35 Best Bachelor's In Biomedical Engineering Degrees

A ranking of the best biomedical engineering degrees. Programs ranked by affordability, flexibility, and academic quality.

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Save lives and transform our healthcare system with one of the nation's best Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering degrees.

Are you passionate about product and software design? Are you equally interested in the applications of engineering to life systems? Can you envision yourself making people healthier and helping them live longer by designing important medical instruments or overseeing cell and tissue advancements?

Then a career in biomedical engineering may be just for you!

What kind of Biomedical Engineering degree should you get?

Each of the 35 programs below will provide a solid foundation in math, the physical sciences, engineering, and biology. Yet each program also varies in its emphasis, model, and the opportunities it offers.

For example, while some schools stress the importance of real-world experience, offering internship and co-op programs, others situate you in the lab and partner you with leading researchers. And some programs provide ways to specialize in everything from biomaterials to cell and tissue engineering.

The best rule of thumb is to find a program that provides the kind of academic and curricular experience you desire. But it should also include opportunities to study abroad and participate in internships and co-ops.

Another factor to consider is online education. Online learning is a flexible, affordable way to advance your education and career. So, be sure to check out College Choice's 50 Best Online Engineering Degrees.

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How much money do people make with a Biomedical Engineering degree?

With a Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering degree you are set up to work in two lucrative, in-demand industries: product development and healthcare. You will also graduate fully prepared for a graduate degree in bioengineering as well.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an average annual salary for biomedical engineers that is more than $88,000. And that's just an average. For those with a lot of experience gained through internships and research projects, the pay moves further upward. PayScale notes that bioengineers can make nearly $100,000 with just their undergraduate degree.

The industry is not only lucrative, but it's stable and growing too. The US Department of Labor projects the demand for biomedical engineers will grow a staggering 72 percent in the next ten years.

What can you do with a Biomedical Engineering degree?

A BS in Biomedical Engineering opens up many vocational doors. Perhaps you see yourself in the lab, studying tissue and cell development and designing ways to manipulate and transform cell growth. Or perhaps you see yourself creating innovative new medical tools. All of the programs below will help you gain entry into the job you desire.

Indeed, the graduates from these prestigious, highly ranked programs have gone on to acquire rewarding careers in a diverse range of fields. They have also pursued graduate school in medicine, engineering, and biology. Some of the areas graduates have found careers in include:

What are the requirements for a Biomedical Engineering degree?

To earn a BS in Biomedical Engineering degree you will spend at least your first year immersed in chemistry, physics, and introductory engineering classes. Then, having finished your general education requirements, you will take foundational bioengineering classes that cover systems physiology, medical equipment design, and tissue and cells engineering.

Then in your final years can dive into specialized engineering classes and their laboratory counterparts through formal concentrations in:

Finally, many of these programs encourage or require research experience, lab hours, internships, co-ops, and more. We've been sure to note such requirements below.

What are the best Biomedical Engineering degrees?

Though some of these programs are housed within huge state research universities and others within smaller polytechnical schools, all 35 share one thing in common: they are the nation's best Biomedical Engineering degrees.

To find the best biomedical engineering degrees we first looked at each and every program across the nation. From there we narrowed the list by bringing in crucial factors such as reputation. We looked at student retention, which is a sign of student satisfaction, as well as the early salaries of graduates and tuition rates too. What we found after such extensive research are the nation's best programs for training biomedical engineers.

Our figures and information come from the university and colleges' websites, PayScale, and nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.

Rankings

See our rankings methodology page.

  1. Duke University
    Location

    Durham, NC

    Tuition

    $22011

    Overview

    Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and is an elite research university. It is known for its expansive research projects across the STEM and medical fields. Duke is home to nearly 15,000 combined undergraduate and graduate students.

    Features

    At Duke University you will build a solid foundation in STEM while also learning how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and design systems. You will also become an expert in biology and physiology and learn how to interpret living data, address tensions between living and non-living systems, and apply statistics to biology and engineering. Classes include:

    • Biomedical Imaging and Instrumentation
    • Biomechanics
    • Electrobiology
    • Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering

    Notables

    Duke University is ranked among the top 10 best schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, among others. Its engineering schools and respective programs are highly regarded and well established, having been founded early in the 20th century. Finally, the Duke University Medical Center houses one of the top-rated hospitals and top-rated medical schools in the nation.

