Occupation salary profile

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

SOC 17-2031 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.

National median · BLS
$109,370
▲ +2.26% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$104,541
▲ +4.17% YoY · 1,148 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$116,890
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
23,480
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 1,148 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$71,850$67,498
25th$86,980$79,936
Median (50th)$109,370$104,541
75th$136,600$130,000
90th — top pay$168,180$153,147
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $104,541 for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers — 4.4% below the BLS national median of $109,370.

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Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

BLS projects employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers to grow 7.6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
23,800 → 25,700
+1,800 jobs
Projected change
+7.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $104,541
Change vs prior year +4.17%
After inflation (CPI-U) +1.01%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 298 26% $64,880 $73,358 $83,950
Level II 280 24.4% $85,956 $99,008 $114,000
Level III 264 23% $109,936 $124,000 $135,000
Level IV 217 18.9% $127,301 $144,400 $166,546
H-1B job titles

Salaries by job title in Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

The 17 most-filed job titles inside SOC 17-2031, from 1,148 H-1B filings. Seniority words and level numbers are grouped (“Senior Data Engineer II” counts as Data Engineer). Tap a title for its full range, wage levels and the exact titles employers used.

Job title LCAs Share P25 Median P75 YoY
Scientist generic 36 3.14% $90,025 $104,000 $135,750 -0.66%
Biomedical Engineer 33 2.87% $79,893 $90,000 $102,000 -2.01%
Postdoctoral Scholar 33 2.87% $64,669 $71,632 $77,030 -0.19%
Research Associate 30 2.61% $73,090 $85,658 $93,884 +1.08%
Postdoctoral Fellow 24 2.09% $60,585 $63,727 $70,304 +3.5%
Research Engineer 24 2.09% $79,584 $105,295 $125,189 +21.79%
Research Scientist 23 2% $70,516 $93,558 $110,122 -1.14%
Quality Engineer 22 1.92% $96,924 $107,632 $136,286 +0.26%
R&D Engineer 22 1.92% $92,392 $108,966 $127,951 +1.13%
Postdoctoral Associate 21 1.83% $67,550 $70,000 $71,000 +9.09%
Postdoctoral Research Associate 18 1.57% $60,000 $64,940 $70,000 +7.34%
Postdoctoral Research Fellow 18 1.57% $61,884 $63,294 $68,263 +3.75%
Engineer generic 17 1.48% $83,375 $106,754 $117,900 +12.18%
Systems Engineer 15 1.31% $110,266 $120,000 $133,280 +4.35%
Field Service Engineer 14 1.22% $92,686 $99,576 $139,875 +16.56%
Process Engineer 12 1.05% $103,620 $120,500 $131,562 +0.42%
Research Fellow 12 1.05% $70,450 $74,684 $84,432 -6.74%

Titles are cleaned from the employer's own LCA text (codes and typos removed, nothing invented). Rows need 10+ filings in this SOC.

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.9
  • Mathematics3.9
  • Science3.9
  • Active Learning3.8
Top knowledge areas
  • Engineering and Technology4.6
  • Computers and Electronics4.5
  • Mathematics4.4
  • Design4.0
  • Physics4.0
  • Biology3.8
  • English Language3.8
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.7
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointPythonRAdobe IllustratorAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADCC++Dassault Systemes SolidWorksExtensible markup language XMLHypertext markup language HTMLJavaScriptLinuxMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Azure softwareMicrosoft Outlook

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What bioengineers and biomedical engineers do

  • 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.
Also called
Biomedical EngineerBiomedical Technician (Biomedical Tech)Process EngineerResearch EngineerEngineer
More job titles for this occupation (39)
Analytical Biochemical EngineerBiochemical Development EngineerBiochemical EngineerBiochemistry Chemical Engineering AnalystBioengineerBioinformatics EngineerBiomaterials EngineerBiomechanical EngineerBiomedical Analytical ScientistBiomedical Engineering InternBiomedical Engineering Research AssistantBiomedical Engineering TechnologistBiomedical Field Service EngineerBiomedical ScientistBiomedical Service EngineerBioprocess Development EngineerBioprocess EngineerClinical Applications SpecialistClinical Biomedical EngineerClinical EngineerClinical Engineering Technician (Clinical Engineering Tech)Dialysis EngineerFermentation EngineerField Clinical EngineerField EngineerGenetic EngineerImaging Service EngineerMedical EngineerOrthopedic DesignerPharmaceutical EngineerPharmaceutical ScientistProcess Development AssociateProcess Development EngineerResearch Biomedical EngineerStack Yield EngineerSupplier Quality Engineer (SQE)Sustaining EngineerYield EngineerYield Improvement Engineer

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.