Cheapest Biomedical/Medical Engineering Colleges

CUNY City College delivers biomedical engineering at a net cost of just $3,486, making it the most affordable program on this list by a substantial margin. This significant cost advantage comes at a time when the biomedical engineering field is expanding rapidly across the Northeast corridor, with medical device companies and research hospitals creating new opportunities from Boston to Philadelphia. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive programs reaches $8,264, highlighting major cost variations even among public institutions. University of Michigan-Dearborn graduates command the highest early-career earnings at $77,401, more than double the $31,839 earned by CUNY City College alumni. Florida dominates this affordable market with six programs, reflecting the state's growing medical technology sector and aging population driving demand for biomedical innovations. California State University-Long Beach offers compelling value with earnings of $73,949 against a net cost of $8,931, while University of Florida combines selectivity at 23.35% acceptance with reasonable costs.

Programs

$3,486 – $15,288

Net Price Range

$55,250

Avg. Program Earnings

67.2%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Biomedical/Medical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	CUNY City College New York, New York	$3,486	$7,340	54.7%	66.6%
2	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
3	Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia	$8,327	$8,942	48.7%	96.9%
4	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$8,896	$17,462	59.5%	97.9%
5	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
6	Florida International University Miami, Florida	$9,133	$6,565	73.9%	63.9%
7	University of South Florida Tampa, Florida	$10,043	$6,410	74.6%	43.9%
8	Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida	$10,319	$6,118	56.0%	74.4%
9	University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan	$10,904	$14,944	56.6%	54.1%
10	North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, North Carolina	$10,980	$6,748	55.3%	56.4%
11	Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida	$10,997	$5,656	83.0%	25.0%
12	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
13	Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana	$11,408	$10,449	53.9%	82.9%
14	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$11,504	$17,462	56.7%	97.4%
15	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, California	$11,750	$15,265	87.6%	23.7%
16	Stanford University Stanford, California	$12,136	$62,484	92.8%	3.7%
17	Louisiana Tech University Ruston, Louisiana	$12,209	$10,125	57.6%	62.4%
18	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, Illinois	$12,313	$14,338	60.3%	78.7%
19	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640	$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
20	University of California-Merced Merced, California	$12,744	$14,167	69.1%	89.5%
21	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
22	Northern Illinois University Dekalb, Illinois	$12,909	$12,700	49.6%	70.7%
23	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina	$12,983	$8,989	92.1%	17.1%
24	West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia	$12,997	$9,648	61.2%	88.4%
25	University of Mississippi University, Mississippi	$13,164	$9,412	68.5%	97.4%
26	University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah	$13,172	$9,315	63.9%	89.1%
27	University of Memphis Memphis, Tennessee	$13,253	$10,344	49.4%	94.6%
28	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, Georgia	$13,289	$11,764	92.3%	17.1%
29	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$13,339	$17,452	65.4%	97.3%
30	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
31	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$13,670	$12,051	67.8%	89.8%
32	University of California-Riverside Riverside, California	$13,707	$14,170	76.6%	68.7%
33	San Jose State University San Jose, California	$13,741	$7,992	64.7%	76.7%
34	Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas	$13,776	$9,322	51.4%	94.9%
35	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
36	Alabama State University Montgomery, Alabama	$13,889	$11,248	30.2%	96.6%
37	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, Indiana	$13,945	$9,992	83.1%	52.7%
38	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
39	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, Connecticut	$14,059	$17,472	56.9%	92.2%
40	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
41	Washington State University Pullman, Washington	$14,401	$12,997	61.6%	83.1%
42	University of the District of Columbia Washington, District of Columbia	$14,693	$6,152	26.3%
43	Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan	$14,773	$14,297	56.5%	75.3%
44	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan	$14,832	$17,228	93.2%	17.7%
45	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979	$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
46	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, Ohio	$14,981	$12,799	48.2%	82.9%
47	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois	$15,201	$16,004	84.9%	44.8%
48	Wright State University-Main Campus Dayton, Ohio	$15,216	$11,188	45.9%	95.2%
49	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
50	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes CUNY City College the cheapest biomedical engineering program?

CUNY City College charges a net cost of just $3,486, significantly lower than other programs due to New York State's investment in public education and generous financial aid packages. The in-state tuition of $7,340 combined with substantial aid brings the actual cost down dramatically. However, graduates earn $31,839 in early career salaries, which is considerably below the national average for biomedical engineers. The 54.70% graduation rate suggests students face academic challenges despite the financial accessibility.

How do Florida's biomedical engineering programs compare in terms of value?

Florida hosts six affordable biomedical engineering programs with net costs ranging from $6,351 at University of Florida to $10,997 at Florida State University. University of Florida offers the best combination of low cost and high graduation rate at 91.50%, while Florida International University provides strong earnings potential at $56,776. Florida Gulf Coast University graduates earn $46,769 with manageable debt of $17,779. The state's concentration of programs reflects its aging population and growing medical device industry.

Is University of Michigan-Dearborn worth the higher cost for better earnings?

University of Michigan-Dearborn graduates earn $77,401, the highest on this list, justifying its $10,904 net cost for many students. The program produces nearly 2.5 times the earnings of the cheapest option at CUNY City College. However, students graduate with $26,750 in debt, among the highest levels shown. The 56.60% graduation rate indicates academic rigor, while the Detroit area's automotive and medical device industries provide strong job prospects for biomedical engineering graduates.

Does acceptance rate indicate program quality in affordable biomedical engineering?

Acceptance rates vary dramatically from 23.35% at University of Florida to 97.91% at University of Connecticut-Waterbury, but selectivity does not always correlate with outcomes. University of Florida combines low acceptance with a 91.50% graduation rate, indicating strong academic preparation. Meanwhile, highly accessible programs like Marshall University at 96.88% acceptance show 48.70% graduation rates. California State University-Long Beach balances moderate selectivity at 39.95% acceptance with strong earnings of $73,949.

Where can students find the best debt-to-earnings ratio in biomedical engineering?

California State University-Long Beach offers the strongest debt-to-earnings ratio with graduates earning $73,949 while carrying just $15,500 in debt. Florida International University provides another favorable ratio at $56,776 earnings against $19,500 debt. University of Connecticut campuses show higher debt loads of $25,000, though graduates earn $58,866. Students should consider that some programs like University of Florida do not report debt data, making direct comparisons challenging.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.