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Biological Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.4501.

Types of Degrees Biological Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Biological Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	352
Master’s Degree	92
Doctor’s Degree	38

What Biological Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Biological Engineering emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Biological Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Biological Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Biological Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Biological Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biological Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biological Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biological Engineering graduates include:

• Radar Engineering Teacher
• Metallurgy Teacher
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Sanitary Engineering Teacher
• Robotics Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Professor
• Engineering Lecturer
• Automotive Engineering Teacher
• Circuits and Robotics Instructor
• Highway Engineering Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Biological Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	30.4%
Bachelor’s degree	29.8%
Master’s degree	12.0%
Post-doctoral training	8.1%
Post-master’s certificate	7.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biological Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 49.8% women and 50.2% men among Biological Engineering graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	240	49.8%
Men	242	50.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Biological Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	293	60.8%
Asian	49	10.2%
Hispanic or Latino	53	11.0%
Black or African American	9	1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	22	4.6%
Race Unknown	12	2.5%
International Students	42	8.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biological Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biological Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,212
4 years	$63,711
5 years	$75,025

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,025 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Biological Engineering Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Biological Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Biological Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Biological Engineering graduates earn a median of $63,711 four years after completion — roughly 68% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	26,760
Civil Engineering	20,005
Computer Engineering	19,986
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	13,914
Engineering, General	13,411
Chemical Engineering	10,939
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	9,596
Industrial Engineering	8,533
Systems Engineering	3,956
Engineering, Other	3,529

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.