2026 What Can You Do with a Biomedical Engineering Degree: Careers

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

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What is a biomedical engineering degree?

A bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering is an undergraduate program that integrates engineering principles with biomedical sciences to design and create healthcare solutions. Think of it as the bridge between medicine and technology, where you learn to develop the devices, systems, and software that improve patient outcomes and power medical research.

This field is about tangible impact. Instead of just studying theory, you're trained to build the tools that doctors and scientists use every day, from advanced diagnostic equipment to therapeutic devices.

It’s a discipline that is attracting increasingly brilliant minds for a reason. The growing interest is clear, with 14,006 students graduating with biomedical engineering degrees in 2023, a nearly 6% increase from the previous year.

This growth signals a healthy and expanding field. With a solid understanding of what the degree is, the next step is to explore the specific career doors it opens.

What jobs can I get with a biomedical engineering degree?

A bachelor's or master's degree in biomedical engineering equips you with a versatile skillset, blending engineering design with life sciences to solve clinical problems. This allows for specialization across multiple high-demand areas in healthcare, medical device manufacturing, and research.  Students can further focus their expertise by exploring public health specializations that align with population health, epidemiology, or healthcare policy.

Below is a list of jobs you can pursue with a biomedical engineering degree.

Product Development Engineer

This is a core industry role where you design, prototype, and test new medical devices like surgical instruments, implantable sensors, or diagnostic tools. You translate clinical needs into technical specifications and manage the product through its entire design cycle.

Clinical Engineer

Clinical engineers work directly within hospitals and healthcare systems. They are responsible for managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and ensuring the safe operation of complex medical equipment (like MRI or life support machines) and often advise medical staff on technology procurement.

Regulatory Affairs Specialist

These specialists are the link between R&D and government agencies. They ensure that new medical products and processes comply with strict governmental regulations (e.g., FDA in the US). They prepare submissions, manage documentation, and oversee compliance during clinical trials and manufacturing.

Research & Development (R&D) Engineer

R&D engineers work in research labs (academic, government, or industry) on cutting-edge biomedical innovation. Their work involves designing experiments, analyzing biological data, and developing novel technologies, such as advanced drug delivery systems or regenerative therapies.

Biomaterials Developer/Scientist

This specialized role focuses on creating, testing, and modifying materials that safely interact with the human body. This includes developing biocompatible materials for implants (e.g., artificial joints, heart valves), tissue engineering scaffolds, and materials for controlled drug release.

Rehabilitation Engineer

Rehabilitation engineers design, develop, and customize assistive technologies for individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities. This can involve creating specialized wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, orthotics, or assistive communication devices to improve patient mobility and independence.

Biomechanics Engineer

Specializing in the mechanical principles of biological systems, these engineers study human movement, fluid flow (blood), and stress on tissues. They are crucial in designing more effective orthopedic implants, developing athletic performance gear, or modeling the mechanics of injury and recovery.

Roles in Public Health and Safety

It's helpful to understand that biomedical engineering roles are typically focused on the design, development, and maintenance of technology behind the scenes. This differs from other technical fields that are more involved in frontline public response.

To see that contrast, it's useful to know what can you do with a bachelor's degree in emergency management, a field where professionals use technical knowledge to plan and coordinate responses to large-scale crises.

While both fields are vital to public health, BME focuses on creating the tools, whereas other fields focus on deploying them in public safety situations.

How much can you earn with a biomedical engineering degree?

You can expect a strong return on your educational investment, as the median annual salary for biomedical engineers is $106,950. This figure confirms that the field is not only intellectually rewarding but also financially stable, providing a solid foundation for your career.

An important detail to note is that your earning potential can be even higher depending on where you work. For instance, biomedical engineers working in the specialized engineering services sector earn a median salary of $125,010. This shows that you can make strategic career choices that can significantly increase your income over time.

Contextualizing BME Salaries in the STEM Landscape

When evaluating a career, it's helpful to see how its salary compares to other specialized scientific fields. Different areas of STEM offer unique opportunities and compensation levels based on factors like industry demand and the specific expertise required.

For example, while a paleontologist salary is tied to academia and museum work, a biomedical engineer's salary is often driven by the commercial medical technology industry. This context underscores the significant market value of the skills acquired in a BME program.

What is the job outlook for graduates of biomedical engineering degree programs?

