42 | 2.76 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $61.33 | $127,570 | $76,750 | $194,760 | 4,740 | 1.30 | 8.63 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania profile | $58.92 | $122,560 | $77,360 | $158,600 | 950 | 0.16 | 1.04 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $58.90 | $122,510 | $81,520 | $163,990 | 150 | 0.08 | 0.52 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $55.14 | $114,680 | $83,200 | $170,470 | 680 | 0.16 | 1.06 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $53.63 | $111,550 | $78,440 | $167,600 | 700 | 0.13 | 0.84 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $53.20 | $110,650 | $73,730 | $168,300 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $53.09 | $110,430 | $76,870 | $160,220 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.40 |
| 12 | Oklahoma profile | $52.57 | $109,340 | $67,980 | $193,010 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.26 |
| 13 | Indiana profile | $51.94 | $108,030 | $78,180 | $177,620 | 620 | 0.19 | 1.28 |
| 14 | Tennessee profile | $51.19 | $106,470 | $81,070 | $174,020 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $51.03 | $106,140 | $68,890 | $200,800 | 330 | 0.08 | 0.53 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $50.52 | $105,090 | $66,560 | $158,660 | 550 | 0.20 | 1.31 |
| 17 | New York profile | $50.00 | $104,010 | $80,290 | $177,870 | 840 | 0.09 | 0.57 |
| 18 | Connecticut profile | $49.76 | $103,500 | $81,540 | $158,650 | 300 | 0.18 | 1.16 |
| 19 | Florida profile | $48.91 | $101,730 | $62,360 | $163,370 | 900 | 0.09 | 0.60 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $48.53 | $100,940 | $64,610 | $147,370 | 330 | 0.08 | 0.50 |
| 21 | District of Columbia profile | $48.52 | $100,920 | $79,500 | $128,740 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.78 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $47.66 | $99,130 | $62,400 | $126,960 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.20 |
| 23 | Georgia profile | $46.60 | $96,920 | $63,480 | $127,380 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Mississippi profile | $46.50 | $96,710 | $79,450 | $101,110 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Kentucky profile | $45.85 | $95,360 | $78,570 | $121,180 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.25 |
| 26 | New Hampshire profile | $45.62 | $94,890 | $80,240 | $175,630 | 80 | 0.11 | 0.75 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $45.57 | $94,790 | $67,260 | $134,880 | 920 | 0.19 | 1.23 |
| 28 | Texas profile | $44.52 | $92,600 | $59,540 | $159,540 | 2,050 | 0.15 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $43.69 | $90,870 | $65,180 | $138,160 | 280 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| 30 | Illinois profile | $43.04 | $89,520 | $48,370 | $138,110 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.31 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $43.02 | $89,480 | $59,700 | $131,800 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $42.24 | $87,850 | $77,420 | $147,520 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 33 | Alabama profile | $41.21 | $85,720 | $70,010 | $142,210 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| 34 | Louisiana profile | $40.54 | $84,320 | $59,510 | $122,490 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| 35 | Nebraska profile | $40.33 | $83,890 | $60,360 | $125,460 | 80 | 0.08 | 0.54 |
| 36 | Iowa profile | $39.28 | $81,710 | $62,080 | $135,370 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.37 |
| 37 | Arkansas profile | $32.62 | $67,850 | $46,720 | $119,010 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| – | Montana profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.08 | 0.52 |
| – | Washington profile | * | * | * | * | 880 | 0.25 | 1.65 |
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-2031 Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-2031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-2031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.