Top Biomedical/Medical Engineering Programs in California
Updated
Part of Best Engineering Colleges in California
This page ranks the 14 Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs in California by the median earnings of Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of California-Los Angeles leads the list with median earnings of $116,525 four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 64 graduates.
The figures range from $116,525 down to $33,993, with a median of $98,627 across the listed schools. For 2 of the 14 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 11 of the 14 programs, or 79%, alongside 3 private nonprofit schools. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page.
California State University-Long Beach posts the lowest average net price at $10,440, while University of California-Merced is the most accessible, admitting 91% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $116,525 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| University of California-Los Angeles reports $116,525 in median earnings for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 9%. | |||||
| 2 | Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, CA | $114,426 | $50,062 | $22,985 | 48.0% |
| Santa Clara University, a private nonprofit university in Santa Clara, shows median federal debt of $20,500 among Biomedical/Medical Engineering completers who borrowed and earnings of $114,426 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $110,597 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley ranks 3rd on this list and carries an average net price of $13,481. | |||||
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $109,232 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo posts median earnings of $109,232 for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 104 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 5 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $106,540 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| An average net price of $10,440 and an Azimuth composite rank of 5th among nonprofit four-year institutions belong to California State University-Long Beach. | |||||
| 6 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $105,415 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California admits 10% of applicants and reports median federal debt of $13,750 among Biomedical/Medical Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $98,687 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| Ranking 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, University of California-San Diego shows median earnings of $98,687 for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $98,567 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| An admission rate of 66% and median federal debt of $23,000 among Biomedical/Medical Engineering completers who borrowed are reported by University of California-Santa Cruz. | |||||
| 9 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $98,504 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis reports $98,504 in median earnings for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $14,741. | |||||
| 10 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $96,874 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| An average net price of $14,251 and an Azimuth composite rank of 12th among nonprofit four-year institutions are posted by University of California-Irvine. | |||||
| 11 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $90,041 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| Median federal debt of $19,954 among Biomedical/Medical Engineering completers who borrowed and an average net price of $14,304 are posted by University of California-Riverside. | |||||
| 12 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $88,795 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
| University of California-Merced posts median earnings of $88,795 for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 91%. | |||||
| 13 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $53,358 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
| San Jose State University reports median earnings of $53,358 for its Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 74 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 14 | University of the Pacific · Stockton, CA | $33,993 | $25,447 | $17,004 | 71.3% |
| A private nonprofit university in Stockton, University of the Pacific ranks 14th on this list and shows an average net price of $25,447. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The earnings figures come from federally aided completers of the Biomedical/Medical Engineering program who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 2 of the 14 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from University of California-Los Angeles to the bottom of the list spans $82,532, with a gap of $2,099 between University of California-Los Angeles and Santa Clara University.
Job market context in California
Graduates of Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs in California enter occupations such as Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, and related technical roles. The median annual wage across those occupations is $133,575; a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $105,345. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 5.6% higher, with about 2,550 openings a year, or about 256 openings a year for every hundred graduates, which suggests more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of graduates four years after completing, not the occupational wage figures shown here.
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