Biomedical Engineer.
Philadelphia.
$119,000
median salary, 11% above the national average
$97,000 to $149,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Biomedical Engineer salary in Philadelphia is $119,000, 11% above the national average. Entry level starts near $97,000. Experienced professionals push past $149,000. Philadelphia combines a robust healthcare and life sciences sector with established finance and higher education institutions. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Biomedical Engineer in Philadelphia, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $125,760 for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031) in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area, based on 580 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$74,630
25th percentile
$97,640
Median
$125,760
75th percentile
$137,320
90th percentile
$158,650
Workers surveyed
580
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031) rather than Biomedical Engineer specifically. The Philadelphia range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2031Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $107,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$77,000
to $95,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$101,000
to $125,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$131,000
to $155,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$149,000
to $184,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $33,000 to the total package.
Base
$119,000
Equity
$19,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $152,000
How Philadelphia compares.
Philadelphia, PA
$119,000
Cost of living: 9% above average
National Average
$107,000
Philadelphia is $12,000 above
Biomedical Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Philadelphia.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Biomedical Engineer roles in Philadelphia, here is what you are walking into. Philadelphia combines a robust healthcare and life sciences sector with established finance and higher education institutions. The city's pharmaceutical corridor is among the strongest in the country. Tech growth has accelerated, particularly in health tech and enterprise software, offering salaries that stretch further than in nearby New York. Subspecialty drives significant pay variation, with implantable device and tissue engineering roles paying premiums over rehabilitation equipment design. Industry setting matters, as medical device companies pay 15 to 25% more than hospitals or research institutions. Advanced degrees and FDA regulatory experience boost earning potential.
Entry-level biomedical engineers start at $72,000 to $85,000. Senior engineers with specialization earn $95,000 to $122,000 after five to seven years. Engineering managers and directors at device companies reach $130,000 to $175,000 with strong bonus potential. In Philadelphia, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Medical device companies offer bonuses of 8 to 15% and equity grants. Many roles include patent bonuses of $1,000 to $5,000 per filing. Benefits typically include generous continuing education allowances and conference travel budgets. And on the tax side: pennsylvania has a flat 3.07% state income tax, but Philadelphia adds a 3.75% city wage tax for residents. This combined local burden is worth factoring into salary negotiations. When someone quotes you $119,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Account for the Philadelphia wage tax in your ask. Request a 5 to 8% premium over suburban offers to offset the city's local tax on all earned income. The range for Biomedical Engineers in Philadelphia runs from $97,000 to $149,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Data Scientist in Philadelphia earns $118,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Philadelphia is CTO at $314,000
Common questions.
Biomedical Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Philadelphia.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Biomedical Engineer Salary in Philadelphia, PA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/biomedical-engineer/philadelphia
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