Photonics Engineers H-1B Salaries (2026)
DOL occupation 17-2199 · common titles: Module Design Engineer, Photonics Engineer, Optical Engineer, Senior Optical Sensing Engineer I
Short answer
The median H-1B salary for photonics engineers is $150,000 in FY2026 so far, across 251 certified filings. The middle half earn $129,459 – $175,000, and pay is up 3% since FY2024.
Median
$150,000
FY2026 so far
Filings
251
0.1% of all H-1B filings
Top 10%
$195,000+
90th percentile
Change since FY2024
+3%
$145,288 → $150,000
FY2026 so far · number of filings by salary
Salary distribution
Darker bars hold the middle 50% of filings. Bars are $20k wide; the first and last bars include everything below and above.
DOL prevailing-wage level
Median pay by experience level
Median salary and number of filings at each wage level.
FY2026 so far
By state
| State | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| California | 153 | $158,621 |
| Connecticut | 18 | $127,171 |
| Massachusetts | 13 | $159,619 |
| New Jersey | 11 | $147,000 |
| New York | 10 | $120,786 |
| Washington | 10 | $148,500 |
FY2026 so far
Top employers for this job
| Employer | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | 51 | $158,621 |
| Asml US, LP | 32 | $129,459 |
| KLA Corporation | 13 | $171,585 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | 12 | $215,516 |
| PsiQuantum Corp. | 8 | $158,621 |
| Corning Research & Development Corporation | 7 | $120,786 |
| Coherent Corp. | 7 | $137,500 |
| Nokia of America Corporation | 6 | $141,521 |
| Asml US, LLC | 6 | $110,146 |
| Ayar Labs, Inc. | 6 | $179,265 |
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Photonics Engineers H-1B salary questions
What is the average H-1B salary for photonics engineers?
The median is $150,000 across 251 certified H-1B filings in FY2026 so far. The middle half earn $129,459 to $175,000, and the top 10% earn $195,000 or more.
Which state pays H-1B photonics engineers the most?
Among the 10 states with the most filings, Massachusetts has the highest median at $159,619 (13 filings).
Which company sponsors the most H-1B photonics engineers?
Apple Inc., with 51 certified filings in FY2026 so far at a median of $158,621.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification LCA disclosure data, decisions through Jun 30, 2026. Salaries are annualized base wages from the filing and exclude bonus and stock. A certified LCA is not an approved H-1B petition. Updated Oct 4, 2026.