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.
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 13,836 Biomedical Engineering credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate<1%73
- Associate<1%11
- Bachelor's62%8,562
- Graduate38%5,190
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 38 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 2023-24, 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
- Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Medical Device Engineer
- Biomaterials Engineer
- Clinical Engineer
- Imaging / Instrumentation Engineer
- Research and Development Engineer
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.
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.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $106,950 | 1,300 | +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?
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 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusGA · 423
- Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · 372
- University of California-San DiegoCA · 322
- Duke UniversityNC · 274
- Columbia University in the City of New YorkNY · 265
- Texas A & M University-College StationTX · 259
- University of Michigan-Ann ArborMI · 259
- Purdue University-Main CampusIN · 249
- Boston UniversityMA · 226
- University of PennsylvaniaPA · 211
- University of California-BerkeleyCA · 207
- Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ · 204
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. 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.
Where Biomedical Engineering credentials were awarded
10 states have a distinct enough set of Biomedical Engineering colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Biomedical Engineering schools by state
- Biomedical Engineering in California
- Biomedical Engineering in Florida
- Biomedical Engineering in Georgia
- Biomedical Engineering in Illinois
- Biomedical Engineering in Maryland
- Biomedical Engineering in Massachusetts
- Biomedical Engineering in New York
- Biomedical Engineering in North Carolina
- Biomedical Engineering in Pennsylvania
- Biomedical Engineering in Texas
Related majors
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering applies physics, materials, and design to machines and mechanical systems, suiting students who want to build, analyze, and test physical hardware.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering applies physics and math to circuits, power, and electronics, suiting students who want to design the hardware and systems behind modern technology.
Biology
Biology is the foundational pre-health major, covering molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels of living systems.
Health Sciences
Health Sciences is a broad pre-professional major for students preparing for medical, dental, PA, PT, or pharmacy school, combining biology, chemistry, and patient-care exposure.
Engineering
Engineering majors apply math, physics, and design to build the physical and digital systems that power society, from bridges and chips to medical devices and aircraft.
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.