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The differences between optical scientists and optical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an optical engineer has an average salary of $99,814, which is higher than the $83,856 average annual salary of an optical scientist.
The top three skills for an optical scientist include system design, zemax and optical design. The most important skills for an optical engineer are zemax, data analysis, and optical components.
| Optical Scientist | Optical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,856 | $99,814 |
| Hourly rate | $40.32 | $47.99 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 43,029 | 26,628 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Optical scientists and optical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Scientist | Optical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,856 | $99,814 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $132,000 | Between $70,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an optical scientist and an optical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optical Scientist | Optical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Physics | Physics |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between optical scientists' and optical engineers' demographics:
| Optical Scientist | Optical Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 12.8% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 24% | 5% |