Nuclear engineer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level nuclear engineer earnings begin at:

$83.22 per hour

$173,100 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level nuclear engineer earnings begin at:

$76.03 per hour

$158,130 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level nuclear engineer earnings begin at:

$63.68 per hour

$132,440 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level nuclear engineer earnings begin at:

$50.42 per hour

$104,870 per year

10th percentile

Starting level nuclear engineer earnings begin at:

$39.33 per hour

$81,800 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Nuclear engineer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Mississippi $98,270
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
New Hampshire $131,140
Michigan $129,940
Washington $129,480
Virginia $128,890
Texas $128,340
South Carolina $126,570
Wisconsin $124,120
Maine $123,780
Tennessee $120,570
Connecticut $112,010
Kansas $109,440
Louisiana $107,020
Nebraska $104,750
Missouri $102,450
New Jersey $100,930

How much does a Nuclear Engineer earn?

James Madison, President of CoolHandNuke.com, a job site for nuclear professionals, says several factors help nuclear engineer salaries - the high caliber of nuclear engineering graduates, the sensitive nature of their work, and a decreasing number of people entering the field.

James Madison predicts an upswing in the need for nuclear engineers that could mean better salaries in the future. "Over the course of the next 10 plus years, these engineers will start being paid very, very well," he said. "And the benefits packages are already the best of any industry."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that nuclear engineers working for independent engineering agencies (such as scientific and consulting services and research and development) tended to earn the most.

How do nuclear engineer salaries compare to similar careers?

Nuclear engineers earn 10% more than similar careers in Georgia. On average, they make more than photonics engineers.

Career Median Salary
Nuclear engineer salary $132K
Software engineer salary $131K
Mechatronics engineer salary $112K
Nanotechnology engineer salary $112K
Photonics engineer salary $112K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)