  2. Johns Hopkins University
    Location

    Baltimore, MD

    Tuition

    $29066

    Overview

    A leader in medical and health education, Johns Hopkins University is based in Baltimore, Maryland. JHU has a long history of integrating research and education, with campus comprised of the prestigious Whiting School of Engineering, an elite medical school, and more. Around 20,000 students attend JHU.

    Features

    Johns Hopkins’ Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering program trains students to solve problems at the nexus of engineering and biology. With a global perspectives, students learn how to tackle complex biomedical engineering issues as well as broader complexities within the healthcare system. This multidisciplinary program includes courses such as:

    • Biomedical Modeling and Design
    • BME in the Real World
    • Molecules and Cells
    • Biomedical Systems and Controls

    Notables

    JHU’s research efforts and contributions are known worldwide. Therefore, campus is home to numerous well-respected research centers and institutes, such as the Berman Institute of Bioethics. U.S. News & World Report ranks JHU 11th among all colleges and universities nationwide.

  3. Stanford University
    Location

    Stanford, CA

    Tuition

    $16562

    Overview

    Stanford University hardly requires and introduction. It is one of the world’s most prestigious universities with strengths across the STEM disciplines as well as in medicine, law, the humanities, arts, and much more. Approximately 16,000 students attend Stanford.

    Features

    At Stanford you will benefit from a uniquely interdisciplinary program that comes out of a partnership between the Schools of Engineering and Medicine. Students learn how to integrate life sciences and scientific discovery in a way that benefits our healthcare system. Indeed, students study everything from environmental quality to policy. Courses include:

    • Systems Biology
    • Physical Biology of Macromolecules
    • Systems Physiology and Design
    • Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Response

    Notables

    The Stanford community, includings its alumni and faculty, is made of renowned scholars and researchers. For example, there are dozens of Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of members of both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine. Stanford is ranked fifth nationally.

  4. Rice University
    Location

    Houston, TX

    Tuition

    $24131

    Overview

    Rice University is located in Houston, Texas and is a private, research-focused university. Its campus is juxtaposed to the Texas Medical Center and its reputation is anchored to its medical and engineering programs. Rice serves more than 7,000 students.

    Features

    The George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice offers an impressive degree in bioengineering. This program takes seriously leadership formation and therefore gives its students real-world experiences and challenges. Students study abroad, participate in professional mentorships, intern, and much more, in addition to taking classes such as:

    • Bioreaction Engineering
    • Thermodynamics
    • Biomaterials
    • Numerical Methods

    Notables

    With renowned applied science programs, Rice is a leader in STEM. It is ranked among the top 20 best schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its academic and research-based accolades, Rice is also known for having the best “quality of life” among its students, for being one of the nation’s most LGBT friendly colleges, and much more.

  5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Location

    Cambridge, MA

    Tuition

    $22230

    Overview

    MIT, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is located in Cambridge. It is one of the world’s best polytechnic schools, known specifically for its programs in engineering and the sciences. More than 11,000 students attend MIT.

    Features

    MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering offers an undergraduate degree that prepares students to enter research-related fields or graduate/medical school. In fact, students who have graduated have gone on to find rewarding careers with pharmaceutical companies and attend some of the best graduate engineering schools in the nation. Additionally, there are more than a dozen ways to specialize through MIT’s formal concentrations in:

    • Environmental and Toxicological Studies
    • Cancer Biology
    • Immunoengineering

    Notables

    MIT has graduated hundreds of Nobel laureates, Turing Award winners, Fields Medalists, and so much more. U.S. News & World Report ranks it second among all colleges and universities across the globe. Likewise, its School of Engineering is ranked first.

  6. Georgia Institute of Technology
    Location

    Atlanta, GA

    Tuition

    $15873

    Overview

    The Georgia Institute of Technology, known as Georgia Tech, is based in Atlanta. It is a member of the broader University System of Georgia and was originally founded as an engineering school. Today it maintains those strengths while also offering dozen of degree options across the STEM fields.

