North Carolina · SOC 17-2161
Nuclear Engineer Salary in North Carolina
VerifiedPublished wages for nuclear engineers in North Carolina, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Nuclear Engineers in North Carolina earn a median of $128,150 per year ($131,120 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $104,960–$157,600; the top 10% earn $167,320. That is level with national median of $127,520, ranking North Carolina #16 of 24 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$128,150
0% vs national
Top 10% earn
$167,320
90th percentile
Employed in state
520
Reliability Moderate (18.3% RSE)
Nuclear Engineer pay distribution — North Carolina vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $85,370 | -3% |
| 25th percentile | $104,960 | +2% |
| Median50th percentile | $128,150 | — |
| 75th percentile | $157,600 | — |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $167,320 | -11% |
| Meanaverage | $131,120 | -3% |
Where nuclear engineers earn most in North Carolina
Metro areas in North Carolina where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2161. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RaleighRaleigh-Cary, NC | $135,040 | $160,930 | 100 |
| CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $128,150 | $172,430 | 260 |
| WilmingtonWilmington, NC | $123,200 | $157,600 | 80 |
North Carolina engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.11
Jobs per 1,000
0.11
State rank (pay)
#16 of 24
All engineering roles
$116,968
A location quotient of 1.11 means North Carolina employs nuclear engineers at roughly the national rate.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2161 (Nuclear Engineers), North Carolina (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →