Nuclear Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in nuclear engineering earn a median $96,752 four years after finishing, across 12 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in nuclear engineering earn $91,372, $29,323 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other engineers (25%).
Median across 12 colleges; middle half $94,105–$102,449.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $67,032–$119,800. 128 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Nuclear Engineering"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$55,734/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs nuclear engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in nuclear engineering actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Engineers | 25% | — | — | — | — |
| Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety | 7% | $102,670 | +12.0% | — | — |
| Software Developers | 5% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Power Plant Operators, Distributors, And Dispatchers | 4% | $105,080 | -4.0% | — | — |
| Other Life Scientists | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Civil Engineers | 3% | $100,840 | +6.4% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Marine Engineers And Naval Architects | 3% | $112,230 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Colleges where nuclear engineering graduates earn the most
The highest graduate earnings among the 23 colleges we cover that offer this major. Pick your state in the table above, or open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL | $116,047 | $21,350 |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of TechnologyGA | $114,772 | $24,879 |
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College StationTX | $103,438 | $18,471 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI | $102,449 | — |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at RaleighNC | $100,212 | $23,250 |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTN | $99,139 | $23,000 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State UniversityPA | $94,365 | $24,799 |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborMI | $94,330 | $22,000 |
| 9 | Oregon State UniversityOR | $94,105 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusOR | $94,105 | $27,000 |
| 11 | Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMO | $89,929 | $23,354 |
| 12 | Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNY | $87,239 | $19,500 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Nuclear Engineering degree questions
How much do Nuclear Engineering graduates make?
Nuclear Engineering graduates earn a median $96,752 four years after finishing, across 12 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $94,105 to $102,449; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in nuclear engineering, the median is $91,372 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Nuclear Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in nuclear engineering earn a median $91,372: $29,323 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $55,734 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Nuclear Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in nuclear engineering, the most common jobs are other engineers (25%), industrial engineers, including health and safety (7%), software developers (5%).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Nuclear Engineering degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/nuclear-engineering.