For immediate release
Web version: http://spie.org/x89071.xml
Happy optics and photonics pros 'love' their work, new
SPIE survey shows
BELLLINGHAM, Washington, USA - 12 August 2012 - More than
80% of respondents in a major new salary survey of the optics and photonics
community<http://spie.org/salary>
conducted by SPIE said that they enjoy their work and find it meaningful. The
survey - the largest such international study of the industry - was conducted
by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and updates a
similar effort from last year.
"Results showed that 82% of respondents say they
enjoy their work, 87% find their work meaningful, and 89% respect the work of
their peers," said SPIE CEO Eugene Arthurs. "Majorities are also
satisfied with their pay, their supervisors, and the positive recognition they
receive, with 67% agreeing with the statement 'I love my work and I feel
fortunate to get paid for doing it.'"
The section on job satisfaction was new this year, as
were additional questions aimed at exploring differences between men's and
women's perspectives.
While median salaries - at $73,000 - were about the same
as last year although varying widely from region to region, median salaries for
women trail those of men in every region. The greatest gap is in higher-income
Asia, and the lowest in the Middle East.
The survey summary notes that the wide gaps are
consistent with other surveys of workers in scientific fields, including Nature
magazine's global study of scientists.
As in last year's survey, the highest median salaries are
in North America and Oceania, and the lowest in Asia and Africa. Aerospace and
semiconductor disciplines enjoy the highest median earnings, exceeding
$100,000, and civil/environmental disciplines peg the lower end of the scale
with a median of $35,896.
Salaries also differ widely by employer type. Within
non-academic organizations, the range of median salaries is $62,861-$111,004.
For academic organizations, the range is $21,537-$75,000.
"The stability evidenced by similarities in
year-over-year results and the strong salary levels as compared to levels
across all jobs reflect the strength of the optics and photonics sector and the
high value that these jobs contribute to the economy," Arthurs said.
Specific job opportunities vary between regions, but the
trends are positive. "We hear from our academic members in many
industrialized regions that their graduates often have several job offers
awaiting them on graduation, and we hear from industry that some regions have
trouble finding qualified new employees," he said. "So there clearly
is opportunity in many areas for jobs that not only pay well but also yield
quality-of-life satisfactions and the ability to make a difference. We look
forward to the day - and it will come - when this level of opportunity will be
there for optics and photonics graduates everywhere, as the Century of the
Photon goes global."
Regarding gender salary differences, Arthurs noted that
the data point up the need for the industry to look more closely at pay equity.
"It is disappointing that such a forward-looking and innovative sector
mimics the historical injustice in this," he said. "We hope to see
more women quickly realize the leadership positions in the field that their
work and capabilities deserve."
See the survey results at http://spie.org/salary
SPIE<http://spie.org/>
is the international society for optics and photonics, a not-for-profit
organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. The Society
serves nearly 225,000 constituents from approximately 150 countries, offering
conferences, continuing education, books, journals, and a digital library in
support of interdisciplinary information exchange, professional growth, and
patent precedent. SPIE provided over $2.7 million in support of education and
outreach programs in 2011.
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