Biomedical Engineer Demographics and Statistics [2024]: Number Of Biomedical Engineers In The US (2024)

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How many biomedical engineers are in the US? ›

Employers. There are approximately 19,800 biomedical engineers working in the United States. About 16 percent are employed in scientific research and development, and 19 percent work in medical equipment and supplies manufacturing.

12.5% of all professional engineers are women, while 87.5% are men. The average professional engineer age is 40 years old. The most common ethnicity of professional engineers is White (66.8%), followed by Asian (12.6%), Hispanic or Latino (11.7%) and Unknown (4.7%). In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.

25.0% of all biomedical engineers are women, while 75.0% are men. The average biomedical engineer age is 37 years old. The most common ethnicity of biomedical engineers is White (58.3%), followed by Asian (20.1%), Hispanic or Latino (10.3%) and Black or African American (5.6%).

The engineering job market is poised for a significant upswing in 2024. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of engineers is projected to grow by 4.0 percent, adding about 65,000 new jobs.

Biomedical engineering courses in USA are a 1.5 to 4-year STEM degree in healthcare and medicine (depending on the degree level of the program). This program primarily focuses on engineering, biology, and applied engineering.

If you're like me, you've often wondered how many people with engineering degrees have become professional engineers (PEs). As of 2022, there are 931,640 PE licenses in the United States, with 494,542 licensees and 437,098 non-resident licenses, indicating multi-state licensed engineers.

In 2018, 18% of women self-reported working in an engineering or technical department, versus 35% of men. However, in 2022 the percentage of women decreased to 16% and the percentage of men increased to 40%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2020, there were about 1.1 million physicians and surgeons employed in the US, which represents about 0.3% of the total US population. Meanwhile, there were about 1.8 million individuals employed as engineers, representing about 0.5% of the US population.

The workforce of Civil engineers in 2021 was 409,180 people, with 16.6% woman, and 83.4% men. The average age of male Civil engineers in the workforce is 42.8 and of female Civil engineers is 36.7, and the most common race/ethnicity for Civil engineers is White.

Statistical thinking is crucial for studies in medical and biomedical areas.

Do you need statistics for biomedical engineering? ›

A key aspect of biomedical engineering is its interdisciplinary nature; introductory courses in mathematics, statistics, biology, chemistry, and physics, together with technical electives in natural sciences and engineering build the basis for creating the synergy among these disciplines that is required in the ...

Fastest-Growing Careers of 2024

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), other jobs slated for high growth rates include taxi drivers, home health and personal care aides, actuaries, epidemiologists, veterinary support occupations and physical therapist assistants.

Bioengineers and biomedical engineers are expected to see employment growth as demand for biomedical devices and procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, continues to increase.

Job Outlook

Employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

Another thing about BMEs is that we're kind of considered a “jack of all trades”. While this can be both a pro and a con, I consider it as more of a benefit because it allows me to participate in multiple conversations and projects at least on a surface level.