What are the main factors that influence an Optical Physicist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Optical Physicist's salary?

An Optical Physicist's salary grows with experience: a Client/Server Programmer I (0-2 years)earns $72,960, a Client/Server Programmer II (2-4 years)earns $86,305, a Optical Physicist (4-7 years)earns $111,803, a Client/Server Programmer IV (7+ years)earns $124,891, a Client/Server Programmer V (7-10 years)earns $146,280,

What are the highest paying states for an Optical Physicist?

Optical Physicist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Optical Physicist roles are District of Columbia $121,424, California $120,964, Massachusetts $119,352. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Optical Physicist roles make?

Salaries for Optical Physicist level roles vary by specialization: Physicist VI: $186,390; Physicist V: $157,183; Specialist Physicist: $140,800; Physicist IV: $140,765; Physicist: $108,245.

How do different companies affect an Optical Physicist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Optical Physicist roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Optical Physicist Salary in the United States

How much does an Optical Physicist make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for an Optical Physicist in the United States is $109,668 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $53.

However, an Optical Physicist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $127,089
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $99,419 to $118,787
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $90,088

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Optical Physicist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$118,787	$9,899	$2,284	$57
Average	$109,668	$9,139	$2,109	$53
25th Percentile	$99,419	$8,285	$1,912	$48

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Key Factors That Influence Optical Physicist Salaries

An Optical Physicist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Optical Physicist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Optical Physicist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $72,960
Early Career (1-2 years): $86,305
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $111,803
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $124,891
Expert (over 8 years): $146,280

Levels	Salary
Client/Se... Level Optical Physicist	$72,960
Client/Se... Level Optical Physicist	$86,305
Optical P... Level Optical Physicist	$111,803
Client/Se... Level Optical Physicist	$124,891
Client/Se... Level Optical Physicist	$146,280

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Optical Physicist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Optical Physicists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $121,424.
California: $120,964.
Massachusetts: $119,352.

District of Columbia $121,424 California $120,964 Massachusetts $119,352 Washington $118,913 New Jersey $118,869 Alaska $118,716 Connecticut $117,202 New York $116,588

Hawaii $114,625 Rhode Island $113,704 Maryland $113,079 Minnesota $112,223 Colorado $111,894 Illinois $111,785 Oregon $111,368 Delaware $111,061

New Hampshire $110,868 Virginia $110,436 Pennsylvania $109,174 Nevada $108,538 North Dakota $108,330 Michigan $108,001 Wisconsin $107,880 Vermont $107,639

Texas $106,970 Maine $106,926 Arizona $106,860 Ohio $106,784 Georgia $105,775 Indiana $105,270 Wyoming $105,172 Utah $105,018

Iowa $104,952 Kansas $104,426 Louisiana $104,272 North Carolina $104,218 Missouri $104,196 Florida $103,768 Montana $103,538 Nebraska $103,318

Kentucky $103,198 South Carolina $102,759 Tennessee $102,485 Idaho $102,375 New Mexico $101,575 Oklahoma $101,399 Alabama $100,752 South Dakota $99,666

Arkansas $99,074 West Virginia $98,756 Mississippi $97,802

Top Paying Cities for Optical Physicists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $138,324
San Francisco: $136,810
Oakland: $133,927

