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Biological/Biosystems Engineering

Types of Degrees Biological/Biosystems Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Biological/Biosystems Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	352
Master’s Degree	92
Doctor’s Degree	38

What Biological/Biosystems Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Biological/Biosystems Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Biological/Biosystems Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Biological/Biosystems Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Biological/Biosystems Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biological/Biosystems Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates include:

• Lecturer
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Aeronautical Engineering Teacher
• Automotive Engineering Teacher
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Geological Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Faculty Member
• Ship Construction Teacher
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher
• Marine Engineering Professor
• Ship Design Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	30.4%
Bachelor’s degree	29.8%
Master’s degree	12.0%
Post-doctoral training	8.1%
Post-master’s certificate	7.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biological/Biosystems Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 49.8% women and 50.2% men among Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	240	49.8%
Men	242	50.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	293	60.8%
Asian	49	10.2%
Hispanic or Latino	53	11.0%
Black or African American	9	1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	22	4.6%
Race Unknown	12	2.5%
International Students	42	8.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biological/Biosystems Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,212
4 years	$63,711
5 years	$75,025

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,025 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Biological/Biosystems Engineering Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Biological/Biosystems Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Biological/Biosystems Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates earn a median of $63,711 four years after completion — roughly 68% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering	14.0501
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701
Electromechanical Engineering	14.4101
Energy Systems Engineering, General	14.4801
Energy Systems Engineering, Other	14.4899
Engineering Chemistry	14.4401

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.