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Biomedical Engineering

Types of Degrees Biomedical Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Biomedical Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	11
Bachelor’s Degree	8,633
Master’s Degree	3,923
Doctor’s Degree	1,334

What Biomedical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Biomedical Engineering emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Biomedical Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Biomedical Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Biomedical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Biomedical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biomedical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biomedical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biomedical Engineering graduates include:

• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Petroleum Engineering Professor
• Radar Engineering Teacher
• Professor
• Metallography Teacher
• Research Professor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• University Faculty Member
• Refrigeration Engineering Teacher
• Highway Engineering Teacher
• Machine Design Teacher
• Engineering Teacher
• Electronics Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	40.0%
Bachelor’s degree	17.6%
Post-master’s certificate	12.7%
Master’s degree	12.7%
Post-doctoral training	12.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.4%
First professional degree	1.2%
Postsecondary certificate	1.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biomedical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 52.5% women and 47.5% men among Biomedical Engineering graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7,306	52.5%
Men	6,608	47.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6,001	43.1%
Asian	2,638	19.0%
Hispanic or Latino	1,503	10.8%
Black or African American	576	4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	20	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	13	0.1%
Two or More Races	662	4.8%
Race Unknown	306	2.2%
International Students	2,195	15.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biomedical Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biomedical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$68,911
4 years	$86,935
5 years	$99,442

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $99,442 — roughly 44% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Biomedical Engineering Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Biomedical 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
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	2	4
Master’s	2	13
Doctoral (Research)	3	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 Biomedical Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Biomedical Engineering graduates earn a median of $86,935 four years after completion — roughly 129% 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
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.47

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.