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Industry At-A-Glance

Industry Highlights:

  • Companies: California is home to more than 2,700 companies and more than 100 universities and private non-profit research organizations that are engaged in biomedical R&D and manufacturing.
  • Employment and job distribution: The state’s biomedical industry accounts for 267,000 California jobs. Employment in the industry is diverse: 43% of employees work in businesses making medical devices, instruments and diagnostic tools; 30% in biopharmaceutical companies; 15% in academic research; 11% in wholesale trade; and 2% in laboratory services. Among the state’s high-tech industries, only computer programming employs more workers than the biomedical industry.
  • Wages: Californians employed within the industry earned an average salary of $71,300. Within the sector, biopharmaceutical companies paid the highest average annual wage – $86,100.
  • R&D investment: Public biomedical companies that are doing business in California invested an estimated $27 billion in the research and development of new products for unmet medical needs in 2006. The typical California biomedical company committed 44% of its cash to R&D expenditures.
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Publications

The Journal of Life Sciences

JLS Cover Apr 08The Journal of Life Sciences offers fresh analysis and commentary on the impact of biosciences on business, policy, and culture. Read more

List Company

The California Healthcare Institute publishes timely and informative economic and policy analysis, opinion, and in-depth reports on life sciences research and development, medical technology, and state and federal public policies affecting medical innovation.

2008 California Biomedical Industry Report
2008 Report Cover

The 2008 report on California’s biomedical industry is a comprehensive overview of the impact of the biomedical sector on California’s economy and includes data on employment, wages, education and investment, as well as a snapshot of the product development pipeline. Although the numbers are promising, perspectives from thought leaders in the industry and academia throughout the state who were interviewed for the report warn that the industry will face major challenges as global competition intensifies unless careful attention is paid to the corporate tax structure, patent reform and investment in education -- especially grades K through 12.
Download the 2008 Report on California's Biomedical Industry
Download the 2008 Presentation on California's Biomedical Industry
Download the 2008 Highlights on California's Biomedical Industry