Biomedical Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>What is the future for BMEs like? What are the salarys like? Do you suggest going into BME now? Will it be possible to get a job as a BS in BME with out travelling too much? What are the salarys like?</p>

<p>These are important questions for someone deciding between two types of engineering or even between engineering and something else. Any insights? Please please don't just let this thread die, these questions come up every once in a while, someone with knowledge and experience please answer. Thank you.</p>

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<p>These are just my opinions based on my own experience and that of my friends and classmates. There are of course people who will disagree so take everything with a grain of salt. </p>

<p>My BS is in BME and I am currently working on an MS in CheE. My thesis work however, is in the biomedical field. This way, I have a recognized, understood degree and also have research experience in BME. What I have to say applies mostly to undergraduate degrees in BME/BioE.</p>

<p>The major reason I switched to CheE is the poor job market for BMEs. Most employers do not recognize the degree and would prefer to hire the engineer who has the knowledge they are looking for. For instance, a person doing work in sensors for glucose monitoring would just hire an EE major. I can understand the reasoning behind this since they don't need a person with a little knowledge of each engineering discipline just a person EE knowledge. Also, it FAR easier to teach someone the small amount of biology needed for these positions than to teach them the engineering skills.</p>

<p>I am in the midwest (Ohio) and know that if you are willing to relocate there are positions available along the east coast. (Other areas include Research Triangle in North Carolina (I think) and Minneapolis MN.) There are, of course, other companies, in other parts of the country, too, but the regions listed above seem to have the most frequent job postings and you would be most likely to get hired in those areas.</p>

<p>The future for BMEs is projected to be fantastic. I think we've all seen the reports. I doubt their validity, though. Frequently a person who works as a BME by does not hold a BME degree. Of course, this could just be because BME has only recently been offered so prevalently throughout the US. However, because employers have not hired BMEs in the past, they need to be convinced that they should hire BMEs now. This puts the potential candidate in a rather intriguing position. You have to not only promote your skills and education but also defend your choice of major. It's your choice whether this is good or bad.</p>

<p>You could get a job with very little travel/probably none required. You may wish to travel to conferences but probably wouldn't have to since typically MSs and PhDs go to those. Also, in industry the focus is on products not knowledge so conference attendance is not as much of a priority.</p>

<p>Salary: I was offered a position as Research Engineer for $50,000. My undergrad colleagues took positions in Ohio/Indiana/North Carolina at salaries ranging from $7.50/hr to $55,000. Most of them went on to med school, though and will have salaries ~$150,000 in the coming years. East coast salaries tend to be significantly higher due to the increased cost of living. I do know people who co-oped in Maryland/DC for $10/hr. </p>

<p>Hope this helps. What majors are you considering?</p>

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<p>I agree with pretty much everything hoberto said about bme...</p>

<p>I graduated last May with a BS in BME, and now I'm working on my MS in BME. I started looking for jobs my senior year, before I considered graduate school, and had a lot of trouble finding jobs in the midwest (St. Louis). There weren't many companies recruiting BMEs, and even those who hired any type of engineers didn't really know what BME was. I think over time this will improve, and maybe that job market that everyone keeps talking about will really be out there... but it'll take time.</p>

<p>One suggestion a lot of people have (and I pretty much agree with), is to get a BS degree in a different type of engineering that interests you... ChE, EE, ME, etc. They're all really useful for work in BME anyway. If you want to pursue a graduate degree in BME, you'll be prepared, but you'll also be able to get a job in BME. </p>

<p>Not that any of this should discourage you from BME... if it's really what you want to do, go for it... you'll be able to find a job, but you might have to relocate.</p>

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<p>This is very discouraging because I will have to take out a loan that's about $140,000 to attend a great BME program. But if I know that I can't get a job after that, it doesn't make sense for me to go to that program now, spend all that money and make very little in return. Plus I have to consider all the other factors (IE, I may not be able to survive BME or any Engineering program...) this is pushing me further away from BME. But it's better to know all this now rather than later.</p>

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<p>It's not really as bad as it sounds... you'll definitely get a job, but maybe not exactly what or where you want to start with. I think more important than choosing BME or another type of engineering is having a good engineering program, and doing well at whatever school you end up choosing. If BME is where you'd like to get a job, just make sure you try to get some experience in it along the way, even if you major in something else. I too had to get a ton of loans to make it through BME (washu), but I think it was worth it - I can't see myself as having really enjoyed any of the other engineering majors as much as I do BME. Maybe it would be helpful to get a minor or second major in one of the other engineering areas - that'll stand out on your resume when you look for jobs.</p>

<p>I know what we've said sounds discouraging - but there are still a lot of BME jobs out there - but it doesn't compare to the hype around BME right now (maybe in a few years...). It's a matter of BME having been around longer. It's true that many people who work as a BME don't have BME degrees - but that's because it didn't exist when they went to school.</p>

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<p>I agree with Laurezer, that you'll get a job just maybe not exactly what you want. I also agree that it's important to get some experience along the way. The are loads of undergraduate research programs throughout the US. NSF seems to fund the most and you can find those by googling,"National Science Foundation - Research Experience for Undergraduates". You could also work in a lab at your school. If you are more interested in working in industry then team up with your school's career/coop department and try to get a job for your breaks.</p>

<p>You might want to check out what sort of placement rates your career center has, too. If they are placing 80+% of their BME graduates then you probably don't have much to worry about.</p>

<p>If the school has a great BME program I'm sure the other engineering disciplines aren't bad. You might want to take to recent alumni from BME and other majors to see what advice they could give. </p>

<p>If you choose a different major you may be able to take some BME courses as your electives. </p>

<p>It's a hard choice. If you really love bme and don't think you'll do grad school you should stick with BME, you want to be happy. It'd be hard to get through 4 or 5 years of courses you hate. </p>

<p>Geez, sorry I sound so wishy-washy...</p>

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<p>What do you guys think about majoring in BME for undergrad and going to a business school for grad? So that I'd get an MBA. Of course, it'd be the more technical, BT side of business. Is this a good combo in your opinion or am I being weird?</p>

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<p>From what I've learned it is best to get an MBA only if you are working for a company that will pay for it because they are likely to promote you once you get the additional degree. An MS in engineering is more apropriate because the company can teach you any business or management skills needed (which are few) but they would have trouble teaching you the additional engineering expertise. Ultimately, it depends on what you want to do and where you want to do it. </p>

<p>I'm not sure about the BME + MBA idea. Someone with an MBA would probably work in industry managing unions guys and such. I don't know if there's much call for this in BME since it is more research oriented.</p>