What Is Biomedical Engineering?

Key takeaways

Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles to solve health and health care problems. 

• Bioengineers and biomedical engineers make a median annual salary of $106,950 [1].

• Using their knowledge of engineering, virology, and health care, biomedical engineers design medical equipment and processes that improve human health outcomes.

• You can explore how artificial intelligence and robotics can enhance your career in biomedical engineering.

Discover details about the field of biomedical engineering and the education needed to become a biomedical engineer. Then, design systems-level experiments and learn methodologies in systems biology, including bioinformatics, dynamic modeling, genomics, statistical modeling, and more in the Systems Biology and Biotechnology Specialization.

What is biomedical engineering?

Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles to solve health and health care problems. Using their knowledge of engineering, virology, and health care, biomedical engineers design medical equipment and processes that improve human health outcomes. 

Common examples of biomedical equipment used every day include pacemakers, blood glucose monitors, and artificial limbs.

Biomedical engineering vs. bioengineering?

Although they sound similar and share much in common, biomedical engineering is not exactly the same as bioengineering. In simplest terms, bioengineering refers to the general application of engineering practices to biological systems such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and health care. Biomedical engineering, meanwhile, is a specialized subset of bioengineering strictly focused on the application of engineering practices for health care purposes by designing medical devices and developing processes to improve health outcomes.

What is a biomedical engineer? 

Biomedical engineers use their knowledge of engineering to create medical devices, equipment, and processes to heal, treat, or improve health conditions. While the exact duties a biomedical engineer performs day to day vary from project to project, some of the most common responsibilities include: 

• Design medical devices, such as pacemakers or artificial limbs. 

• Repair and install medical devices and equipment. 

• Conduct original research into existing biomedical devices and biological processes. 

• Train medical professionals in the use of new medical equipment.

Learn more: Guide to a Robotics Engineering Career

A Brief History of Pacemakers

Although the use of electricity to restart hearts had been observed sporadically by medical professionals and researchers for hundreds of years, the first artificial pacemakers were not invented until the late 1920s and early 1930s.

In 1928, Australian anesthesiologist Mark Lidwell used intermittent electrical stimulation to restart a child’s heart born in cardiac arrest. Later, in 1932, the American physiologist Albert Hyman developed a spring-wound hand-cranked motor that used electrical impulses to restart hearts. He called his device an “artificial pacemaker,” a term that is still used to this day.

Unfortunately, Hyman’s device was not welcomed by the medical community, which viewed it simply as a “gadget” rather than a serious medical tool.

The early 1950s saw the rise of large, external pacemakers that needed to be plugged into wall sockets and wheeled around on racks to be transported. By 1957, however, the first wearable battery-operated, wearable pacemaker was invented by Earl E. Bakken. The invention is regarded by many experts as starting the field of “medical electronics,” a precursor to modern biomedical engineering.

Just one year later, in 1958, Ake Senning and Rune Elmqvist in Sweden developed the first implantable pacemaker in Sweden. Fitting for such a device, the pacemaker was implanted in a 43-year-old engineer named Arne Larsson [2].

From ridiculed fringe science to mainstream medical marvel, the pacemaker has gone through many iterations over the decades—and saved countless lives as a result. All thanks to early biomedical engineers.

Biomedical engineering: What are some benefits of being a biomedical engineer?

Their unique skill set means that biomedical engineers are well-compensated and much sought after. Here, you’ll learn more about what biomedical engineers earn and their job outlook for the foreseeable future. 

What is the salary of a biomedical engineer?

Biomedical engineers make a higher-than-average salary. 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), bioengineers and biomedical engineers made a median annual salary of $106,950 as of May 2024 [1]. Glassdoor, meanwhile, reports the median total pay, which includes base salary and additional compensation, such as profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other benefits, for biomedical engineers as $126,000 per year as of October 2025 [3]. 

What is the job outlook for a biomedical engineer?

Over the next decade, those hoping to enter the biomedical engineering field can expect faster-than-average job growth. According to the BLS, the number of job openings for both bioengineers and biomedical engineers is expected to grow by 5 percent between 2024 and 2034, with an average of 1,300 job openings each year [4].

How to get started in biomedical engineering 

Biomedical engineers use their knowledge of engineering to solve problems in biology and medicine. 

1. Consider a degree. 

Sixty-five percent of biomedical engineers have a bachelor's degree, 16 percent have a master's degree, and 12 percent have an associate degree [5]. Most commonly, biomedical engineers study biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering.

2. Gain the right skills.

To solve some of the most important medical problems plaguing people today, you’ll need to use a wide variety of both technical and human skills every day. As you’re looking to start your own career, consider the skills you might want to develop to ensure that you do the best job possible. 

Some of the skills biomedical engineers use in their day-to-day work: 

• Analytical skills

• Statistics 

• Math and engineering

• Computer science 

• Written and verbal communication skills

• Problem-solving and creativity

If you're still building your biomedical engineer skill set, consider taking an online course in a specialized area from an accredited university. For example, you can learn about different types of health care systems and how systems engineering processes apply to them in the Foundations of Healthcare Systems Engineering course from Johns Hopkins University:

3. Gain experience.

One of the best ways to gain a foothold in a new career is to gain relevant work experience. If you’re just starting out, then you might consider obtaining a relevant internship or entry-level position to practice your skills in the real world. 

According to the BLS, the top five most common employers of biomedical engineers are as follows [6]: 

Discover resources for biomedical engineers

If you’re considering a career in biomedical engineering, subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn more about a variety of career and industry-related topics. Then, explore our free digital resources to guide you:

• Stay up to date: AI in health care: uses, benefits, and concerns

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

• Hear from industry leaders: Mastering the Future: Andrew Femrite’s Vision for Engineering

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses.

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial