Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, bioengineers and biomedical engineers earn $110,390 at the median, or about $53.07 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $101,387 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $110K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bioengineers and biomedical engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $110K locally vs. $109K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bioengineers and biomedical engineers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $106K | $108K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $99K | $95K |
| Charlottesville | $87K | $88K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $103K | $105K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level bioengineers and biomedical engineers (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $95K spread from bottom to top.
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $141K | +29% | 610 |
| Idaho | $134K | +22% | N/A |
| California | $128K | +17% | 2,750 |
| Minnesota | $128K | +17% | 1,230 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +17% | 4,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $123K | +12% | 950 |
| Oregon | $123K | +12% | 150 |
| New Jersey | $115K | +5% | 680 |
| Ohio | $112K | +2% | 700 |
| Colorado | $111K | +1% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $110K | +1% | 180 |
| Oklahoma | $109K | -0% | 70 |
| Indiana | $108K | -1% | 620 |
| Tennessee | $106K | -3% | 170 |
| Virginia | $106K | -3% | 330 |
| Maryland | $105K | -4% | 550 |
| New York | $104K | -5% | 840 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -5% | 300 |
| Florida | $102K | -7% | 900 |
| Michigan | $101K | -8% | 330 |
| District of Columbia | $101K | -8% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $99K | -9% | 70 |
| Georgia | $97K | -11% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $97K | -12% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $95K | -13% | 80 |
| New Hampshire | $95K | -13% | 80 |
| North Carolina | $95K | -13% | 920 |
| Texas | $93K | -15% | 2,050 |
| Utah | $91K | -17% | 280 |
| Illinois | $90K | -18% | 280 |
| Missouri | $89K | -18% | 160 |
| Nevada | $88K | -20% | 70 |
| Alabama | $86K | -22% | 30 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -23% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $84K | -23% | 80 |
| Iowa | $82K | -25% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -38% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track bioengineers and biomedical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a bioengineers and biomedical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bioengineers and biomedical engineers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bioengineers and biomedical engineers typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,684/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bioengineers and biomedical engineer a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $110K locally vs. $109K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for bioengineers and biomedical engineers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $109K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do bioengineers and biomedical engineers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $110,390 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,790, and experienced bioengineers and biomedical engineers can clear $167,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,625/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 33.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bioengineers and biomedical engineers salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bioengineers and biomedical engineers salary is worth about $101,387 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bioengineers and biomedical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.