San Jose, CA $138,324

San Francisco, CA $136,810

Oakland, CA $133,927

New York, NY $126,271

Paramus, NJ $124,735

Queens Village, NY $124,730

Passaic, NJ $124,626

Bergenfield, NJ $124,616

Stamford, CT $124,374

Huntington, NY $124,330

Newark, NJ $123,519

Bridgeport, CT $123,288

Vallejo, CA $123,069

New Brunswick, NJ $123,026

Petaluma, CA $122,960

Middlesex, NJ $122,751

Somerset, NJ $122,675

Santa Cruz, CA $122,532

Boston, MA $121,863

Monterey, CA $121,478

Seattle, WA $121,227

Santa Rosa, CA $121,205

Los Angeles, CA $121,172

Juneau, AK $120,887

Washington, DC $120,766

Orange, CA $120,376

Santa Ana, CA $120,086

Long Beach, CA $119,977

Anaheim, CA $119,955

Anchorage, AK $119,900

Santa Maria, CA $119,571

Everett, WA $119,549

Danbury, CT $119,163

Bremerton, WA $119,012

Tacoma, WA $118,617

New Suffolk, NY $118,615

Sacramento, CA $118,584

Santa Barbara, CA $118,463

Trenton, NJ $118,343

San Diego, CA $118,343

Brockton, MA $118,222

Fairbanks, AK $117,953

Lompoc, CA $117,674

Lowell, MA $117,585

Ventura, CA $117,564

Nashua, NH $117,542

Stockton, CA $117,531

Modesto, CA $116,731

Poughkeepsie, NY $116,489

Olympia, WA $116,281

Kennewick, WA $116,281

New Haven, CT $116,237

Lawrence, MA $115,842

Hartford, CT $115,733

Riverside, CA $115,711

New Bedford, MA $115,601

Richland, WA $115,601

Bakersfield, CA $115,448

San Bernardino, CA $115,404

New Britain, CT $115,393

Atlantic City, NJ $115,393

New London, CT $115,349

Norwich, CT $115,316

Portsmouth, NH $115,294

Boulder, CO $115,061

Portland, OR $114,910

Worcester, MA $114,899

Minneapolis, MN $114,559

Philadelphia, PA $114,406

Honolulu, HI $114,044

Saint Paul, MN $113,991

Vineland, NJ $113,967

Providence, RI $113,649

Chicago, IL $113,331

Bellingham, WA $113,199

Springfield, MA $113,112

Baltimore, MD $113,079

Chico, CA $112,805

Pittsfield, MA $112,508

Manchester, NH $112,300

Spokane, WA $111,817

Denver, CO $111,807

Albany, NY $111,291

Troy, NY $111,247

Nassau, NY $111,130

Schenectady, NY $111,017

Wilmington, DE $110,929

Burlington, VT $110,776

Salem, OR $110,732

Portland, ME $110,392

Yakima, WA $110,282

Rochester, MN $109,942

Reno, NV $109,887

Fresno, CA $109,887

Milwaukee, WI $109,789

Detroit, MI $109,679

Ann Arbor, MI $109,660

Allentown, PA $109,646

Colorado Springs, CO $109,460

Syracuse, NY $109,405

Carson City, NV $109,405

Houston, TX $109,251

Eugene, OR $109,196

Gary, IN $109,065

Springfield, OR $108,977

Bismarck, ND $108,955

Galveston, TX $108,878

Medford, OR $108,714

Fort Collins, CO $108,670

Concord, NH $108,615

Austin, TX $108,582

Mesa, AZ $108,352

Reading, PA $108,341

Phoenix, AZ $108,330

Dallas, TX $108,297

Saint Cloud, MN $108,192

Madison, WI $108,045

Utica, NY $107,749

Rochester, NY $107,573

Des Moines, IA $107,562

Raleigh, NC $107,551

Atlanta, GA $107,387

Battle Creek, MI $107,354

Salt Lake City, UT $107,321

Lancaster, PA $107,157

Harrisburg, PA $107,003

Kansas City, MO $106,893

Champaign, IL $106,871

Kansas City, KS $106,871

Fort Worth, TX $106,860

Columbus, OH $106,842

Boca Raton, FL $106,817

Pittsburgh, PA $106,773

Richmond, VA $106,729

Indianapolis, IN $106,707

Cleveland, OH $106,696

Las Vegas, NV $106,564

Cincinnati, OH $106,564

Petersburg, VA $106,400

Huntsville, AL $106,235

Lansing, MI $106,162

Lebanon, PA $106,148

Pueblo, CO $106,137

Appleton, WI $106,104

Buffalo, NY $106,060

Dayton, OH $106,027

Racine, WI $106,005

Charlotte, NC $105,994

Saint Louis, MO $105,961

York, PA $105,895

Elkhart, IN $105,895

Gastonia, NC $105,875

Billings, MT $105,848

Beaumont, TX $105,819

Lorain, OH $105,797

Benton Harbor, MI $105,775

Toledo, OH $105,753

Binghamton, NY $105,698

Rock Hill, SC $105,687

Rockford, IL $105,632

Springfield, IL $105,588

Elyria, OH $105,577

Fargo, ND $105,577

Flagstaff, AZ $105,501

Fort Lauderdale, FL $105,435

Duluth, MN $105,369

Miami, FL $105,369

Cheyenne, WY $105,292

Grand Forks, ND $105,292

Bangor, ME $105,051

Cedar Rapids, IA $104,930

Durham, NC $104,884

Louisville, KY $104,876

Grand Rapids, MI $104,854

Hialeah, FL $104,843

Casper, WY $104,689

Scranton, PA $104,557

New Orleans, LA $104,525

Virginia Beach, VA $104,514

Akron, OH $104,459

Peoria, IL $104,316

Sarasota, FL $104,294

Nashville, TN $104,218

Omaha, NE $104,218

Green Bay, WI $104,218

Baton Rouge, LA $104,163

Charleston, SC $104,141

Jamestown, NY $104,086

Davenport, IA $104,086

Tucson, AZ $104,031

Saint Petersburg, FL $103,965

Tampa, FL $103,943

Evansville, IN $103,878

Port Arthur, TX $103,878

Bradenton, FL $103,834

Santa Fe, NM $103,636

Orlando, FL $103,439

Clearwater, FL $103,406

Canton, OH $103,176

La Crosse, WI $103,176

Albuquerque, NM $103,110

Newport News, VA $103,099

High Point, NC $103,066

Ogden, UT $103,022

Corpus Christi, TX $102,934

Norfolk, VA $102,869

Laramie, WY $102,869

Rock Island, IL $102,803

Saginaw, MI $102,781

Jacksonville, FL $102,770

Salisbury, NC $102,748

Boise, ID $102,726

Moline, IL $102,671

Fort Myers, FL $102,638

Memphis, TN $102,616

Tulsa, OK $102,562

Waterloo, IA $102,496

Spartanburg, SC $102,386

Lincoln, NE $102,331

Fort Wayne, IN $102,309

Provo, UT $102,298

Cedar Falls, IA $102,167

San Antonio, TX $102,123

Greensboro, NC $102,079

South Bend, IN $102,068

Savannah, GA $101,947

Muskegon, MI $101,904

Birmingham, AL $101,893

Winston Salem, NC $101,839

Lake Charles, LA $101,575

Anderson, IN $101,553

Lexington, KY $101,520

Augusta, GA $101,487

Greenville, SC $101,487

Lima, OH $101,399

Wichita, KS $101,388

Tuscaloosa, AL $101,388

Columbia, SC $101,289

Springfield, OH $101,267

Asheville, NC $101,092

Bloomington, IN $101,015

Knoxville, TN $100,620

Shreveport, LA $100,609

Wilmington, NC $100,467

Roanoke, VA $100,467

Topeka, KS $100,269

Frankfort, KY $100,257

Oklahoma City, OK $100,182

Chillicothe, OH $100,138

Longview, TX $100,127

Melbourne, FL $100,116

Sioux Falls, SD $99,940

Mobile, AL $99,929

Terre Haute, IN $99,886

Altoona, PA $99,820

Amarillo, TX $99,743

Killeen, TX $99,710

Fayetteville, AR $99,622

Chattanooga, TN $99,590

Sioux City, IA $99,491

Idaho Falls, ID $99,469

Lynchburg, VA $99,381

Gainesville, FL $99,239

Portsmouth, OH $99,184

Little Rock, AR $99,162

Lafayette, LA $99,118

Youngstown, OH $99,118

Daytona Beach, FL $99,052

Clarksville, TN $99,041

Pensacola, FL $99,030

Temple, TX $99,023

Hopkinsville, KY $98,701

Erie, PA $98,679

Florence, SC $98,635

Charleston, WV $98,460

Great Falls, MT $98,405

Macon, GA $98,252

Tallahassee, FL $98,241

Fayetteville, NC $98,219

Waco, TX $98,197

Helena, MT $98,120

Pine Bluff, AR $98,078

Vincennes, IN $97,944

Lubbock, TX $97,901

Alamogordo, NM $97,835

Twin Falls, ID $97,736

Rapid City, SD $97,703

Jackson, MS $97,506

Huntington, WV $97,498

Greenville, MS $97,495

Parkersburg, WV $97,383

Montgomery, AL $97,363

Wichita Falls, TX $97,254

Springfield, MO $97,254

Biloxi, MS $97,199

Monroe, LA $97,089

Johnstown, PA $97,012

Sumter, SC $96,968

Columbus, GA $96,957

Pascagoula, MS $96,749

Abilene, TX $96,749

Kingsport, TN $96,464

Albany, GA $96,464

Gulfport, MS $96,431

Alexandria, LA $96,069

Fort Smith, AR $95,795

El Paso, TX $95,499

Las Cruces, NM $95,005

Harlingen, TX $94,727

Pocatello, ID $94,709

Florence, AL $94,567

Brownsville, TX $94,545

Mcallen, TX $94,314

Dothan, AL $94,161

Columbus, MS $93,510

Altus, OK $92,998

Lawton, OK $92,790

Pierre, SD $92,395

What Skills Can Increase an Optical Physicist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 3.72% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Python (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.38% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	3.72%
Python	3.23%
Software Development	2.38%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Optical Physicist's salary.

Adobe: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Docker: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Microservices: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Adobe	$132,698	21%
Docker	$131,602	20%
Microservices	$128,312	17%
Dedication	$123,925	13%
AWS	$123,925	13%
Spring	$123,925	13%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Optical Physicist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Optical Physicists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Optical Physicist with a Associate's Degree is between $103,414 and $109,599).

Optical Physicist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Optical Physicist

No Diploma 6.0%

High School 6.0%

Associates 9.2%

Bachelors 61.0%

Masters 21.6%

Doctorate 2.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	6.0%
High School	6.0%
Associates	9.2%
Bachelors	61.0%
Masters	21.6%
Doctorate	2.1%

view as graph

Optical Physicist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Optical Physicist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on June 01, 2026

$99,419

Average $109,668/year

$118,787

$8,285

Average $9,139/month

$9,899

$1,912

Average $2,109/week

$2,284

$48

Average $53/hour

$57

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$118,787	$9,899	$2,284	$57
Average	$109,668	$9,139	$2,109	$53
25th Percentile	$99,419	$8,285	$1,912	$48

Salaries of jobs related to Optical Physicist

Salary Trends for Optical Physicist

Salaries for an Optical Physicist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $106,224 in 2023 to around $103,298 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Optical Physicist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Optical Physicist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$106,224

2024

$104,800

2025

$103,298

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$106,224
2024	$104,800
2025	$103,298
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Optical Physicist

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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