Nuclear Engineers: salary, outlook & degrees
Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
Middle half $108,690–$163,630. 15,280 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 800 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $195,190 |
| California | $172,400 |
| New Mexico | $164,300 |
| Maryland | $157,960 |
| Massachusetts | $145,760 |
| New York | $141,200 |
| Florida | $135,400 |
| Illinois | $134,510 |
| Idaho | $133,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,250 |
| Alabama | $132,570 |
| Georgia | $132,440 |
| North Carolina | $131,850 |
| Michigan | $129,940 |
| Washington | $129,480 |
| Virginia | $128,890 |
| Texas | $128,340 |
| South Carolina | $126,570 |
| Maine | $123,780 |
Largest metro areas for this job
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk VA-NC$110,510
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV$180,360
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN$134,510
- Portland-South Portland ME$120,430
- Richmond VA$140,460
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA$161,050
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC$131,850
- Knoxville TN$179,660
- Kennewick-Richland WA$156,460
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD$140,590
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH$144,830
- Pittsburgh PA$133,250
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
Knowledge used
- Engineering and Technology
- Physics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Realistic (hands-on), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Nuclear Engineers: questions
How much do nuclear Engineers make?
Nuclear Engineers earn a U.S. median $133,970 a year; the middle half earn $108,690 to $163,630 (BLS, May 2025).
Is nuclear Engineers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a nuclear Engineer?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 100% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required.
How much do nuclear Engineers make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $135,400 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $133,970 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 17-2161. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Nuclear Engineers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/nuclear-engineers.