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Optical Engineering

Types of Degrees Optical Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Optical Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	88
Master’s Degree	50
Doctor’s Degree	19

What Optical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Optical Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Optical Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Optical Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Optical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Optical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Optical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Optical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Optical Engineering graduates include:

• Lecturer
• Heat Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Lecturer
• Engineering Faculty Member
• Drafting Teacher
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Petroleum Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Engineering Lecturer
• Ship Construction Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Geological Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Professor
• Ship Design Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Optical Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	30.7%
Bachelor’s degree	29.6%
Master’s degree	11.8%
Post-doctoral training	8.0%
Post-master’s certificate	7.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Optical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.6% of Optical Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	43	27.4%
Men	114	72.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Optical Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	72	45.9%
Asian	16	10.2%
Hispanic or Latino	21	13.4%
Black or African American	4	2.5%
Two or More Races	8	5.1%
Race Unknown	4	2.5%
International Students	32	20.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Optical Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Optical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$82,923
4 years	$94,702
5 years	$107,414

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $107,414 — roughly 30% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Optical Engineering Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Optical Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Optical Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Optical Engineering graduates earn a median of $94,702 four years after completion — roughly 149% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	14.10
Electrical and Electronics Engineering	14.1001
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other	14.1099
Telecommunications Engineering	14.1004
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.4501
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701
Electromechanical Engineering	14.4101
Energy Systems Engineering, General	14.4801

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.