    Features

    Georgia Tech’s degree in biomedical engineering is a confluence of the liberal arts and technology. Students engage in a broad curriculum and go on to work in diverse settings. Graduates have attained careers in everything from public service to startups, healthcare consulting, and hospital administration. And as a Georgia Tech student you will have access to such innovative research centers as:

    • The Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech
    • Georgia Center for Medical Robotics
    • Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing
    • Nanomedicine Center for Nucleoprotein Machines

    Notables

    Georgia Tech is an extremely active research university. As we said above, the campus houses a number of elite research facilities, including the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. It is the headquarters for more than a dozen affiliated biomedical engineering centers.

  7. University of Pennsylvania
    Location

    Philadelphia, PA

    Tuition

    $24539

    Overview

    The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League university located in West Philadelphia. It is one of the nation’s oldest schools, and one of the best. Penn is organized into more than a dozen schools and colleges, including the illustrious School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

    Features

    There are two ways to earn a degree at Penn. You can either earn a BS in Bioengineering or a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biomedical Science. While the former is a traditional, engineering-focused degree, the latter is more flexible and interdisciplinary. Both, however, let you specialize through one of the concentration paths:

    • Neuroengineering
    • Biomedical Devices
    • Systems and Synthetic Biology
    • Cellular/Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials

    Notables

    Penn is one of the country’s top 10 best schools, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, among many others. Similarly, it is considered one of the most active sites of research nationwide. And it is home to several top-ranked engineering programs.

  8. Vanderbilt University
    Location

    Nashville, TN

    Tuition

    $23295

    Overview

    Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University is a private, research-based school. It serves more than 12,000 students through its 10 colleges and schools. Vanderbilt, though strong in an array of academic and professional fields, is known for its engineering school

    Features

    At Vanderbilt you will build a foundation in math, physics, chemistry, and engineering. You will then investigate the nuances of biology, biomaterials, and medicine across a broad scale, from nano to whole bodies. This multidisciplinary program is both specialized and wide-reaching. You will take classes such as:

    • Systems Physiology
    • Circuits I and II
    • Analysis of Data
    • Medical Instrumentation

    Notables

    As one of the top 20 best research institutions in the country, Vanderbilt is home to an array of renowned research facilities. It was deemed ninth nationally by the National Institute of Health for its medical programs and research efforts. And the School of Engineering is considered among the top 50 in the country.

  9. Columbia University
    Location

    New York, NY

    Tuition

    $22824

    Overview

    Located in Upper Manhattan, Columbia University is an Ivy League university, and one of the best in the country. It is among the nation’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Nearly 28,000 students attend Columbia and are enrolled in one of its 20 schools, including the renowned Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

    Features

    Columbia’s biomedical engineering degree is steeped in the physical and chemical sciences. With an emphasis on the integration of biomedical engineering and physiology, students become experts in the relationship among engineering, biology, and medicine. You’ll also gain hands-on experience through Columbia’s lab modules, which include:

    • Computational Teaching Lab
    • The Undergraduate Wet Lab
    • The Design and Fabrication Capabilities Lab

    Notables

    The Wall Street Journal ranks Columbia second in the nation. Faculty and alumni are Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur genius grants, National Medal of Science recipients, and National Academy of Engineering Award winners.

  10. Washington University St. Louis
    Location

    Saint Louis, MO

    Tuition

    $27777

    Overview

    Washington University is St. Louis is a private school steeped in research activity. It is organized into over a half dozen undergraduate and graduate schools, which are home to more than 15,000 students. With many research and academic strengths to its name, WUSTL is particularly known for its medicine and engineering programs.

    Features

    Whether you want to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, a related field, or go on to earn a professional degree in medicine, dentistry or law, the program at WUSTL will help you get there. After building a sturdy foundation in math, biology, and engineering, you will personally tailor your degree so you can specialize in an area of interest to you. Required courses include:

    • Biomechanics
    • Quantitative Physiology
    • Bioengineering Thermodynamics
    • Transport Phenomena in Biomedical Engineering

    Notables

    The Washington University School of Medicine is among the top 10 best in the nation. Likewise, the School of Engineering and Applied Science is ranked in the top 50 best nationwide. More specifically, its biomedical engineering programs are, hands down, some of the best, ranked twelfth by U.S. News & World Report.

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