The job outlook for biomedical engineers is strong, with a projected growth of 7% from 2024 to 2034. This steady growth rate is a clear indicator of a stable and secure career field, offering long-term reliability for those entering the profession.

This positive outlook is supported by the increasing number of students choosing this path. The fact that 14,006 students graduated with biomedical engineering degrees in 2023 shows that industries are actively seeking out this specific skill set to drive innovation in healthcare.

For you, this means you are preparing to enter a field that is not only growing but also consistently in need of new talent. This creates a landscape of opportunity where you can confidently build a lasting and impactful career.

Where can I work with a biomedical engineering degree?

Graduates with a biomedical engineering degree can work in a wide range of settings, including medical device manufacturing companies, dedicated research and development firms, hospitals, and government regulatory agencies.

This variety allows you to choose a work environment that aligns with your specific interests, whether they lie in hands-on product creation, cutting-edge innovation, or clinical application.

While many envision BME graduates in a lab, the reality is much broader. A key insight is that 22% of biomedical engineers work directly in research and development, pushing the boundaries of medical technology. Others work in manufacturing to bring those innovations to scale, or in hospitals to manage and maintain the complex equipment that saves lives.

This means you have the flexibility to shape your career path. You can pursue a role in a corporate setting, a dynamic startup, or a clinical environment. Understanding where you can work is the first step; the next is to understand what you'll actually be doing day-to-day.

What skills do you need for biomedical engineering degree jobs?

The skills you need for jobs with a biomedical engineering degree are a blend of high-level analytical abilities and specific, hands-on technical tasks. Success in this field requires being comfortable with both the theoretical and the practical, from analyzing complex data to operating sophisticated lab equipment.

To give you a clear picture, government data highlights the most common work activities for professionals in this field. These are the broad categories of skills that form the foundation of the job.

As you can see, the role is heavily focused on information processing, problem-solving, and continuous learning, which are all central to innovation in healthcare.

What are the education requirements to enroll in a biomedical engineering degree program?

To enroll in a bachelor's-level biomedical engineering program, you typically need a strong high school background in advanced mathematics and core sciences, on top of other requirements. This is a non-negotiable foundation. Admissions departments will be looking for successful completion of specific courses, including calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology.

Think of these courses as the essential toolkit you'll need before you can even begin to build more complex BME-specific knowledge. Excelling in these areas demonstrates that you have the analytical and scientific aptitude required to handle the challenging curriculum of a top engineering program.

Foundational Knowledge: The Role of Biochemistry

The required science courses are not just checkboxes for admission; they are the fundamental building blocks of the entire BME curriculum. Physics helps you understand mechanics and electronics, while chemistry and biology are crucial for working with organic systems.

The intersection of these fields is so important that it's worth understanding the biochemistry degree jobs available, as this foundational knowledge opens up its own distinct career paths. A deep understanding of these core sciences is what allows you to innovate safely and effectively in the medical field.

What alternative paths are available for biomedical engineering degree?

While earning a dedicated biomedical engineering degree is the most direct path into the field, it is not the only one. Many successful professionals enter the industry by building a strong foundation in a core engineering discipline and then applying it to the medical field. This flexibility gives you multiple pathways to reach your career goals, especially if you consider enrolling in top colleges with high transfer acceptance rates that support smooth transitions and credit transfers.

Here are some common alternative strategies:

• Pursue a related engineering degree. A bachelor's in a field like mechanical or electrical engineering provides you with a robust set of foundational skills that are highly valued in the BME industry.
• Specialize with a minor or concentration. You can complement a core engineering major with a minor in a subject like biology, biotechnology, or pre-medicine to gain the specific biological knowledge needed to pivot into a BME role.
• Understand the different roles within healthcare. It's useful to contrast BME's focus on technology design with roles centered on direct patient care. For example, career paths available through accelerated online phlebotomy technician certificate programs are focused on clinical procedures, which is very different from the engineering and development work of a BME professional.

Knowing you have several educational options can provide confidence as you plan your academic future. With this understanding of how to enter the field, we can now look at the long-term career paths that open up after you graduate.

What career paths are available to graduates with a biomedical engineering degree?

A biomedical engineering degree is the foundation for a long-term career path with clear stages of advancement, not just a single job. This progression typically moves from hands-on technical work to roles with greater responsibility and strategic oversight. Understanding this trajectory is key to planning your future growth.

