SOC 17-2031 · Architecture and engineering
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $122,262 in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ down to $74,214 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL, a spread of $48,048 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $107,245 | $122,262 | $137,259 | $152,277 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98,966 | $121,202 | $143,416 | $165,651 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,005 | $120,411 | $139,818 | $159,224 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $103,542 | $116,272 | $129,002 | $141,731 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $93,683 | $111,946 | $130,187 | $148,450 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $92,352 | $111,488 | $130,645 | $149,781 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $93,142 | $110,594 | $128,066 | $145,517 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $91,582 | $110,261 | $128,918 | $147,597 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $96,366 | $108,638 | $120,890 | $133,162 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $90,147 | $107,536 | $124,904 | $142,293 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $87,526 | $106,829 | $126,152 | $145,454 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $86,861 | $105,581 | $124,301 | $143,021 |
| Columbus, OH | $89,003 | $104,853 | $120,682 | $136,531 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,219 | $104,686 | $125,154 | $145,621 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $83,574 | $102,211 | $120,848 | $139,485 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,101 | $99,362 | $118,643 | $137,904 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $84,469 | $97,531 | $110,573 | $123,635 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $80,163 | $96,533 | $112,923 | $129,293 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $77,813 | $95,950 | $114,067 | $132,205 |
| Rochester, NY | $79,144 | $95,722 | $112,299 | $128,877 |
| Richmond, VA | $80,142 | $95,035 | $109,949 | $124,842 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $72,218 | $93,954 | $115,669 | $137,405 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $80,018 | $91,936 | $103,875 | $115,794 |
| Cleveland, OH | $71,115 | $89,669 | $108,202 | $126,755 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $69,597 | $88,608 | $107,640 | $126,651 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $77,189 | $88,608 | $100,006 | $111,426 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $72,197 | $87,818 | $103,438 | $119,059 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $67,683 | $87,755 | $107,827 | $127,899 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $65,541 | $85,987 | $106,454 | $126,901 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $73,008 | $85,509 | $98,010 | $110,510 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $71,261 | $84,760 | $98,259 | $111,758 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $65,250 | $83,574 | $101,878 | $120,203 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $66,851 | $83,262 | $99,674 | $116,085 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,510 | $79,560 | $100,589 | $121,638 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $61,235 | $78,146 | $95,056 | $111,966 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $57,346 | $74,214 | $91,104 | $107,973 |
36 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 3 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 219 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level I. The median wage actually offered was $103,771 a year, from 248 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 74 | 33.8% |
| Level II | 55 | 25.1% |
| Level III | 49 | 22.4% |
| Level IV | 41 | 18.7% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.