Nuclear Engineers Wages
SOC 17-2161 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Nuclear Engineers is $125,460 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $82,150 and the 90th percentile is $174,020, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
12,710
P10
$82,150
P25
$100,500
Median
$125,460
P75
$142,700
P90
$174,020
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Nuclear Engineers have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $125,460 | $126,950 | $82,150 | $174,020 | 12,710 | — |
| 2022 | $122,480 | $124,540 | $79,440 | $169,580 | 12,250 | -2.38% |
| 2021 | $120,380 | $121,760 | $75,460 | $169,000 | 12,670 | -1.71% |
| 2020 | $116,140 | $125,130 | $74,800 | $185,550 | 15,700 | -3.52% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Nuclear Engineers. The highest median is in District of Columbia at $174,390, 39% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $174,390 | +39% | $163,610 | 260 |
| Oregon | $137,530 | +9.6% | $132,820 | 60 |
| Utah | $134,740 | +7.4% | $137,690 | 40 |
| New Mexico | $132,320 | +5.5% | $147,350 | 1,190 |
| Tennessee | $132,320 | +5.5% | $133,780 | 280 |
| Alabama | $129,460 | +3.2% | $127,910 | 220 |
| New York | $128,200 | +2.2% | $138,360 | 290 |
| Maryland | $127,070 | +1.3% | $136,710 | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $126,530 | +0.9% | $126,580 | 730 |
| Michigan | $125,130 | -0.3% | $121,870 | 250 |
| Texas | $124,610 | -0.7% | $113,470 | 460 |
| Missouri | $124,160 | -1% | $113,430 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $122,160 | -2.6% | $116,230 | 70 |
| Illinois | $121,550 | -3.1% | $121,540 | 440 |
| Ohio | $120,290 | -4.1% | $122,920 | 160 |
| Florida | $120,190 | -4.2% | $122,330 | 270 |
| Washington | $116,100 | -7.5% | $117,070 | 1,410 |
| North Carolina | $116,020 | -7.5% | $117,640 | 640 |
| Virginia | $108,990 | -13.1% | $112,940 | 1,190 |
| South Carolina | $104,270 | -16.9% | $107,090 | 970 |
| California | — | — | — | 270 |
| Georgia | — | — | — | 170 |
| Kentucky | — | — | — | 50 |
| Nebraska | — | — | — | 40 |
| New Jersey | — | — | — | 390 |