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Job outlook for senior optical engineers in the United States
Are senior optical engineer jobs in demand?
Yes, senior optical engineer jobs are in demand. Senior optical engineer demand is projected to grow 3% from 2018 to 2028.
Senior optical engineer job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of senior optical engineer jobs and the average senior optical engineer salary over time.
Senior optical engineer jobs over time
Senior optical engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,300 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,385 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,418 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,328 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,212 | 0.00% |
Average senior optical engineer salary over time
Senior optical engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $98,518 | $47.36 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $96,713 | $46.50 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $94,084 | $45.23 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $93,607 | $45.00 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $90,887 | $43.70 | +1.0% |
Senior optical engineer jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of senior optical engineer job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where senior optical engineers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for senior optical engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 276 | 40% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,116 | 13% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 921 | 12% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 665 | 12% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 750 | 11% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 660 | 11% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 472 | 11% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 105 | 11% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,937 | 10% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 266 | 9% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 123 | 9% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 430 | 8% |
| 13 | Vermont | 623,657 | 47 | 8% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 497 | 7% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 56 | 7% |
| 16 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 43 | 7% |
| 17 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 273 | 6% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 107 | 6% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 68 | 6% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 45 | 6% |
Most common cities for senior optical engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale | 4 | 3% | $122,057 |
| 2 | Mountain View | 2 | 2% | $122,091 |
| 3 | Broomfield | 1 | 2% | $102,229 |
| 4 | Concord | 1 | 2% | $84,250 |
| 5 | Redmond | 1 | 2% | $125,052 |
| 6 | Pasadena | 2 | 1% | $113,123 |
| 7 | Boulder | 1 | 1% | $102,313 |
| 8 | Escondido | 1 | 1% | $110,033 |
| 9 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $91,637 |
| 10 | Huntsville | 1 | 1% | $86,092 |
| 11 | Milpitas | 1 | 1% | $122,019 |
| 12 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $109,372 |
| 13 | Seattle | 2 | 0% | $125,157 |
| 14 | Cleveland | 1 | 0% | $89,462 |
| 15 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $116,544 |
| 16 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $102,352 |
| 17 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $89,759 |