Best cities for an optical design engineer
The best cities for optical design engineers are San Jose, CA, Sacramento, CA, and Phoenix, AZ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for optical design engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for optical design engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an optical design engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for optical design engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for optical design engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an optical design engineer. While the absolute best city for optical design engineers is San Jose, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for optical design engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for an optical design engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for optical design engineers in 2026
1. San Jose, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $130,697 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000 Location quotient: 1.47 2. Sacramento, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $130,785 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000 Location quotient: 1.00 3. Phoenix, AZ
Total optical design engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $103,581 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 1.00 4. San Francisco, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,479 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Oakland, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,308 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Fremont, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $130,963 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Reno, NV
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $109,971 Lowest 10 percent warn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Seattle, WA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $123,544 Lowest 10 percent warn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Las Vegas, NV
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $104,695 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Stockton, CA
Total optical design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $130,642 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Best cities for optical design engineers
- San Jose, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Reno, NV
- Seattle, WA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Stockton, CA
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Detailed list of the best cities for an optical design engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $130,697 | $94,000 | 1,025,350 | 5 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $130,785 | $94,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,581 | $75,000 | 1,615,017 | 3 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $131,479 | $94,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 5 | Oakland, CA | $131,308 | $94,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 6 | Fremont, CA | $130,963 | $94,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $109,971 | $78,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $123,544 | $90,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $104,695 | $74,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 10 | Stockton, CA | $130,642 | $94,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 11 | North Las Vegas, NV | $104,613 | $74,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 12 | Henderson, NV | $104,109 | $74,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 13 | Scottsdale, AZ | $103,623 | $75,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 14 | Glendale, AZ | $103,598 | $75,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 15 | Mesa, AZ | $102,807 | $74,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 16 | Chandler, AZ | $102,711 | $74,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 17 | Fresno, CA | $128,212 | $92,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 18 | Gilbert, AZ | $102,632 | $74,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 19 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $103,276 | $75,000 | 260,999 | - |
| 20 | Bakersfield, CA | $124,656 | $89,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 21 | Tampa, FL | $103,247 | $75,000 | 377,165 | - |
| 22 | Orlando, FL | $103,107 | $75,000 | 277,173 | - |
| 23 | Oklahoma City, OK | $88,212 | $64,000 | 638,367 | 2 |
| 24 | Hialeah, FL | $102,507 | $74,000 | 236,387 | - |
| 25 | Colorado Springs, CO | $109,881 | $79,000 | 465,101 | - |
| 26 | Miami, FL | $102,446 | $74,000 | 453,579 | - |
| 27 | Denver, CO | $108,494 | $78,000 | 693,060 | 1 |
| 28 | Tucson, AZ | $100,334 | $73,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 29 | Aurora, CO | $108,477 | $78,000 | 361,710 | - |
| 30 | San Diego, CA | $114,543 | $83,000 | 1,406,630 | 3 |
| 31 | Philadelphia, PA | $94,122 | $68,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 32 | Los Angeles, CA | $120,456 | $86,000 | 3,976,322 | - |
| 33 | Long Beach, CA | $119,361 | $86,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 34 | Saint Paul, MN | $92,440 | $68,000 | 302,398 | 2 |
| 35 | Anaheim, CA | $119,237 | $86,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 36 | Riverside, CA | $118,932 | $85,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 37 | Santa Ana, CA | $118,871 | $85,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 38 | Irvine, CA | $118,526 | $85,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 39 | Nashville, TN | $82,645 | $60,000 | 660,388 | 1 |
| 40 | Washington, DC | $120,279 | $87,000 | 681,170 | 1 |
| 41 | Jacksonville, FL | $100,315 | $73,000 | 880,619 | - |
| 42 | Detroit, MI | $91,187 | $66,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 43 | Pittsburgh, PA | $90,521 | $66,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 44 | Albuquerque, NM | $88,915 | $64,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 45 | Anchorage, AK | $99,448 | $81,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 46 | Laredo, TX | $88,723 | $65,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 47 | Chula Vista, CA | $113,789 | $82,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 48 | Corpus Christi, TX | $88,702 | $65,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 49 | Memphis, TN | $82,624 | $60,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 50 | El Paso, TX | $88,636 | $65,000 | 683,080 | - |
Highest paying cities for optical design engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. optical design engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $131,102 |
| 2 | Redmond, WA | $123,651 |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $108,589 |
| 4 | Glendale, AZ | $103,598 |
| 5 | Clearwater, FL | $103,252 |
| 6 | Reading, MA | $98,064 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | $87,662 |
| 8 | Ithaca, NY | $84,840 |
| 9 | Lincoln, NE | $72,711 |
Optical design engineer best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025