Photonics Technician Salary in the United States

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

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Photonics Technician in the United States is $38,009 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): $44,197
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $34,534 to $41,248
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,370
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View as table View as graph 25% $34,534 10% $31,370 90% $44,197 75% $41,248 $38,009 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Photonics Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $41,248 $3,437 $793 $20
Average $38,009 $3,167 $731 $18
25th Percentile $34,534 $2,878 $664 $17
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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): $37,671
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $38,354
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,801
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $39,956
  • Expert (over 8 years): $40,059
Levels Salary
Entry Level Photonics Technician$37,671
Intermediate Level Photonics Technician$38,354
Senior Level Photonics Technician$39,801
Specialist Level Photonics Technician$39,956
Expert Level Photonics Technician$40,059
$37,671 0 yr
$38,354 < 2 yrs
$39,801 2-4 yrs
$39,956 5-8 yrs
$40,059 > 8 yrs
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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: $47,941
  • San Francisco: $47,470
  • Oakland: $46,417

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
$60,815
60%
Commitment
$44,471
17%
Chemistry
$42,951
13%
Communicates Effectively
$40,670
7%
Photography
$39,910
5%
Flexibility
$39,150
3%
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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%
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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 April 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)
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Common company salaries for Photonics Technician

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

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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.)

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

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