A miniaturized optical encoder capable of obtaining a sufficient amount of light in the light receiving element is provided. An optical encoder 1 includes a scale 2 having a scale track 2′ and a readhead 3 having a light source 31 that emits light to the scale track 2′, a scale-side lens 32 that transmits the light emitted from the light source 31 to the scale track 2′, and a light receiving element 33 that receives the light reflected by the scale track 2′ through the scale-side lens 32. The light source 31 is arranged between the scale-side lens 32 and the light receiving element 33. An optical axis Lsrc of the light source 31 is matched with an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 in a reading direction of the scale 2 and is separated from an optical axis Ls of the scale-side lens 32 by a predetermined distance D in a direction perpendicular to the reading direction of the scale 2.