Biomedical Engineering major

Biomedical Engineering: courses, careers, and where to study

Biomedical Engineering applies engineering to medicine and biology, designing medical devices, imaging systems, and biomaterials, for students who want to improve healthcare through technology.

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Biomedical Engineering earn a median $93,451 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $74,134 to $113,859 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college

A Biomedical Engineering (BME) major applies engineering principles to medicine and biology. A typical ABET-accredited bachelor of science builds on calculus, differential equations, physics, chemistry, and biology, then adds biomechanics, biomaterials, biomedical instrumentation, medical imaging, systems physiology, and biosignal processing, usually finishing with a senior capstone design project, often built with a clinical or industry partner.

Graduates design and test medical devices, prosthetics and implants, imaging and monitoring systems, and the software behind them, and they work in medical-device companies, hospitals, research labs, and regulatory roles. Because the field spans engineering and the life sciences, students often concentrate in an area such as biomechanics, biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, or imaging, and many continue to a master's, PhD, or professional health program.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5.2% employment growth for bioengineers and biomedical engineers from 2024 to 2034, and reports a 2024 median wage of $106,950 for the occupation. The typical entry-level education is a bachelor's degree, though research and design roles often expect a graduate degree.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Biomedical Engineering maps to CIP 14.0501, Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, within the ENGINEERING family. The official definition:

A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of biomedical and health systems and products such as integrated biomedical systems, instrumentation, medical information systems, artificial organs and prostheses, and health management and care delivery systems.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What credential Biomedical Engineering is awarded as

Of the 14,504 Biomedical Engineering credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:

  • Certificate: <1%, 68 credentials.
  • Associate: <1%, 19 credentials.
  • Bachelor's: 61%, 8,810 credentials.
  • Graduate: 39%, 5,607 credentials.

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 37 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 2 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.

Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.

What you'll study

  • Biomechanics and the mechanics of biological tissues
  • Biomaterials and biocompatibility
  • Biomedical instrumentation and sensors
  • Medical imaging (MRI, CT, ultrasound) and image processing
  • Systems physiology and quantitative biology
  • Biosignal processing and circuits for medical devices
  • Design controls, regulation (FDA), and quality for medical devices
  • Senior capstone design project, often with a clinical or industry partner

Typical careers

Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 bioengineers and biomedical engineers median $106,950Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

How much do Biomedical Engineering graduates earn?

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Biomedical Engineering earn a median $93,451 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $74,134 to $113,859 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).

National median earnings four years after graduating for Biomedical Engineering, by credential
CredentialNational medianMiddle half of programs
Bachelor's$93,451$74,134 to $113,859
Master's$106,375$84,793 to $130,445

Compare Biomedical Engineering programs in your state

Highest-earning bachelor's Biomedical Engineering programs

Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Biomedical/Medical Engineering. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Biomedical Engineering, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.

Occupations associated with Biomedical Engineering by the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
OccupationMedian payOpenings / yrProjected changeMost entrants hold
Architectural and Engineering Managers$167,74014,500+3.8%Bachelor's degree
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,1204,100+8.1%Doctoral or professional degree
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$106,9501,300+5.2%Bachelor's degree

Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 3 of these 3 occupations report a median wage.

“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Biomedical Engineering does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.

Before you commit to a Biomedical Engineering major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Biomedical Engineering program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Biomedical Engineering department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Engineering and some computing programs may hold ABET accreditation, which can matter for professional licensure (the PE path) and for some employers and graduate schools. Check whether the Biomedical Engineering programs you are considering are accredited for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Biomedical Engineering careers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Biomedical Engineering program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Colleges that awarded the most Biomedical Engineering credentials

Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.

Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Search Biomedical Engineering schools

Where Biomedical Engineering credentials were awarded

9 states have a distinct enough set of Biomedical Engineering colleges to be worth its own page.

Biomedical Engineering by state

Every Biomedical Engineering program with its own CampusPin page

38 programs in 18 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.

Biomedical Engineering programs in California, 6 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Connecticut, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Delaware, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Florida, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Georgia, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Illinois, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Indiana, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Massachusetts, 3 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Michigan, 2 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in New Jersey, 2 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in New York, 2 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in North Carolina, 3 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Ohio, 4 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Pennsylvania, 3 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Rhode Island, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in South Carolina, 1 program
Biomedical Engineering programs in Texas, 3 programs
Biomedical Engineering programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Biomedical Engineering degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.

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How one major leads to many careers

Why a single Biomedical Engineering degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

When accreditation and licensure matter

How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Biomedical Engineering path before you enroll.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

Does picking a major narrow your college list?

Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.

Certificate or degree?

What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.