Nuclear Engineers Salary
The median nuclear engineers salary in the United States is $133,970 per year ($64.41/hour). Salaries range from $92,960 at the entry level to $196,290+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 15,280 nuclear engineers jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to decline 1.1% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary Distribution
Job Growth (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
Education Required
Nuclear Engineers Career Guide
Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for nuclear engineerss.
Nuclear Engineers design + operate nuclear systems for power generation, defense, medical, and research applications. Career splits: nuclear power utilities (Exelon, Duke Energy, Constellation, Southern Company), Navy nuclear program (contractors + Navy), defense nuclear (Los Alamos, Sandia, Livermore National Labs, Naval Nuclear Laboratory), advanced reactor + SMR startups (NuScale, TerraPower, X-energy), medical nuclear (radiation therapy + isotopes), regulatory (NRC). Path: bachelor's in Nuclear Engineering + FE + PE + often security clearance. Median compensation: entry $80-115k; mid $115-165k; senior $145-215k+; principal $190-290k+; management + executive $250-450k+.
Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For
How to Become a Nuclear Engineers
- 1Bachelor's in Nuclear Engineering (ABET-accredited)Top programs: MIT, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue.
- 2FE exam during senior yearFirst step to PE.
- 3Entry engineer role at utility + national lab + startupStructured training programs.
- 4Security clearance (L or Q for DOE + Secret/TS for defense)Employer-sponsored.
- 5PE license after 4 yearsTechnical leadership + design certification.
- 6Specialize (reactor design, safety, waste, medical, defense)Specialty commands premium.
- 7SRO (Senior Reactor Operator) licensure for operatorsFor utility career track. Adds significant pay premium.
- 8Advance to Sr / Principal / ManagementHigher pay + broader scope.
Career Progression
- β’Rotational + supervised work
- β’Independent engineering
- β’PE track
- β’Technical leadership
- β’Multi-project + team leadership
- β’Full function + P&L
Interview Questions & Answers
5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 9 total plus resume bullets for every level.
Q1. Walk me through your training.situational
Q2. How do you approach a safety analysis?case
Q3. Tell me about a project.behavioral
Q4. Why our facility / company?culture
Q5. How do you handle regulatory compliance?situational
Resume Template β Nuclear Engineer (3-6 yrs)
Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.
- βΈNuclear Engineer, [Utility/Lab], responsible for reactor safety analysis.
- βΈPE license + Q clearance + specialty certifications.
- βΈLed safety analysis for [refueling outage/project] delivered on-schedule.
- βΈContributed to 2 major regulatory submittals + zero findings.
What Gets You Rejected
- βWeak fundamentals or safety awareness.
- βMissing clearance eligibility.
- βBad-mouthing prior team.
- βPoor documentation.
Salary Negotiation Levers
- βBase + performance bonus + equity (utilities).
- βSign-on $15-40k common.
- βClearance premium (Q or TS = $5-20k+).
- βSRO training + licensure differential.
- βRotation + shift + on-call pay.
- βPE + specialty support.
- βPTO 4-5 weeks + benefits + pension.
Nuclear Engineers Resume Review β $29
Personalized resume review from someone who has hired nuclear engineerss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.
- β Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
- β Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
- β Missing skills / keywords flagged
- β Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
- β 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it
Nuclear Engineers Career Kit β $19
- β All 9 interview questions with expert answers
- β 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
- β Interview format intel for 6 top employers
- β 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
- β Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
- β 30β60β90 day plan for your first role
- β Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
- β Detailed salary negotiation script
- β Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
- β Downloadable PDF for offline access
- β Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.
Sample reviews β real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.
βThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.β
β Anonymous, Financial Analyst
βCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.β
β Anonymous, Software Developer
βThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.β
β Anonymous, Registered Nurse
Nuclear Engineers Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) βSalary Map β Click a state for details
Top Paying States
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | +45.7% |
| California | $172,400 | +28.7% |
| New Mexico | $164,300 | +22.6% |
| Maryland | $157,960 | +17.9% |
| Massachusetts | $145,760 | +8.8% |
| New York | $141,200 | +5.4% |
| Florida | $135,400 | +1.1% |
| Illinois | $134,510 | +0.4% |
| Idaho | $133,970 | +0.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $133,250 | -0.5% |
Nuclear Engineers Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $180,360 | +34.6% |
| Knoxville, TN | $179,660 | +34.1% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $161,050 | +20.2% |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $156,460 | +16.8% |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $146,850 | +9.6% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $144,830 | +8.1% |
| Syracuse, NY | $141,200 | +5.4% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $140,590 | +4.9% |
| Richmond, VA | $140,460 | +4.8% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $138,220 | +3.2% |