Photonics Technicians earn a median of $78,350 per year ($37.67/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.8% through 2035, with about 5,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 17-3029
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Photonics Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $78,350a year, or $37.67/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $47KTop 10% $118K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.8%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,40062,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202562.4K
- Projected 203564.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 62.4K Projected 2035 64.1K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school27.3%
- Certificate9.1%
- Some college4.6%
- Associate's40.9%
- Bachelor's13.6%
- Master's4.6%
Highest education held by photonics technicians Segment Value High school 27.3% Certificate 9.1% Some college 4.6% Associate's 40.9% Bachelor's 13.6% Master's 4.6%
Also advertised as: Fiber Optics Instructor, Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech), Laser Technician (Laser Tech), Optics Technician (Optics Tech), Optomechanical Technician (Optomechanical Tech), Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech).
Pay
How much do Photonics Technicians make?
Every photonics technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$78,350
Middle half earn $60,390 to $99,310
- 10th
- $47,030
- 25th
- $60,390
- 75th
- $99,310
- 90th
- $118,330
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $47,030 |
| 25th | $60,390 |
| Median | $78,350 |
| 75th | $99,310 |
| 90th | $118,330 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $78,350
- Median hourly wage
- $37.67/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $80,960
- People employed
- 59,930
Versus all US occupations
At $78,350, Photonics Technicians earn 54% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,370 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 25% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,330 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,030, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 55% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maine posts the highest raw median ($107,060), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $110,344 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Photonics Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maine | $107,060 | $110,314 | 810 |
| 2New Mexico | $101,750 | $110,344 | 1,390 |
| 3Maryland | $99,970 | $95,247 | 2,630 |
| 4Washington | $99,720 | $93,185 | 2,310 |
| 5Virginia | $98,410 | $97,335 | 3,720 |
| 6Rhode Island | $94,570 | $92,462 | 380 |
| 7Nevada | $93,670 | $93,690 | 590 |
| 8Hawaii | $90,040 | $81,891 | 410 |
| 9Alaska | $89,810 | $87,740 | 380 |
| 10Indiana | $88,880 | $95,233 | 480 |
Job outlook
Is Photonics Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Photonics Technicians | +2.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Photonics Technicians to change 2.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,400 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 62,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Photonics Technician
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as photonics technicians.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree40.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)27.3%
- Bachelor's Degree13.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.1%
- Some College Courses4.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 40.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 27.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.1% |
| Some College Courses | 4.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Photonics Technician do?
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
- Compute or record photonic test data.
- Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
- Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
- Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
- Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
- Set up or operate assembly or processing equipment, such as lasers, cameras, die bonders, wire bonders, dispensers, reflow ovens, soldering irons, die shears, wire pull testers, temperature or humidity chambers, or optical spectrum analyzers.
- Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Active Listening3.4
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Writing3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Mathematics2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Mathematics | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.4
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Equipment Maintenance3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Repairing3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Repairing | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Development environment software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Photonics Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Photonics Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional5.5
- Investigative4.2
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Photonics Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
$78,190median a year
Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Technologist and Technician
$74,510median a year
Most earn $48K to $106K
+1.3%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist and Technician
$82,890median a year
Most earn $59K to $125K
+11.9%Associate's
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with photonics technicians highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
- Photonics Technician$78,350
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
| Photonics Technician | $78,350 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Photonics Technician appears on
Questions
Photonics Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Photonics Technicians make?
Photonics Technicians earn a median of $78,350 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 54% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $37.67/hr. The middle half earn between $60,390 and $99,310. The top 10% earn $118,330 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Photonics Technician?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Photonics Technicians. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 40.9% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is Photonics Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.8% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Photonics Technician do?
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment. A core O*NET task: assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Photonics Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Photonics Technicians are Maine ($107,060), New Mexico ($101,750), Maryland ($99,970) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $110,344.
What personality type suits a Photonics Technician?
O*NET scores Photonics Technicians highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.