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Nuclear Engineer vs Petroleum Engineer salary

Petroleum Engineers out-earn nuclear engineers by about $13,760 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.

Petroleum Engineers earn more — a median of $141,280 versus $127,520 for nuclear engineers, a gap of about $13,760 (11%). Both figures are published national wage benchmarks.

Nuclear Engineer

Verified

$127,520

Median annual wage

Entry (10th pct)
$88,290
Top 10%
$187,430
Discipline
Architecture & Engineering
Nuclear Engineer salary details →

Petroleum Engineer

Verified

$141,280

Median annual wage

Entry (10th pct)
$78,840
Top 10%
$228,790
Discipline
Architecture & Engineering
Petroleum Engineer salary details →
Exhibit 1

Nuclear Engineer vs Petroleum Engineer — pay distribution

Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.

PercentileAnnual wage
10th percentileNuclear Engineer$88,290
MedianNuclear Engineer$127,520
90th percentileNuclear Engineer$187,430
10th percentilePetroleum Engineer$78,840
MedianPetroleum Engineer$141,280
90th percentilePetroleum Engineer$228,790
Source: national wage benchmarks for each occupation. Both are directly published figures.

Pay by experience

Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).

Nuclear Engineer

Entry level 0–2 yrs$99,500
Early career 3–5 yrs$120,000
Mid level 6–9 yrs$137,500
Senior 10–14 yrs$155,500
Principal / Staff 15+ yrs$172,000

Petroleum Engineer

Entry level 0–2 yrs$110,000
Early career 3–5 yrs$133,000
Mid level 6–9 yrs$152,500
Senior 10–14 yrs$172,500
Principal / Staff 15+ yrs$190,500

Where each role pays most

Highest-paying states by published median wage.

Nuclear Engineer

Petroleum Engineer

Which should you choose?

On pay alone, petroleum engineers earn about 11% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.

Pick nuclear engineer if…

Nuclear engineers research and develop the processes, instruments, and systems used to derive benefits from nuclear energy and radiation.

  • ▹Utilities vs. national labs vs. defense
  • ▹Security clearance
  • ▹Years of experience

Pick petroleum engineer if…

Petroleum engineers design methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the earth's surface.

  • ▹Oil price cycles (pay is volatile)
  • ▹Reservoir vs. drilling vs. production focus
  • ▹Years of experience

Nuclear Engineer vs Petroleum Engineer — frequently asked

Who earns more, nuclear engineers or petroleum engineers?
Petroleum Engineers earn more at the median — $141,280 versus $127,520 for nuclear engineers, a gap of about $13,760 (11%).
What is the salary range for nuclear engineers vs petroleum engineers?
Nuclear Engineers range from about $88,290 (10th percentile) to $187,430+ (90th), median $127,520. Petroleum Engineers range from $78,840 to $228,790+, median $141,280.
Should I become a nuclear engineer or a petroleum engineer?
On pay alone, petroleum engineers earn about 11% more. But the right choice depends on the work: nuclear engineers focus on design nuclear equipment and reactor cores, monitor facility operations, and ensure compliance with safety standards, while petroleum engineers design drilling and extraction equipment and processes, model reservoirs, and maximize recovery safely and economically. Location and specialization move pay more than the title gap.
Source details

Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2161 (Nuclear Engineers), national.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →

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