Photonics Engineers
Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Photonics Engineers. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $66,810 | $32.12 |
| 25th | $90,970 | $43.73 |
| 50th · Median | $122,930 | $59.10 |
| 75th | $158,090 | $76.01 |
| 90th | $189,950 | $91.32 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Expand more title examples (11)
Typical tasks
- Analyze system performance or operational requirements.
- Develop optical or imaging systems, such as optical imaging products, optical components, image processes, signal process technologies, or optical systems.
- Develop or test photonic prototypes or models.
- Design, integrate, or test photonics systems or components.
- Assist in the transition of photonic prototypes to production.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the field.
Expand more tasks (20)
- Write reports or proposals related to photonics research or development projects.
- Conduct testing to determine functionality or optimization or to establish limits of photonics systems or components.
- Determine applications of photonics appropriate to meet product objectives or features.
- Conduct research on new photonics technologies.
- Design electro-optical sensing or imaging systems.
- Document photonics system or component design processes, including objectives, issues, or outcomes.
- Design photonics products, such as light sources, displays, or photovoltaics, to achieve increased energy efficiency.
- Train operators, engineers, or other personnel.
- Analyze, fabricate, or test fiber-optic links.
- Design gas lasers, solid state lasers, infrared, or other light emitting or light sensitive devices.
- Create or maintain photonic design histories.
- Oversee or provide expertise on manufacturing, assembly, or fabrication processes.
- Determine commercial, industrial, scientific, or other uses for electro-optical applications or devices.
- Design solar energy photonics or other materials or devices to generate energy.
- Design or redesign optical fibers to minimize energy loss.
- Develop photonics sensing or manufacturing technologies to improve the efficiency of manufacturing or related processes.
- Develop laser-processed designs, such as laser-cut medical devices.
- Design or develop new crystals for photonics applications.
- Design laser machining equipment for purposes such as high-speed ablation.
- Select, purchase, set up, operate, or troubleshoot state-of-the-art laser cutting equipment.
Skills used in this work
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
Expand more skills (29)
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
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