Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers in the United States earn a median salary of $109,370 per year — about $53 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 22K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
This occupation involves heavy digital knowledge work, including software design, statistical modeling, and technical writing, all of which are highly susceptible to AI augmentation and automation. While physical tasks like equipment maintenance and clinical collaboration provide a buffer, the core engineering and research functions are increasingly driven by AI-enhanced simulations and data analysis.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-INBEST VALUE | $131,170 | Below avg (95.4) | $137,538 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $141,230 | Above avg (103.3) | $136,697 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $129,640 | Below avg (96.9) | $133,736 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $128,940 | Average (99.8) | $129,227 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $120,060 | Below avg (95.7) | $125,460 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,450 | Above avg (110.4) | $123,570 |
| Boulder, CO | $129,030 | Above avg (105.2) | $122,650 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $125,760 | Average (102.6) | $122,628 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $127,890 | Above avg (104.8) | $122,007 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $115,320 | Below avg (94.7) | $121,811 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $140,660 | Above avg (115.6) | $121,665 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $127,110 | Above avg (105.4) | $120,574 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $128,300 | Above avg (106.7) | $120,277 |
| Columbus, OH | $113,570 | Below avg (95.5) | $118,960 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,550 | Above avg (108.3) | $118,735 |