Biomedical engineering career paths
Demand for biomedical engineers in the United States is high, and it’s only going to keep growing.
Employment for biomedical engineers is expected to grow five percent by 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That translates to about 1,400 biomedical engineering job openings each year, for a total of 22,200 biomedical engineers being employed in 2029.
“The future is really bright for these students because of this possibility,” Professor Mark Bordon, the program director for the University of Colorado’s Biomedical Engineering Program, said. “It’s a popular major because it deals with something that’s a fundamental importance to everybody. Which is how does the human body work. It’s at the intersection of medicine and engineering.”
Career paths for CU Boulder BME students
Biomedical engineering students at CU Boulder get a multi-disciplinary education in chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering to prepare for their future careers. The coursework gives them the skills to go into one of three fields: industry, research or medical school.
- MedTech
- Develops medical devices to detect and treat disease, improve quality of life and improve human performance
- Consulting
- Work with medical organizations, research institutions and companies to provide guidance and recommendations
- Clinical Engineer
- In a hospital:
- Purchase, install and maintain hospital equipment
- Work with physicians and patients on using the technology
- In a clinical trial:
- Perform trials on new medical technology and devices
- In a hospital:
- Biomedical research is well-funded
- The National Institutes of Health 2021 budget was $43 billion, compared to the National Science Foundation's budget of $8.5 billion.
- More funding means more research opportunities
- Various PhD programs available
- Inside discipline: Biomedical engineering PhD
- Outside discipline: Other engineering programs or schools of medicine
- Pursue a medical degree to become a physician or surgeon
- Doctor and surgeon positions are expected to grow five percent by 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics