In the United States, the biomedical engineer salary is $91,230 per year. While the mean salary for biomedical engineers in Canada is about C$62,000 ($43,937 USD). Those in the United Kingdom make between £21,000 ($25,538 USD) and £45,000 ($54,725 USD) annually.
Furthermore, the pay stands at AU$62,375 ($46,865 USD) in Australia, while in Switzerland is CHF89,333 ($82,796 USD) per year, and NOK774,000 ($90,541 USD) in Norway.
Biomedical Engineer Salary Influencers
The pay of biomedical engineers depends on factors such as private or public setting, whether the engineer is self-employed or a principal in a firm and country of practice. In some countries, experience leads to higher pay only for a few years in practice.
1. Industry
The biomedical engineering field encompasses research, development, and also production. In the US, 23 percent of these engineers work in “medical equipment and supplies manufacturing.” If you are interested in getting a job in the engineering field, you can also read about the chemical engineer salary.
However, the highest median pay is in research and development. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median earnings in this sector were $104,490. PayScale states that, in the United States, biomedical engineers median pay is $63,213 per year for those working in “Research Analysis”. Those with project management skills made 11 percent above regular.
Biomedical engineers can also own and operate their own firms. For instance, in Canada, approximately one in five engineers in the catch-all category, which includes biomedical engineers, is self-employed. According to PayScale, profit-sharing accounts for C$1,000 of compensation. In the United States, biomedical engineers earn up to $14,899 from profit-sharing.
2. Geographical Area
| Biomedical Engineer Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | Switzerland | Norway |
| Hourly Wage | $43.86 | C$29.81 | £15.38 | AU$25.43 | CHF32.38 | NOK372.12 |
| Annual Wage | $91,230 | $60,058 | £32,000 | AU$62,375 | CHF89,333 | NOK774,000 |
Biomedical Engineer Salary in the US
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that biomedical engineers earn around $91,230. While, the median stands at $86,220, with the top ten percent of earners making above $139,520 annually.
Biomedical Engineer Salary in Canada
According to PayScale, the pay for a biomedical engineer in Canada stands at approximately $60,058 per year. Therefore total pay runs between C$47,533 and C$97,295 per year.
Biomedical Engineer Salary in the UK
In the United Kingdom, biomedical engineers earn between £21,909 and £35,225 annually. While the pay for those in private sector organizations is between £21,000 and £45,000 annually.
Biomedical Engineer Salary in Australia
For biomedical engineers in Australia, the pay, as reported by PayScale, stands at AU$62,375 annually. Therefore, pay runs from AU$49,059 to AU$90,108.
Biomedical Engineer Salary in Switzerland
The biomedical engineering professionals from Switzerland earn CHF89,333 per year, so, the pay per hour is CHF32.38.
Biomedical Engineer Salary in Norway
Statistics Norway does not have a separate category for biomedical engineers. However, “Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified” have a monthly pay of NOK64,500. This translates to an annual salary of NOK774,000.
3. Experience
The median salary for entry-level biomedical engineers in the United States stands at $61,000 per year. For those with five years of experience, the median rises to $79,000. Thereafter, median pay remains generally constant.
In Canada, biomedical engineers at the five to ten-year experience level earn about 15 percent above average. At ten to 20 years, pay runs 14 percent higher than normal.
Biomedical engineers in the United Kingdom start on “Band 5,” making between £21,909 and £28,462. With experience, they can earn on the “Band 6” scale, which means salaries between £26,302 and £35,225.
According to PayScale, biomedical engineers in Australia with five to ten years of experience had a median pay of AU$76,000. The median for those with ten to twenty years was AU$69,000. After 20 years of experience, the median rises to over AU$90,000. However, PayScale reports that biomedical engineers normally don’t hold these positions beyond 20 years.
In Switzerland, biomedical engineers make CHF60,000 after four years of experience and CHF80,000 after ten years. However, salaries range around CHF 128,000 for those with five years of experience.
Working Hours
Generally, biomedical engineers log full-time hours. While shifts are typically daytime and weekdays, some may work evenings or weekends to meet project timetables.
According to Job Bank Canada, approximately 93 percent of “Other professional engineers, n.e.c.,” which includes biomedical engineers,” worked full-time. This is higher than the 81 percent rate for all employees in Canada.
In Australia, engineers in the catch-all category, which includes biomedical engineers, work on average 39.7 hours per week. This falls near the normal hours for all occupations in Australia. Approximately 92 percent of these engineers are full-time workers.
Bonuses & Benefit Packages
Bonuses for biomedical engineers in the United States have climbed as high as $9,872. Biomedical engineers in Canada have bonuses reaching C$12,850. In Australia, bonuses have come to AU$18,000.
In Norway bonuses for engineers classify at NOK 1,800 per month or NOK21,600 per year.
Biomedical engineers in Australia, Switzerland, and Norway generally are entitled to paid annual leave. These countries also require employers to contribute to their engineers’ retirement and pensions.
Switzerland affords retirement benefits through a three-tier retirement system. Old Age and Survivors/Disability Insurance, mandatory employer contributions and voluntary employer contributions.
Job Outlook
Generally, the need by patients for devices such as hearing aids, prosthetics, supplies, and equipment for surgeries and other procedures will sustain demand for biomedical engineers. Increasingly elderly populations may seek knee or hip replacements, while those seriously injured in combat or other incidents may need prosthesis for movements. Biomedical advances from these professionals include three-dimensional printing and mobile technology.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 23 percent jump in employment of biomedical engineers by 2024. This represents a much higher than the growth rate of seven percent for jobs overall. As of 2014, the biomedical engineer workforce numbered 22,100.
The Australian Government’s “Job Outlook” classifies biomedical engineers as part of the “Other Engineering Professionals” sector. As of November 2015, approximately 6,700 “Other Engineering Professionals” were employed in Australia. However, by November 2019 Australia should have no more than 5,000 job openings for these professionals
Switzerland enjoys a vibrant biomedical industry. Companies can readily access public funding for research and development of devices. For example, in 2013, the Swiss Federal Commission for Technology and Innovation awarded CHF1.5 billion for research and development grants. Further, companies in Switzerland annually register nearly 1,200 patents on medical devices. This suggests significant activity by and continued demand for biomedical engineers.
Shortages of professionals skilled in engineering can also enhance job opportunities. According to IEEE.org, the United Kingdom had a shortfall of 55,000 engineers overall.
Conclusion
Biomedical engineers can shape their pay based on where they work and whether they operate as a salaried employee or owner of a practice. However, in certain countries, median pay does not rise and may even fall after ten years of experience. With demand for medical devices and shortages for biomedical engineering skills in many places, aspiring professionals can find solid prospects for employment.
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