Salary comparison
Biomedical Engineer vs Materials Engineer salary
Materials Engineers out-earn biomedical engineers by about $1,360 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Materials Engineers earn more — a median of $108,310 versus $106,950 for biomedical engineers, a gap of about $1,360 (1%). Both figures are published national wage benchmarks.
Biomedical Engineer
Verified$106,950
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $71,860
- Top 10%
- $165,060
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Materials Engineer
Verified$108,310
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $68,040
- Top 10%
- $172,000
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Biomedical Engineer vs Materials Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileBiomedical Engineer | $71,860 |
| MedianBiomedical Engineer | $106,950 |
| 90th percentileBiomedical Engineer | $165,060 |
| 10th percentileMaterials Engineer | $68,040 |
| MedianMaterials Engineer | $108,310 |
| 90th percentileMaterials Engineer | $172,000 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Biomedical Engineer
Materials Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Biomedical Engineer
- Wisconsin$129,440
- Oregon$129,020
- California$125,700
- Washington$125,010
- Minnesota$124,760
Materials Engineer
- Washington$140,810
- Maryland$130,920
- Delaware$127,640
- California$127,550
- Oregon$127,360
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, materials engineers earn about 1% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick biomedical engineer if…
Biomedical engineers design medical devices, equipment, and software that combine engineering with biology and medicine.
- ▹Medical device vs. research vs. clinical setting
- ▹Regulatory (FDA) experience
- ▹Advanced degrees
Pick materials engineer if…
Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products, from metals and ceramics to plastics and composites.
- ▹Industry (semiconductors and aerospace pay a premium)
- ▹Advanced degrees
- ▹Specialty (metallurgy, polymers, semiconductors)
Biomedical Engineer vs Materials Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, biomedical engineers or materials engineers?
What is the salary range for biomedical engineers vs materials engineers?
Should I become a biomedical engineer or a materials engineer?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2031 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers), national.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →