Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer in the United States is $137,680 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $66.

However, an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $153,002
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $128,641 to $145,700
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $120,411

Key Factors That Influence Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salaries

An Image Sensor Characterization Engineer'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 Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer'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): $90,097
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $108,300
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $137,090
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $158,274
  • Expert (over 8 years): $189,801
Levels Salary
Engineer ... Level Image Sensor Characterization Engineer$90,097
Engineer ... Level Image Sensor Characterization Engineer$108,300
Image Sen... Level Image Sensor Characterization Engineer$137,090
Engineer ... Level Image Sensor Characterization Engineer$158,274
Engineer ... Level Image Sensor Characterization Engineer$189,801

How Do Image Sensor Characterization Engineer 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 Image Sensor Characterization Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $152,439.
  • California: $151,861.
  • Massachusetts: $149,837.

Top Paying Cities for Image Sensor Characterization Engineers

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: $173,656
  • San Francisco: $171,754
  • Oakland: $168,135

What Skills Can Increase an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.9% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • AWS (Mentioned in 1.93% Job Postings): Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
  • Programming (Mentioned in 1.37% Job Postings): Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.9%
AWS 1.93%
Programming 1.37%

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 Image Sensor Characterization Engineer's salary.

  • Oracle: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Docker: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Oracle $152,825
11%
AWS $148,694
8%
Docker $147,318
7%

Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Image Sensor Characterization Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Image Sensor Characterization Engineer positions in Biotechnology or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Image Sensor Characterization Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$165,216$79.020%

How Education impacts an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Image Sensor Characterization Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor'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 Image Sensor Characterization Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $130,386 and $136,531).

Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.5%
Associates 2.7%
Bachelors 39.8%
Masters 40.9%
Doctorate 13.9%

Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Image Sensor Characterization Engineer'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 October 01, 2026
$128,641
Average $137,680/year
$145,700
$10,720
Average $11,473/month
$12,142
$2,474
Average $2,648/week
$2,802
$62
Average $66/hour
$70
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $145,700 $12,142 $2,802 $70
Average $137,680 $11,473 $2,648 $66
25th Percentile $128,641 $10,720 $2,474 $62

Most common benefits for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Image Sensor Characterization Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Image Sensor Characterization Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Image Sensor Characterization Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Image Sensor Characterization Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst