Starting Salaries

• Biomedical engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average starting salary of $55,000 as of 2010, according to the University of Michigan. Those with a degree in chemistry earn an average starting salary of $60,266, while students with a degree in materials science engineering earn $62,000.
  
  

Starting Salaries With a Graduate Degree

• The University of Michigan reports that 2009 graduates with a Master's degree in biomedical engineering earned an average starting salary of $76,400. Graduates with a Master's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Wisconsin reported an average starting salary of $60,000 in 2010.
  
  

Average Salary

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, biomedical engineers earn an average wage of $40.76 per hour or $84,780 per year as of May 2010. The median wage for this profession is $39.20 per hour or $81,540 per year. The highest 10 percent of earners average between $90,000 and $126,990 per year, while the lowest 10 percent earn $49,690.
  
  

Salary By Industry

• Biomedical engineers who work in the semiconductor or electronics field earn an average of $111,480 per year as of 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers in scientific research and development earn $93,930 on average, while biomedical engineers in medical equipment and supply firms earn $83,740. Biomedical engineers working in pharmaceutical manufacturing earn $82,810 on average, while those who manufacture medical instruments make $88,910.