America's 10 Best Schools for Biomedical Engineering in 2023

Laura Ross July 21, 2023

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Biomedical engineering — or medical engineering — describes the application of engineering design and principles to medicine and biology to improve human health.

Promising to transform healthcare as we know it, the biomedical engineering market is fast expanding. Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10% employment growth for biomedical engineers between 2021 and 2031, which equates to around 1,700 new jobs.

The first step for those interested in pursuing a career in this innovative field is to secure a biomedical engineering degree. Programs at Johns Hopkins University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Duke University are the most highly regarded, but it’s best to determine your own criteria for evaluating schools.

Criteria for Evaluating Biomedical Engineering Schools

To find a biomedical engineering degree program that suits your needs, consider the following:

Does the school teach an accredited program?

Several programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET), which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

What research facilities are available?

If you want to gain hands-on experience and work alongside industry professionals, selecting a school with state-of-the-art research facilities should be a top priority.

What are the costs to attend?

Undergraduate biomedical engineering programs do not come cheap but some schools offer hefty discounts for in-state applications.

Are there opportunities for paid work?

Those concerned about costs should consider looking for a school that offers paid internships to biomedical engineering students as part of the program.

What subjects are featured in the curriculum?

Biomedical engineering students are lucky enough to study a vast range of subjects. However, if you are passionate about a particular subject, find a school — perhaps a private research university — with expertise in this area.

Is the school highly regarded?

Consider a school’s industry partnerships, internship opportunities, alumni success, research breakthroughs, and current faculty members.

angellodeco / Shutterstock.com

angellodeco / Shutterstock.com

Top 10 Biomedical Engineering Schools

Here’s a rundown of the 10 best biomedical engineering schools:

1. Johns Hopkins University

Application Fee: $70 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1510-1570 SAT/ 34-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 6%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $60,480

Graduation Rate: 95%

Since 1992, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked the Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering program as the No. 1 in the country.

Sharing the top spot with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins’ faculty boasts the nation’s largest pre-clinical department and is responsible for the launch of more than 44 startup companies since 2010. In recent years, advances have been made in drug delivery methods, artificial organs, prosthetic limbs, and diagnostic imaging devices.

If working with the best of the best is a top priority, this is likely the school for you. As a Hopkins BME undergraduate student, you will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the most highly regarded clinical scientists in the world, specializing in one of seven disciplines, including biomedical data science and immunoengineering. Many graduates go on to become leaders in their chosen fields.

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1480 SAT / 33 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $11,764 (in-state) / $32,876 (out-of-state)

Graduation Rate: 93%

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology is ranked as the No. 1 Biomedical Engineering program in the country, alongside the program at John Hopkins University.

Biomedical engineering students at Georgia Tech will work with industry experts to develop solutions that address unmet clinical needs. Better still, as many as 70% of students work on independent projects. Areas of focus include biomaterials and regenerative technologies, biomedical imaging and instrumentation, cancer technologies, and neuroengineering.

3. Duke University

Application Fee: $95 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1480-1570 SAT / 33-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 6%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $63,054

Graduation Rate: 95%

Duke’s Biomedical Engineering department has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Since 2018, for example, sponsored research has increased by more than 60%. The faculty received $48 million in new research awards in 2022 and is responsible for the launch of more than 20 companies.

As a Duke’s BME student, you will work closely with Duke's biological scientists and physicians to research drug and gene delivery, biomedical imaging and biophotonics, and synthetic and systems biology to name just a few.

In 2021, the university opened the 150,000-square-foot Wilkinson Building, which realized its long-term vision to create a space dedicated to collaborative research and creative engineering education.

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1510-1580 SAT / 34-36 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 4%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $57,986

Graduation Rate: 96%

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Biomedical Engineering faculty is recognized as a leader in several fields, including cell and tissue engineering, nanoscale engineering, systems biology, toxicology, and macromolecular biochemistry.

As a student here, you’ll learn about everything from the computational modeling of signal pathways to the analysis of tissue engineering processes. You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). This MIT-wide program allows undergraduate students to perform enterprising research in MIT labs for course credit or pay.

5. University of California, San Diego

Application Fee: $70 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1380 SAT / 31 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 34%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $14,906 (in-state) / $44,978 (out-of-state)

Graduation Rate: 89%

In 2023, the bioengineering and biomedical engineering department at the University of California, San Diego, ranked fifth in the country. For the past 10 years, it has ranked among the top five programs every year.

As a student here, you will be actively encouraged to participate in bioengineering research, with around two-thirds of students participating in research before they graduate.

Since 2022, the university’s researchers have been developing sex-specific treatments for heart disease and a drug screening method that answers why Alzheimer’s drugs fail.

6. Stanford University

Application Fee: $90 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1550 SAT / 35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 4%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $56,169

Graduation Rate: 96%

Research areas for Stanford University’s biomedical engineering faculty include medical devices, medical imaging, molecular engineering, tissue engineering, biomaterials, omics/genomics, gene therapy, frugal science, planet health and agro-bio, and bio-policy.