A typical career path includes the following stages:

• Entry-Level Engineer (Engineer I/II): In this initial role, you focus on applying your technical skills to specific tasks, such as testing, data analysis, or supporting the design process under the guidance of senior staff.
• Senior Engineer: After gaining several years of experience, you take on more complex projects, mentor junior engineers, and may specialize in a particular technology or process.
• Project Manager or Lead Engineer: In this advanced stage, you shift from purely technical work to managing project timelines, budgets, and teams, guiding a product from concept to completion.

A crucial factor in accelerating this journey is choosing the right specialization. An insider tip is to look at where the industry is investing its resources. Data on sub-field growth shows explosive expansion in areas like Biomaterials (13.49%) and Immunotherapeutics (12.78%), while others like Biomechanics have declined. Targeting these high-growth niches allows you to build a future-proof career and gain valuable knowledge in types of business law relevant to commercial and corporate aspects of the field.

How do you get started on your biomedical engineering degree?

Getting started on your biomedical engineering degree involves a few focused, practical steps that you can begin taking right now. The process begins with building a strong academic foundation, then moves to researching the right programs, and finally involves connecting with people who are already in the field.

First, concentrate on excelling in your high school science and math courses, especially calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics. This is the single most important step to ensure you are prepared for the rigor of an engineering curriculum.  Students looking for a strong undergraduate physics foundation may consider pursuing a best online physics bachelor's degree to gain flexibility and high-quality instruction.

Next, research universities with accredited BME programs. A key detail is to look for schools that have research labs or faculty specializing in areas that excite you, like tissue engineering or medical imaging.

Finally, seek out conversations with current BME students or professionals. Hearing about their direct experiences can provide invaluable insight and confirm if the day-to-day reality of the field aligns with your aspirations. By taking these deliberate steps, you can move from interest to action with confidence.

What advancement opportunities are available after a biomedical engineering degree?

A bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering is a launchpad for significant career advancement into leadership and specialist roles.

With experience, you can move beyond core engineering tasks into positions that shape strategy, manage teams, and ensure products meet rigorous safety standards. This progression pathway directly refutes the fear that a bachelor's degree has a low career ceiling.

Common advancement opportunities include becoming a Project Manager, where you oversee the entire lifecycle of a new medical device, or a Regulatory Affairs Specialist, a critical role where you navigate the complex process of getting new technologies approved by government agencies.

Other paths include specializing in quality assurance or moving into a consulting role. To climb this ladder, it's essential to master the core professional tasks that demonstrate your value and expertise.

Transitioning to Leadership and Management

While experience is the primary driver of advancement, formal education can be a powerful accelerator for those targeting leadership tracks. For professionals who want to combine their technical expertise with business acumen, pursuing further education is a strategic next step.

Understanding what can you do with a master's degree in engineering management, for example, can reveal a direct pathway to executive and high-level management roles within the medical technology industry.

Is a biomedical engineering degree worth it?

Yes, for a student with a passion for technology and a drive to solve complex health challenges, a biomedical engineering degree is absolutely worth it. The evidence points to a career path that is not only intellectually stimulating but also financially rewarding and stable.

When you look at the core data, the conclusion is clear. With a median salary of $106,950 and a solid 7% job growth outlook, the field offers both high earning potential and long-term security. This is a powerful combination that provides a significant return on your investment of time, effort, and tuition.

Ultimately, the value of a biomedical engineering degree goes beyond the numbers. It equips you with a unique and highly sought-after skill set to make a tangible difference in people's lives.

If you are looking for a career that challenges you to innovate and allows you to contribute to the future of medicine, this degree provides a clear and promising path to achieving that goal.

Here’s What Graduates Have to Say about Their Biomedical Engineering Degree Program

References:

• Data USA. (2025). Biomedical engineering. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://datausa.io/profile/cip/biomedical-engineering
• O*NET OnLine. (2025). 17-2031.00 - Biomedical engineers. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/17-2031.00
• StartUs Insights. (2025). Biomedical engineering outlook. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.startus-insights.com/innovators-guide/biomedical-engineering-outlook/
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational outlook handbook: Biomedical engineers. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/biomedical-engineers.htm
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025). Overview of device regulation. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/device-advice-comprehensive-regulatory-assistance/overview-device-regulation

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