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Biomedical/Medical Engineering at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $70,561/yr (11% vs median)

AI Risk High (50% exposed)

Job Market Medium (19,900 openings/yr)

ROI 19.6x earnings multiple (4.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #72 of 119 Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$724K	$704K	$620K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	20.1x	19.6x	17.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.6x	4.5x	3.9x
Probability of Field Employment	73%	67%	48%
DegreeOutlook Score	59	58	56

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$35,956

Out-of-state: $157,320 (4.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$51,932

-44% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,000

2.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Biomedical/Medical Engineering graduates start at $70,561/yr — above the $63,751 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 19.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $15,000 in median debt clears quickly against $70,561 in annual earnings.

At #72 out of 119 programs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's financial outcomes for Biomedical/Medical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Admission to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is competitive, with 19% of applicants accepted, with 20,556 students enrolled in Chapel Hill, NC.

See all programs and financial aid at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

Bioengineers and biomedical engineers $106,950/yr

Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr

View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Biomedical/Medical Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Biomedical/Medical Engineering program score?

A score of 58/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill trails the majority of Biomedical/Medical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Biomedical/Medical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Biomedical/Medical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →