Optical engineer demographics and statistics in the US
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Optical engineer demographics by:
Optical engineer gender statistics
13.8% of optical engineers are women and 86.2% of optical engineers are men.
- Male, 86.2%
- Female, 13.8%
Optical engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 86.2% |
| Female | 13.8% |
Optical engineer gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$95,566
Female income
$92,620
Optical engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in optical engineer positions over time. Currently, 13.8% of optical engineers are female.
Optical engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.77% | 10.23% |
| 2011 | 88.92% | 11.08% |
| 2012 | 88.37% | 11.63% |
| 2013 | 88.31% | 11.69% |
| 2014 | 88.01% | 11.99% |
| 2015 | 87.86% | 12.14% |
| 2016 | 87.87% | 12.13% |
| 2017 | 88.20% | 11.80% |
| 2018 | 87.43% | 12.57% |
| 2019 | 86.37% | 13.63% |
| 2020 | 85.41% | 14.59% |
| 2021 | 86.20% | 13.80% |
Optical engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared optical engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Optical Engineer | 86% | 14% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Optical engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among optical engineers is White, which makes up 55.9% of all optical engineers. Comparatively, 27.1% of optical engineers are Asian and 8.6% of optical engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 55.9%
- Asian, 27.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.6%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Black or African American, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Optical engineer race
| Optical engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.9% |
| Asian | 27.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.6% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Black or African American | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Optical engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how optical engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Optical engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.77% | 3.44% | 22.75% | 6.26% |
| 2011 | 66.82% | 3.60% | 21.90% | 5.80% |
| 2012 | 65.14% | 3.49% | 22.82% | 6.48% |
| 2013 | 64.28% | 3.65% | 23.54% | 6.47% |
| 2014 | 63.80% | 3.50% | 24.09% | 6.44% |
| 2015 | 63.65% | 3.78% | 23.62% | 6.77% |
| 2016 | 62.99% | 4.03% | 24.09% | 6.88% |
| 2017 | 61.23% | 4.16% | 24.75% | 7.63% |
| 2018 | 61.47% | 3.56% | 24.55% | 8.16% |
| 2019 | 61.10% | 3.70% | 25.52% | 7.41% |
| 2020 | 57.87% | 3.76% | 26.05% | 8.26% |
| 2021 | 55.87% | 3.56% | 27.14% | 8.63% |
Optical engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian optical engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino optical engineers have the lowest average salary at $92,899.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $96,037 |
| White | $95,680 |
| Black or African American | $93,469 |
| Asian | $99,902 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $92,899 |
Average optical engineer age
See how the average age of optical engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Optical engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 43 |
| Unknown | 40 | 37 |
| Asian | 41 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 35 |
| White | 43 | 40.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 47.5 |
Optical engineer age breakdown
The average age of optical engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the optical engineer population.
Optical engineer age breakdown
| Optical Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Optical engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for optical engineers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of optical engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 22%
- Doctorate, 11%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Optical engineers by degree level
| Optical engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Master's | 22% |
| Doctorate | 11% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Optical engineer jobs you might like
Optical engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, optical engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $122,088 annually. With a Master's degree, optical engineers earn a median annual income of $110,349 compared to $98,002 for optical engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $110,349 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $98,002 |
| Doctorate Degree | $122,088 |
Optical engineer employment statistics
Most optical engineers work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where optical engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where optical engineers work.
Optical engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Optical engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the optical engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most optical engineers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Optical engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 41% |
| Private | 55% |
| Government | 1% |
Optical engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for optical engineers are technology, manufacturing and telecommunication.
Optical engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 28% |
| Manufacturing | 18% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Telecommunication | 9% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Education | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Optical engineer turnover and employment statistics
Optical engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for optical engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Optical engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Optical engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.06% |
| 2011 | 3.19% |
| 2012 | 2.30% |
| 2013 | 2.27% |
| 2014 | 2.35% |
| 2015 | 2.10% |
| 2016 | 2.27% |
| 2017 | 2.17% |
| 2018 | 2.09% |
| 2019 | 1.77% |
| 2020 | 2.52% |
| 2021 | 2.33% |
Average optical engineer tenure
The average optical engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 609 optical engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Optical engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 40% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Optical engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of optical engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Engineer | 3.67% | 96,838 |
| Optical Engineer | 5.25% | - |
| Induction Coordination Engineer | 6.39% | 5,923 |
| Aerospace Stress Engineer | 7.54% | 1,968 |
| Chemical Engineer | 8.92% | 42,176 |
| Foundry Metallurgist | 10.43% | 511 |
| Environmental Management Specialist | 12.89% | 83,775 |
Similar optical engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Engineer | 3.67% | 96,838 |
| Induction Coordination Engineer | 6.39% | 5,923 |
| Aerospace Stress Engineer | 7.54% | 1,968 |
| Chemical Engineer | 8.92% | 42,176 |
| Foundry Metallurgist | 10.43% | 511 |
| Environmental Management Specialist | 12.89% | 83,775 |
Foreign languages spoken by optical engineers
The most common foreign language among optical engineers is Spanish at 17.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 13.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 8.7%.
- Spanish, 17.4%
- Japanese, 13.0%
- Chinese, 8.7%
- German, 8.7%
- French, 8.7%
- Other, 43.5%
Optical engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 17.4% |
| Japanese | 13.0% |
| Chinese | 8.7% |
| German | 8.7% |
| French | 8.7% |
| Other | 43.5% |
