Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$92,960
- 25th Percentile — Junior$108,690
- 50th Percentile — Median$133,970
- 75th Percentile — Senior$163,630
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$196,290
The top 10% of Nuclear Engineers earn $196,290 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $92,960, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $217,651 | +55.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $185,354 | +32.0% |
| District of Columbia | $180,480 | +28.5% |
| New Mexico | $180,290 | +28.4% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $179,738 | +28.0% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $171,312 | +22.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $161,483 | +15.0% |
| California | $160,980 | +14.6% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $160,079 | +14.0% |
| Oregon (est.) | $157,270 | +12.0% |
| Maryland | $155,410 | +10.7% |
| Colorado (est.) | $154,462 | +10.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $151,654 | +8.0% |
| New York | $150,090 | +6.9% |
| Delaware (est.) | $147,441 | +5.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $143,228 | +2.0% |
| Minnesota (est.) | $140,420 | +0.0% |
| Utah (est.) | $140,420 | +0.0% |
| Illinois | $139,280 | -0.8% |
| Arizona (est.) | $139,016 | -1.0% |
| Florida | $137,910 | -1.8% |
| Washington | $136,540 | -2.8% |
| North Carolina | $136,120 | -3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $134,740 | -4.0% |
| Alabama | $134,480 | -4.2% |
| Massachusetts | $134,020 | -4.6% |
| Idaho | $133,750 | -4.8% |
| Montana (est.) | $133,399 | -5.0% |
| Georgia | $133,010 | -5.3% |
| Virginia | $132,710 | -5.5% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $130,591 | -7.0% |
| Texas | $129,220 | -8.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $129,186 | -8.0% |
| Wisconsin (est.) | $129,186 | -8.0% |
| Michigan | $128,070 | -8.8% |
| South Carolina | $125,440 | -10.7% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $123,570 | -12.0% |
| Nebraska (est.) | $123,570 | -12.0% |
| Ohio (est.) | $123,570 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $123,570 | -12.0% |
| Maine | $123,290 | -12.2% |
| Missouri (est.) | $122,165 | -13.0% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $122,165 | -13.0% |
| Iowa (est.) | $120,761 | -14.0% |
| Indiana (est.) | $119,357 | -15.0% |
| Kansas (est.) | $119,357 | -15.0% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $117,953 | -16.0% |
| Arkansas (est.) | $116,549 | -17.0% |
| Kentucky (est.) | $116,549 | -17.0% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $112,336 | -20.0% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $109,528 | -22.0% |
What Factors Affect Nuclear Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Nuclear Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $180,480, while Maine pays $123,290 — a gap of $57,190 per year.
The middle half of Nuclear Engineers earn between $108,690 and $163,630 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $92,960, while the top 10% earn more than $196,290.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Mechanical Engineers $113,610/yr United States 19.1% vs this role
- Civil Engineers $108,670/yr United States 22.6% vs this role
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- Industrial Engineers $109,900/yr United States 21.7% vs this role
- Aerospace Engineers $142,060/yr United States +1.2% vs this role
- Chemical Engineers $129,980/yr United States 7.4% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 27.8% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 2.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Nuclear Engineers?
The average salary for Nuclear Engineers in the United States is $140,420 per year, with a median of $133,970.
What is the starting salary for Nuclear Engineers?
Entry-level Nuclear Engineers typically earn between $92,960 and $108,690 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Nuclear Engineers the most?
District of Columbia pays Nuclear Engineers the most at $180,480 per year on average, followed by New Mexico ($180,290) and California ($160,980).
How much do Nuclear Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $140,420, Nuclear Engineers earn approximately $67.51 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Nuclear Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 15,280 Nuclear Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $140,420 and a median of $133,970 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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