Researchers here have developed the first non-invasive prenatal test for Down syndrome and engineered a 50-cent microscope that provides better access to scientific learning.

Because the department sits between the faculties of engineering and medicine, you will benefit from studying topics at the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine.

7. University of California, Berkeley

Application Fee: $70 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1290-1530 SAT / 27-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 15%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $14,226 (in-state) / $43,980 (out-of-state)

Graduation Rate: 92%

The bioengineering and biomedical engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, was founded in 1998, making it the first new engineering department to be established there in more than 40 years.

The university hopes to become one of the top three U.S. Departments of Bioengineering within the next five years. To achieve this, it will focus on expanding the faculty and courses, building on its key research areas — cellular engineering for human and environmental health, and technology development for personal and precision medicine — and fostering a dynamic and inclusive student body.

As an undergraduate student, you will have the opportunity to study advanced areas of research, work alongside industry experts, conduct independent research, partake in summer schools, and access the department’s state-of-the-art research facilities.

8. University of Michigan — Ann Arbor

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1360-1530 SAT / 31-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 20%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $16,736 (in-state) / $55,334 (out-of-state)

Graduation Rate: 94%

The University of Michigan’s biomedical engineering school is committed to solving critical challenges in life sciences and medicine for humanity’s benefit.

The school’s early work included development of the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) heart-lung bypass machine as well as implantable electrodes that help stimulate or stabilize brain function.

Today, the school’s research covers neural engineering, biomechanics, imaging, computation and modeling, and regenerative medicine, with clinical applications in cancer, immunology, neurological disorders, and orthopedics.

As an undergraduate student here, you can choose from one of nine biomedical engineering tracks, which include medical device development, neural engineering, and pre-health. You will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and carry out directed research.

9. Rice University

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1490-1570 SAT / 34-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 9%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $54,960

Graduation Rate: 92%

Rice University’s bioengineering department is committed to solving pressing global healthcare problems, addressing challenges in basic research, and training the next generation of industry leaders. The school’s biomedical engineering school was ranked ninth best in the United States in 2023 and has produced 11 National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award winners.

As an undergraduate student at Rice University, you will benefit from small classes, cutting-edge laboratory facilities, and multidisciplinary academic and entrepreneurship programs. You’ll also have the opportunity to work alongside industry leaders, with research projects spanning biomedical imaging and instrumentation, cellular and genome engineering, and computational and theoretical bioengineering.

10. University of Pennsylvania

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Entry Requirements: 1480-1570 SAT / 33-35 ACT

Acceptance Rate: 6%

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (2022-2023): $56,212

Graduation Rate: 96%

The University of Pennsylvania is home to one of the oldest bioengineering departments in the United States, with its undergraduate program consistently ranking among the nation’s top 10 schools.

Students at this Ivy League university have a wealth of academic opportunities, including access to the school’s world-famous biomedical research lab and the option to conduct independent research, develop a new medical device, or launch a startup.

Bioengineering research at the University of Pennsylvania falls broadly into 16 categories, which include molecular engineering, cell mechanics, imaging theory, and biomaterials.

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Importance of Biomedical Engineering Education

Biomedical engineers have expertise in physiology, biology, healthcare and health informatics, mechanics, and engineering. As such, these professionals play a pivotal role in the advancement of healthcare technologies that support the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injury and disease.

They are responsible for the advancement of prosthetic limbs, artificial hearts and livers, and bionic contact lenses. They study the movement and signals of the body to inform the development of wearable sensors and pacemakers and personalized treatment plans

Over the years, they have collaborated closely with doctors, nurses, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals to develop groundbreaking technologies, including MRI machines, x-ray machines, electrocardiographs, dialysis machines, and diagnostic equipment.

Today, biomedical engineers are using nanotechnology to diagnose and treat various forms of cancer, genome editing to eliminate diseases and pathogens, artificial intelligence (AI) to detect silent conditions, and brain-machine interfaces to enable patients’ brains to communicate with assistive devices to make them move.

Career Paths and Opportunities for Biomedical Engineering Students

Not only is the graduation rate for biomedical engineering students exceptionally high across all of the schools featured here, but graduates from these programs also have the opportunity to pursue countless exciting roles across various disciplines and industries.

Many biomedical engineering majors opt for further education in biomedical engineering. You might choose to complete a master’s degree or Ph.D. at the same institution or another school. This is a good way to fine-tune your knowledge, improve your employment prospects, or focus on something specialized. A portion of biomedical engineering graduates go on to complete medical degrees to become surgeons or physicians.

Once your education is complete, you’ll have the option to work in a clinical, industrial, pharmaceutical, or laboratory environment. You could be writing software to detect abnormal heart rhythms, overseeing a team of biomedical equipment technicians, or developing a new drug to treat a chronic disease.

Whatever option you choose, know that you’ll be embarking on a challenging, fascinating, and fulfilling career path.