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Biomedical engineer salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$128,310median pay per year in California, or $61.69 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $89,420lowest 10% earn less
  2. $105,95025th percentile
  3. $128,310median
  4. $153,67075th percentile
  5. $179,810top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $109,370[3]

The median pay for biomedical engineers in California was $128,310 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $18,940 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
2,750[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 37[5]
Compared with US median
+17.3%[6]

How much do biomedical engineers make in California?

The median wage for biomedical engineers in California was $128,310 a year, or $61.69 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was a bit higher at $132,400[7]. Across the US, the median was $109,370[3], so California was 17.3% above it[6]. California had the 3rd highest median among the 36 states and DC with a published figure[5].

For all jobs in California, the median was $58,240[8]. Biomedical engineers earned $70,070 more than that[9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $89,420 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $179,810[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $105,950 and $153,670[2].

Among California metro areas with a published median, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont paid the most at $140,660[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara followed at $136,450[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not count bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for biomedical engineers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$128,310[1]$109,370[3]
Median per hour$61.69[1]$52.58[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$89,420[2]$71,850[13]
Top 10% earn more than$179,810[2]$168,180[13]
Jobs2,750[4]23,480[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for biomedical engineers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$128,240910
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$140,660650
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$128,270410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$136,450270
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$123,670170
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$128,300130

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for biomedical engineers in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[14]$141,230610
Oregon$122,510150
Nevada$87,85070

Median pay for biomedical engineers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for biomedical engineers are projected to grow 7.6% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a biomedical engineer make in California?
The median was $128,310 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $132,400[7].
How much does a biomedical engineer make an hour in California?
The median was $61.69 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $42.99 an hour and the 90th percentile was $86.45[17].
Which city in California pays biomedical engineers the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median among the 6 metro areas with a published figure, at $140,660 a year[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had about 910 jobs and a median of $128,240[11].
Is California a good state for biomedical engineers?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for this job among the 36 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 17.3% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a biomedical engineer in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree, with no work experience in a related occupation and no on-the-job training needed[16]. This is a US figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California was $128,310 per year and $61.69 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California: 10th percentile $89,420, 25th percentile $105,950, 75th percentile $153,670, 90th percentile $179,810. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in the US as a whole was $109,370 per year and $52.58 per hour, with about 23,480 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,750 people worked as Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers out of the 36 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California ($128,310) was $18,940 (17.3%) higher than the US median ($109,370). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California was $132,400 per year and $63.65 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California was $70,070 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 6 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $140,660. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in the US: 10th percentile $71,850, 25th percentile $86,980, 75th percentile $136,600, 90th percentile $168,180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in states that border California (highest first): Arizona $141,230; Oregon $122,510; Nevada $87,850. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers is projected to grow 7.6% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California: 10th percentile $42.99, 25th percentile $50.94, 75th percentile $73.88, 90th percentile $86.45. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.