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Biomedical engineer

Building the devices, software and robots clinicians use, including the AI this whole section is about.

Training
A bachelor's degree, and often more
Today's median pay, May 2025
$109,370
Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035
8%
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Last modified August 27, 2026

Occupational Outlook Handbook: Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

Scope: United States.

How it was done: Federal employment and wage statistics. Pay is the May 2025 median, half earn more and half earn less. Growth is a 2025 to 2035 projection.

Limits: A median across all ages, regions and employers, before tax. A projection, not a promise. It tells you nothing about one person's income.

Checked against the original on November 6, 2026.

Open the source (opens in a new tab)

A snapshot of people practicing today, not a forecast of your income.

The work, and what we can verify about AI in it

Task lists are our editorial summary of what the role involves. They vary by setting. The status describes the evidence we've checked, not whether a job is safe.

  • Building and validating clinical AI devices

    Information work

    In real use today

    • Established now

      The FDA authorized 258 AI medical devices in 2025. Of the 626 companies with at least one authorized device, most hold only one or two.

      What this does not prove: This shows the field is active. It does not tell you how many jobs it holds, or how AI changes engineering itself.

      Stanford HAI, 2026

      The 2026 AI Index Report, Chapter 6: Medicine

      Scope: Global research, with U.S. data on FDA authorizations.

      How it was done: An annual review that summarizes studies by other researchers.

      Limits: A summary of studies with different designs. Each headline figure comes from one setup and does not generalize on its own.

      Checked against the original on November 6, 2026.

      Open the source (opens in a new tab)

  • Designing hardware and robots

    Hands-on work

    Insufficient evidence

    Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.

  • Testing for safety and meeting regulations

    Judgment and accountability

    Insufficient evidence

    Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.

  • Working with clinicians on what they need

    Human relationship

    Insufficient evidence

    Insufficient evidence. We haven't verified a solid source on AI in this task yet. That's different from evidence that nothing is happening. If you know of one, send it to us.

Skills that transfer

  • Engineering
  • Programming
  • Regulatory knowledge
  • Entrepreneurship

What nobody has measured

  • How AI coding tools change engineering jobs in this field.
  • How openings of about 1,200 a year may limit entry, compared with far larger clinical fields.

Nearby routes

Compare these side by side

Read next

Sources last checked November 6, 2026

Next review by February 6, 2027.

What changed, and how we decide

Career guidance, not medical, legal or financial advice. For a major loan or licensing decision, talk with a qualified professional, and bring your questions from here.

Do you disagree?

If you have counterevidence, or we got something wrong, we want to see it. Don't take our word for any of this.

Send us the evidence