17 Series · SOC 17-2031
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $109,370
- Median / year
- $168,180
- Top 10% earn
- +5.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 23,480
- US workers
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers earn a median of $109,370 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $109,370, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $71,850 (10th percentile) to $168,180 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 23,480 US workers. Arizona pays the most ($141,230), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers earn a median of $109,370, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 88% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #12 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.2% by 2033.
- $109,370
- Median annual wage
- Top 12%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #12 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Arizona at $141,230. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031) pays a national median of $109,370 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $71,850 at the 10th percentile to $168,180 at the 90th, with a mean of $116,890 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 23,480 Americans work in this occupation across 38 reporting states and 67 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Arizona pays the highest state median at $141,230, which is +29% above the national figure. The top metro is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $141,230 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$109,370
per year
Median Hourly
$52.58/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$116,890
average
Employment
23,480
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$109,370 Top 12% higher than 88% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers sits on the faster-growing side at +5.2% growth and $109,370 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.2%
About average
Annual Openings
1,300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.
- ▸ Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.
- ▸ Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.
- ▸ Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.
- ▸ Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses.
- ▸ Maintain databases of experiment characteristics or results.
- ▸ Develop statistical models or simulations, using statistical or modeling software.
- ▸ Read current scientific or trade literature to stay abreast of scientific, industrial, or technological advances.
- ▸ Manage teams of engineers by creating schedules, tracking inventory, creating or using budgets, or overseeing contract obligations or deadlines.
- ▸ Develop models or computer simulations of human biobehavioral systems to obtain data for measuring or controlling life processes.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$71,850
25th Percentile
$86,980
Median
$109,370
75th Percentile
$136,600
90th Percentile
$168,180
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 38 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $141,230 | +29% above national |
| 2 | Idaho | $133,750 | +22% above national |
| 3 | California | $128,310 | +17% above national |
| 4 | Minnesota | $127,730 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $127,570 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $122,560 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $122,510 | +12% above national |
| 8 | New Jersey | $114,680 | +5% above national |
| 9 | Ohio | $111,550 | +2% above national |
| 10 | Colorado | $110,650 | +1% above national |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $110,430 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $109,340 | same as national |
| 13 | Indiana | $108,030 | 1% below national |
| 14 | Tennessee | $106,470 | 3% below national |
| 15 | Virginia | $106,140 | 3% below national |
| 16 | Maryland | $105,090 | 4% below national |
| 17 | New York | $104,010 | 5% below national |
| 18 | Connecticut | $103,500 | 5% below national |
| 19 | Florida | $101,730 | 7% below national |
| 20 | Michigan | $100,940 | 8% below national |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $100,920 | 8% below national |
| 22 | South Carolina | $99,130 | 9% below national |
| 23 | Georgia | $96,920 | 11% below national |
| 24 | Mississippi | $96,710 | 12% below national |
| 25 | Kentucky | $95,360 | 13% below national |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $94,890 | 13% below national |
| 27 | North Carolina | $94,790 | 13% below national |
| 28 | Texas | $92,600 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Utah | $90,870 | 17% below national |
| 30 | Illinois | $89,520 | 18% below national |
| 31 | Missouri | $89,480 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Nevada | $87,850 | 20% below national |
| 33 | Alabama | $85,720 | 22% below national |
| 34 | Louisiana | $84,320 | 23% below national |
| 35 | Nebraska | $83,890 | 23% below national |
| 36 | Iowa | $81,710 | 25% below national |
| 37 | Puerto Rico | $80,210 | 27% below national |
| 38 | Arkansas | $67,850 | 38% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 67 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $141,230 | +29% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $140,660 | +29% above national |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,450 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $131,170 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $129,640 | +19% above national |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $129,030 | +18% above national |
| 7 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $128,940 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,550 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $128,300 | +17% above national |
| 10 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,270 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,240 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $127,890 | +17% above national |
| 13 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $127,110 | +16% above national |
| 14 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $125,760 | +15% above national |
| 15 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $123,670 | +13% above national |
| 16 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $121,280 | +11% above national |
| 17 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $120,060 | +10% above national |
| 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | $115,320 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $113,570 | +4% above national |
| 20 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $110,830 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $110,390 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Akron, OH | $109,390 | same as national |
| 23 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $108,410 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $108,410 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $106,470 | 3% below national |
| 26 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $106,100 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Richmond, VA | $105,680 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Tucson, AZ | $105,340 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Worcester, MA | $104,060 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Rochester, NY | $104,010 | 5% below national |
| 31 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $103,960 | 5% below national |
| 32 | Bloomington, IN | $103,830 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Jacksonville, FL | $103,800 | 5% below national |
| 34 | New Haven, CT | $103,500 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Madison, WI | $103,170 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $102,720 | 6% below national |
| 37 | El Paso, TX | $102,560 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH | $101,940 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Columbia, MO | $101,800 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $101,460 | 7% below national |
| 41 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $101,060 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,540 | 8% below national |
| 43 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $99,750 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $99,450 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $99,070 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $99,050 | 9% below national |
| 47 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $98,900 | 10% below national |
| 48 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $98,670 | 10% below national |
| 49 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $98,630 | 10% below national |
| 50 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $97,670 | 11% below national |
| 51 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $97,600 | 11% below national |
| 52 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $96,920 | 11% below national |
| 53 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $95,230 | 13% below national |
| 54 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $91,790 | 16% below national |
| 55 | Syracuse, NY | $87,990 | 20% below national |
| 56 | Ogden, UT | $87,520 | 20% below national |
| 57 | Charlottesville, VA | $87,080 | 20% below national |
| 58 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $84,160 | 23% below national |
| 59 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,340 | 24% below national |
| 60 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $81,180 | 26% below national |
| 61 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $80,440 | 26% below national |
| 62 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $80,210 | 27% below national |
| 63 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $78,850 | 28% below national |
| 64 | Winston-Salem, NC | $77,670 | 29% below national |
| 65 | Ann Arbor, MI | $75,650 | 31% below national |
| 66 | Lincoln, NE | $72,770 | 33% below national |
| 67 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $64,220 | 41% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers make? ▼
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How dangerous is being a Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers? ▼
Is Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers a good career? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $136,600/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Arizona leads at $141,230/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.