Photonics Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Photonics Technician make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Photonics Technician in the United States is $38,002 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a Photonics Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $44,190
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $34,531 to $41,241
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,371
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $34,531 10% $31,371 90% $44,190 75% $41,241 $38,002 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Photonics Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $41,241 $3,437 $793 $20
Average $38,002 $3,167 $731 $18
25th Percentile $34,531 $2,878 $664 $17

Key Factors That Influence Photonics Technician Salaries

A Photonics Technician'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 Photonics Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Photonics Technician'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): $37,664
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $38,346
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,793
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $39,948
  • Expert (over 8 years): $40,052
Levels Salary
Entry Level Photonics Technician$37,664
Intermediate Level Photonics Technician$38,346
Senior Level Photonics Technician$39,793
Specialist Level Photonics Technician$39,948
Expert Level Photonics Technician$40,052
$37,664 0 yr
$38,346 < 2 yrs
$39,793 2-4 yrs
$39,948 5-8 yrs
$40,052 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Photonics Technicians

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: $47,931
  • San Francisco: $47,407
  • Oakland: $46,408

What Skills Can Increase a Photonics Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Problem Solving (Mentioned in 9.52% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
  • Adobe Creative Suite (Mentioned in 4.76% Job Postings): Adobe Creative Suite is a discontinued software suite of graphic design, video editing, and web development applications developed by Adobe Systems.
  • Photography (Mentioned in 4.76% Job Postings): Photography is the art, application and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication. Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result with photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically "developed" into a visible image, either negative or positive depending on the purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Problem Solving 9.52%
Adobe Creative Suite 4.76%
Photography 4.76%
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 a Photonics Technician's salary.
  • Creativity: Can increase your salary by up to 60%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Creativity
$60,803
60%
Commitment
$44,462
17%
Chemistry
$42,942
13%
Communicates Effectively
$40,662
7%
Photography
$39,902
5%
Flexibility
$39,142
3%
Get Latest Data

Photonics Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Photonics Technician roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Wholesale, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Photonics Technician positions in Retail typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Photonics Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Photonics Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Wholesale$41,802$20.010%

How Education impacts a Photonics Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Photonics Technicians enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Photonics Technician with a No Diploma is between $30,403 and $33,578).

Photonics Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Photonics Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 34.9%
High School 34.9%
Associates 18.6%
Bachelors 44.2%
Masters 2.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Photonics Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Photonics Technician'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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Photonics Technician

Salaries for a Photonics Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $44,632 in 2023 to around $44,357 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Photonics Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Photonics Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$44,632
2024
$44,613
2025
$44,357
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $44,632
2024 $44,613
2025 $44,357
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Photonics Technician

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

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Photonics Technician

Here are companies hiring for Photonics Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Photonics Technician Job

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

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

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

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

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

FAQ about Photonics Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Photonics Technician?

The Wholesale industry offers the highest average compensation for Photonics Technician roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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