Biological Engineering Degree

8 schools compared · Average earnings $58,507/yr

Students study how engineering methods solve problems in biological and agricultural systems, including bioenergy, food processing, water treatment, and ecological engineering. Graduates typically pursue careers in biotech companies, food manufacturing, environmental engineering firms, and agricultural technology companies. This interdisciplinary field applies engineering to living systems and is growing alongside the bioeconomy.

What Biological Engineering Graduates Do

Your degree in biological engineering places you at the intersection of living systems and technology. In an entry-level role, you might find yourself in a lab developing a process to turn agricultural waste into biofuel, at a medical device company designing and testing a new diagnostic sensor, or helping a food manufacturer optimize a fermentation process. Your days will be a mix of hands-on lab work, computer modeling, and collaborating with scientists and other engineers.

After gaining several years of technical experience, you can advance into a senior specialist role or move into management. As an engineering manager, you’ll shift from direct design work to leading project teams, managing budgets, and setting the strategic direction for new product development. For those inclined toward academia, the path to becoming a postsecondary teacher is one of the fastest-growing options, though it requires an advanced degree.

With a moderate AI exposure, these careers are evolving, not vanishing. AI will automate significant chunks of routine work, like analyzing massive datasets from experiments or running thousands of design simulations. This shift means your job will focus less on repetitive tasks and more on creative problem-solving, designing novel experiments, and making judgment calls that require a deep understanding of complex biological systems.

Schools Offering
8
Avg Grad Earnings
$58,507/yr
Avg DegreeOutlook Score
59/100
AI Automation Risk
High
53% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Biological Engineering graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 29,200 combined openings per year.

Career Path Salary Range Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers
$167,740
$135K$207K
14,500 +3.8% 41%
Engineers, all other
$117,750
$86K$153K
9,300 +2.1% 46%
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
$106,950
$87K$134K
1,300 +5.2% 59%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
$106,120
$80K$136K
4,100 +8.1% 50%
Architectural and engineering managers
$167,740
$135K $207K
14,500 openings/yr +3.8% growth 41% AI risk
Engineers, all other
$117,750
$86K $153K
9,300 openings/yr +2.1% growth 46% AI risk
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
$106,950
$87K $134K
1,300 openings/yr +5.2% growth 59% AI risk
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
$106,120
$80K $136K
4,100 openings/yr +8.1% growth 50% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

How do Biological Engineering programs stack up? See 8 schools ranked by earnings and value →

Best Schools for Biological Engineering

8 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
65
63–66
$61,755/yr 16.7x
2 Utah State University
Logan, UT
64
62–65
$52,951/yr 18.8x
3 Auburn University
Auburn, AL
63
61–64
$59,050/yr 14.0x
4 University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
63
62–64
$46,917/yr 28.8x
5 University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
62
61–63
$60,190/yr 12.7x
6 University of Georgia
Athens, GA
54
52–55
$62,842/yr 13.1x
7 University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
52
50–53
$67,016/yr 10.0x
8 Oakland University
Rochester Hills, MI
49
47–50
$57,337/yr 8.8x

Highest Earning Biological Engineering Programs

Schools where Biological Engineering graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings DW Score
University of California-San Diego $67,016/yr 52
University of Georgia $62,842/yr 54
University of Nebraska-Lincoln $61,755/yr 65
University of Missouri-Columbia $60,190/yr 62
Auburn University $59,050/yr 63
Oakland University $57,337/yr 49
Utah State University $52,951/yr 64
University of Florida $46,917/yr 63

Best ROI for Biological Engineering

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Biological Engineering.

School ROI Multiple Earnings DW Score
University of Florida 28.8x $46,917/yr 63
Utah State University 18.8x $52,951/yr 64
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 16.7x $61,755/yr 65
Auburn University 14.0x $59,050/yr 63
University of Georgia 13.1x $62,842/yr 54
University of Missouri-Columbia 12.7x $60,190/yr 62
University of California-San Diego 10.0x $67,016/yr 52
Oakland University 8.8x $57,337/yr 49
Want to compare two Biological Engineering programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Biological Engineering graduates earn?
First-year earnings for Biological Engineering graduates average $58,507 annually, based on data from 8 programs. The range spans $46,917 at the low end to $67,016 at the top.
How exposed is Biological Engineering to AI disruption?
AI exposure for Biological Engineering is rated "High." With 53% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, most career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.
Where should I study Biological Engineering?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln leads all 8 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 65/100. Graduates earn $61,755/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.
What's the outlook for a Biological Engineering degree?
On average, Biological Engineering graduates earn 15.3x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →