Compare careers

Factual side-by-side attributes from the imported O*NET and BLS OEWS datasets. No career is ranked or recommended.

Career A (or your current career)

Microsystems Engineers

Career B (or your target career)

Photonics Technicians

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Comparison table

Metric	Microsystems Engineers	Photonics Technicians
National median salary	$122,930	$78,350
Local median salary	Not published	Not published
National employment	154,070	59,930
Typical education	Master's Degree	Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
Job zone	5	3
Important skills	Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Writing	Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Quality Control Analysis, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring
Related careers	Semiconductor Processing Technicians, Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment, Calibration Technologists and Technicians	Mechanical Engineers, Robotics Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Microsystems Engineers dashboard Photonics Technicians dashboard

Career transition: skill overlap

Skill overlap

81%

13 of 16 target skills

Target-only skills

Current-only skills

Skill overlap compares O*NET skills rated at importance 3.0 or above for each occupation. It is a measure of listed skill overlap, not a probability of getting the job.

Shared skills

Reading Comprehension—
Active Listening—
Critical Thinking—
Quality Control Analysis—
Operations Monitoring—
Active Learning—
Monitoring—
Writing—
Speaking—
Complex Problem Solving—
Judgment and Decision Making—
Coordination—
Time Management—

Only in Photonics Technicians

Equipment Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Repairing

Only in Microsystems Engineers

Systems Analysis
Science
Systems Evaluation
Mathematics
Learning Strategies
Instructing
Operations Analysis
Social Perceptiveness
Negotiation
Service Orientation