Best colleges for Biomedical/Medical Engineering in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, University of Southern California and Santa Clara University are the top bachelor's Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs in California by graduate earnings. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $81,186, College Scorecard. University of California-San Diego, University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Irvine award the most Biomedical/Medical Engineering degrees in California: 320, 223 and 180 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 California colleges offer Biomedical/Medical Engineering and award 1,791 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Biomedical/Medical Engineering program focuses on applying engineering principles and design concepts to the fields of medicine and biology, enhancing healthcare applications. This program is ideal for students interested in improving…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $81,186 | 132 | 86% | — | $20,500 |
| 2 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,508 | 134 | 92% | $26,873 | $14,500 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,710 | 36 | 88% | $44,094 | $21,390 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,348 | 223 | 93% | — | $14,896 |
| 5 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,419 | 107 | 86% | — | $15,977 |
| 6 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,170 | 180 | 87% | — | $17,390 |
| 7 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $66,090 | 58 | 69% | — | $15,720 |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,045 | 320 | 86% | — | $20,000 |
| 9 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public · Bachelor's degree | $61,342 | 109 | 76% | — | $19,877 |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,874 | 139 | 93% | — | $15,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Biomedical/Medical Engineering degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 320 | $65,045 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 223 | $73,348 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 180 | $67,170 |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 139 | $57,874 |
| 5 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 134 | $80,508 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public | 132 | $81,186 |
| 7 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 109 | $61,342 |
| 8 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 107 | $68,419 |
| 9 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 97 | Not reported |
| 10 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 94 | $50,487 |
ShowHide the other 13 California colleges offering Biomedical/Medical Engineering
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach | Public | 58 |
| University of California-San Francisco (Graduate only) | San Francisco | Public | 43 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena | Private not-for-profit | 35 |
| University of California-Merced | Merced | Public | 25 |
| Keck Graduate Institute (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Southern California Institute of Technology | Anaheim | Private for-profit | 7 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | Public | 2 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | Public | 2 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031).
Top skills
What Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Biomedical/Medical Engineering degrees?+
University of California-San Diego (320 graduates a year), University of California-Berkeley (223 graduates a year) and University of California-Irvine (180 graduates a year) award the most Biomedical/Medical Engineering degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 California colleges offer Biomedical/Medical Engineering.
What is the best college for Biomedical/Medical Engineering in California?+
By graduate earnings, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo leads among bachelor's Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $81,186, College Scorecard. University of Southern California and Santa Clara University follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-San Diego is the largest, with 320 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Biomedical/Medical Engineering program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo tops the list at $81,186. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in California is $132,400 (median $128,310), across about 2,750 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Biomedical/Medical Engineering program?+
The Biomedical/Medical Engineering program focuses on applying engineering principles and design concepts to the fields of medicine and biology, enhancing healthcare applications. This program is ideal for students interested in improving…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers?+
The national job outlook is about +5.2% growth with around 1,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card