How much does a Nuclear Engineers make?

The median annual wage for Nuclear Engineers is $133,970 ($64 per hour). Pay ranges from about $92,960 at the 10th percentile to $196,290 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Nuclear Engineers?

The average (mean) annual salary is $140,420, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Nuclear Engineerss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $195,190.

Is Nuclear Engineers a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 15K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Nuclear Engineers do?

Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.; Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.; Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations..

Nuclear Engineers Salary

Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 15K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$133,970

Median hourly

$64

Average annual

$140,420

Typical range

$92,960–$196,290

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$92,960

25th$108,690

Median$133,970

75th$163,630

90th$196,290

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Nuclear Engineers is $133,970 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $64 an hour at a full-time schedule.

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..

Most earn between $92,960 and $196,290 a year. There are roughly 15K people employed as nuclear engineers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Nuclear Engineers.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $64.41
Daily: $515
Weekly: $2,576
Bi-weekly: $5,153
Monthly: $11,164
Annual: $133,970

$133,970 a year is around the 50th percentile for Nuclear Engineerss. The median is $133,970.

Nuclear Engineers — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$44.70	$92,960
25th percentile	$52.30	$108,690
Median	$64.40	$133,970
75th percentile	$78.70	$163,630
90th percentile	$94.40	$196,290
Average (mean)	$67.50	$140,420
Employment	15,280 people

Key skills

Science
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Mathematics
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Learning

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$195,190
2California$172,400
3New Mexico$164,300
4Maryland$157,960
5Massachusetts$145,760
6New York$141,200
7Florida$135,400
8Illinois$134,510
9Idaho$133,970
10Pennsylvania$133,250
11Alabama$132,570
12Georgia$132,440

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$180,360
2Knoxville, TN$179,660
3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$161,050
4Kennewick-Richland, WA$156,460
5Chattanooga, TN-GA$146,850
6Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$144,830
7Syracuse, NY$141,200
8Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$140,590
9Richmond, VA$140,460
10Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$138,220
11Monroe, MI$136,260
12Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$134,510

Related job titles

Employers advertise Nuclear Engineers roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Nuclear Engineers does

Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Nuclear Engineers make?: The median annual wage for Nuclear Engineers is $133,970 ($64 per hour). Pay ranges from about $92,960 at the 10th percentile to $196,290 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Nuclear Engineers?: The average (mean) annual salary is $140,420, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Nuclear Engineerss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $195,190.
Is Nuclear Engineers a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 15K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Nuclear Engineers do?: Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.; Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.; Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations..