Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and operations analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Biochemists and Biophysicists (83%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | 83% | $127,410 | +16% | Graduate degree |
| 2 | Bioinformatics Scientists | 82% | $98,920Pay for the broader BLS group “Biological Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Materials Scientists | 78% | $117,790 | +8% | None |
| 4 | Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 74% | $98,920Pay for the broader BLS group “Biological Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | Graduate degree |
| 5 | Bioinformatics Technicians | 74% | $81,490Pay for the broader BLS group “Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 6 | Physicists | 73% | $172,250 | +57% | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists | 73% | $122,570Pay for the broader BLS group “Physical Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 8 | Medical Dosimetrists | 72% | $147,470 | +35% | None |
| 9 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 72% | $101,920 | −7% | None |
| 10 | Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | 72% | $104,300 | −5% | None |
Compared with Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, median $109,370. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as bioengineers and biomedical engineers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
83% skill match · $127,410 · +16% pay
Instructing · Persuasion
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
82% skill match · $98,920 (broader BLS group)
78% skill match · $117,790 · +8% pay
Persuasion
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Biochemists and Biophysicists (83% skill match, median $127,410), Bioinformatics Scientists (82% skill match, median $98,920) and Materials Scientists (78% skill match, median $117,790), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 9 pay more than bioengineers and biomedical engineers at the median. The biggest increases: Physicists (+57%, $172,250), Medical Dosimetrists (+35%, $147,470) and Database Architects (+28%, $139,500).
19 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 6 usually need a graduate degree: Biochemists and Biophysicists, Bioinformatics Scientists and Molecular and Cellular Biologists.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.