The average salary for a photonics engineer in Kentucky is around $99,830 per year.
Avg Salary
Photonics engineers earn an average yearly salary of $99,830.
Wages typically start from $61,150 and go up to $152,970.
59% above national average Updated in 2025
Photonics engineer earnings by seniority
Top-level photonics engineer earnings begin at:
$73.55 per hour
$152,970 per year
Senior-level photonics engineer earnings begin at:
$59.99 per hour
$124,790 per year
Mid-level photonics engineer earnings begin at:
$48.00 per hour
$99,830 per year
Junior-level photonics engineer earnings begin at:
$39.57 per hour
$82,300 per year
Starting level photonics engineer earnings begin at:
$29.40 per hour
$61,150 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Photonics engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | $99,830 |
| Louisiana | $99,070 |
| Montana | $97,470 |
| Tennessee | $96,640 |
| Guam | $94,280 |
| Nebraska | $88,490 |
| Arkansas | $76,940 |
| Kansas | $76,100 |
| Puerto Rico | $52,030 |
| New Mexico | $162,070 |
| Alabama | $152,550 |
| District of Columbia | $151,920 |
| Virginia | $148,160 |
| Alaska | $142,390 |
| Washington | $134,570 |
| Colorado | $132,590 |
| New Jersey | $132,450 |
| Massachusetts | $131,260 |
| Idaho | $130,970 |
| California | $130,850 |
| Maryland | $129,770 |
| New Hampshire | $128,130 |
| Vermont | $126,550 |
| Connecticut | $124,110 |
| Oregon | $123,220 |
| Hawaii | $122,800 |
| Michigan | $121,000 |
| Indiana | $120,880 |
| Ohio | $120,470 |
| Maine | $120,430 |
| Oklahoma | $119,810 |
| West Virginia | $118,800 |
| New York | $117,600 |
| Rhode Island | $117,080 |
| Texas | $115,810 |
| Wyoming | $113,050 |
| North Carolina | $112,450 |
| Georgia | $112,260 |
| South Dakota | $112,260 |
| Illinois | $111,930 |
| Mississippi | $111,030 |
| South Carolina | $110,490 |
| Wisconsin | $110,360 |
| Utah | $110,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,950 |
| Minnesota | $108,850 |
| Florida | $105,410 |
| Nevada | $103,780 |
| Delaware | $103,580 |
| Iowa | $103,090 |
| Missouri | $102,980 |
| Arizona | $102,280 |
| North Dakota | $100,250 |
How do photonics engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Photonics engineers earn about the same as related careers in Kentucky. On average, they make less than mining and geological engineers but more than nanosystems engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Mining and geological engineer salary | $103K |
| Civil engineer salary | $101K |
| Engineer salary | $101K |
| Mechanical engineer salary | $101K |
| Automotive engineer salary | $101K |
| Mechatronics engineer salary | $100K |
| Wind energy engineer salary | $100K |
| Biochemical engineer salary | $100K |
| Photonics engineer salary | $100K |
| Nanosystems engineer salary | $100K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)