# Photonics Technicians

> Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/photonics-technicians
- SOC code: 17-3029.08
- Career family: Architecture and engineering
- Median annual pay: $78,350 (10th percentile $47,030, 90th percentile $118,330)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.8%
- Openings a year: 5,400
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other".

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 53 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 0 |
| Enterprising (E) | 0 |
| Conventional (C) | 74 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 79/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 76/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 75/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 75/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 75/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 75/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 74/100)
- Processing Information (importance 73/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 72/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Active Learning, Equipment Maintenance, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking

## Knowledge

Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Mechanical, English Language, Production and Processing, Physics, Customer and Personal Service, Design, Administrative

## Also called

Certified Laser Technician (Certified Laser Tech), Electro-Optics Technician (Electro-Optics Tech), Fiber Optics Assembler, Fiber Optics Cabling Specialist, Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech), Fiber Optics Instructor, Fiber Optics Specialist, Fiber Optics Splicer, Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech), Fiber Splicer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1506) (CIP 1506, 576 colleges)
- [Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1503) (CIP 1503, 553 colleges)
- [Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1504) (CIP 1504, 512 colleges)
- [Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1508) (CIP 1508, 319 colleges)
- [Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1500) (CIP 1500, 288 colleges)
- [Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1505) (CIP 1505, 283 colleges)
- [Engineering-Related Fields](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1515) (CIP 1515, 230 colleges)
- [Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1512) (CIP 1512, 229 colleges)
- [Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1517) (CIP 1517, 224 colleges)
- [Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1511) (CIP 1511, 121 colleges)
- [Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1501) (CIP 1501, 99 colleges)
- [Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1509) (CIP 1509, 47 colleges)
- Military Applied Sciences (CIP 2903, 14 colleges)
- Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician (CIP 1514, 14 colleges)
- Military Systems and Maintenance Technology (CIP 2904, 8 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [California State University Maritime Academy](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-maritime-academy-363) | Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | $97,197 | $126,209 | $26,935 |
| [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute RPI](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute-rpi-2221) | Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $90,346 | $125,531 | $22,125 |
| [University of Massachusetts-Lowell](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-massachusetts-lowell-2953) | Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $120,219 | not reported |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Engineering-Related Fields | $73,429 | $114,572 | $19,000 |
| [University of Houston-Downtown](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-houston-downtown-2922) | Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $79,102 | $112,244 | not reported |
| [Oregon Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/oregon-institute-of-technology-2034) | Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $77,100 | $112,169 | $27,000 |
| [Brigham Young University-Idaho](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-idaho-304) | Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $73,259 | $103,769 | $12,943 |
| [Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/oklahoma-state-university-institute-of-technology-2018) | Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | $85,065 | $102,357 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Photonics Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/photonics-engineers): $122,930 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-technologists-and-technicians): $78,190 median pay
- [Calibration Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/calibration-technologists-and-technicians): $67,820 median pay
- [Robotics Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/robotics-technicians): $73,900 median pay
- [Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mechanical-engineering-technologists-and-technicians): $74,510 median pay
- [Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/aerospace-engineering-and-operations-technologists-and-technicians): $82,890 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.