Biological/Biosystems 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/Biosystems 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/Biosystems 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).

Best Schools for Biological/Biosystems 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/Biosystems Engineering Programs

Schools where Biological/Biosystems 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/Biosystems Engineering

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Biological/Biosystems 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/Biosystems Engineering programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates earn?
Across 8 schools, Biological/Biosystems Engineering graduates earn an average of $58,507 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $46,917 to $67,016 depending on the school.
What is the AI automation risk for Biological/Biosystems Engineering?
Biological/Biosystems Engineering is rated "High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 53% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.
Which school has the best Biological/Biosystems Engineering program?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks #1 for Biological/Biosystems Engineering with a score of 65/100 and graduate earnings of $61,755/yr.
What's the outlook for a Biological/Biosystems Engineering degree?
On average, Biological/Biosystems 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 →