About Biomedical Engineering

Careers & Employment

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics^*, Biomedical Engineers have excellent job prospects and earning potential in coming years. A 2002 report stated:

Employment

Biomedical engineers held about 7,600 jobs in 2002. Manufacturing industries employed 38 percent of all biomedical engineers, primarily in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing and medical instruments and supplies industries. Many others worked for hospitals. Some also worked for government agencies or as independent consultants.

Job Outlook

Employment of biomedical engineers is expected to faster than average (between 21 and 35%) for all occupations through 2012. The aging of the population and the focus on health issues will increase the demand for better medical devices and equipment designed by biomedical engineers. For example, computer-assisted surgery and molecular, cellular, and tissue engineering are being more heavily researched and are developing rapidly. In addition, the rehabilitation and orthopedic engineering specialties are growing quickly, increasing the need for biomedical engineers. Along with the demand for more sophisticated medical equipment and procedures is an increased concern for cost efficiency and effectiveness that also will boost demand for biomedical engineers. However, because of the growing interest in this field, the number of degrees granted in biomedical engineering has increased greatly, leading to the potential for competition for jobs.

Earnings

Median annual earnings of biomedical engineers were $60,410 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $58,320 and $88,830. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,450, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $107,520.

According to a 2005 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, bachelor's degree candidates in biomedical engineering received starting offers averaging $52,355 a year, and master's degree candidates, on average, were offered $61,000.

^*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Biomedical Engineers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos262.htm.