Nuclear Technicians Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 6.5K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$110,240
Median hourly
$53
Average annual
$108,940
Typical range
$73,150–$133,600
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Nuclear Technicians is $110,240 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 $53 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment.
Most earn between $73,150 and $133,600 a year. There are roughly 6.5K people employed as nuclear technicians 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 Technicians.
- Hourly
- $53.00
- Daily
- $424
- Weekly
- $2,120
- Bi-weekly
- $4,240
- Monthly
- $9,187
- Annual
- $110,240
$110,240 a year is around the 50th percentile for Nuclear Technicianss. The median is $110,240.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Florida$135,550
- 2New York$129,780
- 3Pennsylvania$124,070
- 4Texas$124,060
- 5Massachusetts$113,390
- 6North Carolina$110,430
- 7Illinois$110,390
- 8Alabama$110,240
- 9South Carolina$108,490
- 10Washington$108,200
- 11Missouri$104,580
- 12California$99,270
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$171,470
- 2Birmingham, AL$126,930
- 3Richmond, VA$122,210
- 4Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$114,910
- 5Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$113,390
- 6Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$108,210
- 7Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$99,990
- 8Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$96,730
- 9Knoxville, TN$78,850
Related job titles
Employers advertise Nuclear Technicians roles under these titles.
- Accelerator Operator
- Accelerator Technician
- Cathodic Protection Technician
- Cell Support Operator
- Chemical Radiation Technician
- Decontaminator
- Electric Systems Operator
- Energy Systems Operator
- Equipment Operation Instructor
- Facilities Operator
- Gamma Operator
- Health Physics Technician (HP Tech)
- Instrumentation Control Specialist
- Laboratory Control Specialist
- Licensed Nuclear Operator
- Metallographic Technician
Related occupations
- Nuclear Technicians$110,240
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators$122,890
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists$101,370
- Power Plant Operators$102,040
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians$67,820
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$78,620
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,920
What a Nuclear Technicians does
- Analyze samples, such as air or water samples, for contaminants or other elements.
- Prepare reports describing contamination tests, material or equipment decontaminated, or methods used in decontamination processes.
- Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment.
- Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
- Determine intensities and types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
- Instruct personnel in radiation safety procedures and demonstrate use of protective clothing and equipment.
- Brief workers on radiation levels in work areas.
- Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Nuclear Technicians make?
- The median annual wage for Nuclear Technicians is $110,240 ($53 per hour). Pay ranges from about $73,150 at the 10th percentile to $133,600 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Nuclear Technicians?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $108,940, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Nuclear Technicianss the most?
- Florida has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $135,550.
- Is Nuclear Technicians a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 6.5K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Nuclear Technicians do?
- Analyze samples, such as air or water samples, for contaminants or other elements.; Prepare reports describing contamination tests, material or equipment decontaminated, or methods used in decontamination processes.; Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment..