All careersEngineering & science

Nuclear Engineer

$127,520
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Design nuclear equipment and systems, and monitor reactor operations and radiation safety.

Where you work

Power plants, labs, and offices

The hours

Full time, some on-call

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$127,520
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-1%
Little change
Working in the U.S.
15,400
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in nuclear engineering.

License or certification

A Professional Engineer license is optional but valued for senior and safety-critical work.

What it takes

Nuclear physicsSafety analysisMathSystems thinking

The honest take

Works on reactors, radiation, and the medical or power uses of nuclear energy in a field with few new openings.

Standard Occupational Classification 17-2161. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.