Occupational Employment and Wages, 2002

17-2031 Biomedical Engineers

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

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
7,130 5.5 % $30.97 $64,420 1.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $18.39 $22.77 $29.04 $37.17 $45.32
Annual Wage (2) $38,250 $47,370 $60,410 $77,310 $94,270

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
General medical and surgical hospitals 1,400 $24.02 $49,950 1 15
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing 1,270 $33.90 $70,510 2 5
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing 1,000 $35.57 $73,990 3 2
Scientific research and development services 930 $35.92 $74,710 4 1
Electronic instrument manufacturing 370 $33.47 $69,610 5 6

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Scientific research and development services 930 $35.92 $74,710 4 1
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing 1,000 $35.57 $73,990 3 2
Federal government (OES designation) 240 $35.48 $73,810 7 3
Computer systems design and related services (6) $34.17 $71,070 (6) 4
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing 1,270 $33.90 $70,510 2 5

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Massachusetts 580 $32.74 $68,090 0.018% 72
New Jersey 410 $35.10 $73,000 0.011% 66
Indiana 290 $27.01 $56,170 0.010% 81
California 1,480 $36.99 $76,930 0.010% 58
Maryland 230 $32.54 $67,670 0.009% 64

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
California 1,480 $36.99 $76,930 0.010% 58
Washington 50 $36.33 $75,560 0.002% 44
New Jersey 410 $35.10 $73,000 0.011% 66
Virginia (6) $33.00 $68,630 (6) 55
Massachusetts 580 $32.74 $68,090 0.018% 72

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
San Jose, CA PMSA 340 $42.98 $89,400 0.038%
Gainesville, FL MSA 40 $20.91 $43,490 0.033%
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA MSA 40 $30.39 $63,210 0.025%
Boston, MA-NH PMSA 450 $33.48 $69,630 0.024%
Oakland, CA PMSA 200 $33.62 $69,920 0.020%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Orange County, CA PMSA 190 $47.56 $98,930 0.013%
San Jose, CA PMSA 340 $42.98 $89,400 0.038%
Monmouth-Ocean, NJ PMSA 40 $38.31 $79,690 0.010%
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA PMSA 40 $36.97 $76,900 0.003%
Nassau-Suffolk, NY PMSA (6) $36.44 $75,800 (6)

About 2002 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

To see profiles of other occupations, select from the major groups below:

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Data for detailed occupations does not sum to the totals because the totals include data for occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(6) Estimates not released.

All Architecture and Engineering Occupations

2002 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2002 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2002 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download 2002 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: November 26, 2003