# Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Nuclear Engineering (bachelor's)

Troy, NY. IPEDS 194824, CIP 14.23. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/nuclear-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $77,014
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $87,239 (U.S. median for this major: $96,752 across 12 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $19,500 (U.S. median $23,250)
- Rank in NY: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$9,513

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.16 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $87,239 minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $24,078 | $100,164 | 1.9 years |
| 30-48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 2.1 years |
| 48-75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 2.2 years |
| 75-110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 2.9 years |
| 110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 3.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Nuclear Engineering at NY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $87,239 | $19,500 | $36,228 | 84% |

## Careers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $181,000 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $175,710 NY, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Nuclear Engineers (SOC 17-2161): median wage not reported Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $141,200 NY, $133,970 U.S.; U.S. jobs 0.4% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).