Nuclear Engineer salary

Q: How much does a nuclear engineer make?

The median nuclear engineer salary in the U.S. is about $125,460 per year. Most nuclear engineers earn between $89,690 and $185,550, and top earners (90th percentile) make $185,550 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: What is the highest nuclear engineer salary?

Top-earning nuclear engineers (90th percentile) make about $185,550 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated nuclear engineer pay can run even higher — for example around $185,681 (median) in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

Q: How much do entry-level nuclear engineers make?

Entry-level nuclear engineers (0–2 years) earn about $98,000 per year, rising to roughly $135,500 at mid-level and $169,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do nuclear engineers make good money?

Yes. The median nuclear engineer salary of $125,460 is 8% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced nuclear engineers can earn $185,550 or more.

Q: Which cities pay nuclear engineers the most?

Estimated nuclear engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($185,681), San Francisco ($178,153), Seattle ($163,098). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated January 2025

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

Median pay

$125,460

U.S. typical

Top earners

$185,550

90th percentile

Entry level

$98,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$169,500

15+ yrs

The median nuclear engineer salary in the U.S. is about $125,460 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $89,690, while top earners (90th percentile) make $185,550 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$125,460

Mean

$130,030

10th pct · $89,69090th pct · $185,550

What nuclear engineers do

Design nuclear equipment and reactor cores, monitor facility operations, and ensure compliance with safety standards.

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

What affects nuclear engineer pay

▹Utilities vs. national labs vs. defense
▹Security clearance
▹Years of experience
▹Reactor operations vs. R&D
▹Location (limited number of sites)

Nuclear Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $98,000 for entry level engineers to $169,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$98,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$118,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$135,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$153,000

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$169,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for nuclear engineers

Estimated nuclear engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

8results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$185,681	$274,614	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$178,153	$263,481	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$163,098	$241,215	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$158,080	$233,793	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$153,061	$226,371	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$150,552	$222,660	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$148,043	$218,949	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$144,279	$213,382	+15%	Estimate

Nuclear Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$155,570	$230,082
Texas	$130,478	$192,972
New York	$143,024	$211,527
Washington	$148,043	$218,949
Massachusetts	$145,534	$215,238

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Nuclear Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a nuclear engineer make?

The median nuclear engineer salary in the U.S. is about $125,460 per year. Most nuclear engineers earn between $89,690 and $185,550, and top earners (90th percentile) make $185,550 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest nuclear engineer salary?

Top-earning nuclear engineers (90th percentile) make about $185,550 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $185,681 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level nuclear engineers make?

Entry-level nuclear engineers (0–2 years) earn about $98,000 per year, rising to roughly $135,500 at mid-level and $169,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do nuclear engineers make good money?

Yes. The median nuclear engineer salary of $125,460 is 8% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced nuclear engineers can earn $185,550 or more.

Which cities pay nuclear engineers the most?

Estimated nuclear engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($185,681), San Francisco ($178,153), and Seattle ($163,098). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a nuclear engineer earn more?

Nuclear Engineer pay rises most with utilities vs. national labs vs. defense, security clearance, and years of experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

National wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2161. Median and 90th-percentile annual wages.

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