Nuclear Engineer Salaries
How much does a Nuclear Engineer make?
Total pay range
$120K - $189K/yr
$150K/yrMedian total pay
Pay breakdown
$95K - $144K/yrBase pay
$24K - $45K/yrAdditional pay
About our data
Confident
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilizes salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
How accurate is a total pay range of $120K-$189K/yr?
Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.
Popular companies for Nuclear Engineers
226 companies
226 Popular companies with Nuclear Engineer
Viewing 6 - 10 of 226 Results
Top paying industries
The top 5 paying industries for a Nuclear Engineer in United States are Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $132,066, Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $131,390, Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services with a median total pay of $131,324, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $128,213, and Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $126,143.
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Top paying companies in Government & Public Administration for Nuclear Engineer are Sandia National Laboratories, US Department of Energy, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Top paying companies in Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services for Nuclear Engineer are Bechtel and Enercon Services.
Top paying companies in Energy, Mining & Utilities for Nuclear Engineer are Entergy, Southern Company, and American Electric Power.
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Nuclear Engineer are Fluor Marine Propulsion, General Dynamics Electric Boat, and Naval Sea Systems Command.
Management & Consulting
$132,066
Management & Consulting
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Government & Public Administration
$131,390
Management & Consulting
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services
$131,324
Management & Consulting
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Energy, Mining & Utilities
$128,213
Management & Consulting
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Aerospace & Defense
$126,143
Management & Consulting
The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Nuclear Engineer is Argonne National Laboratory.
Recent salaries shared by Nuclear Engineer
50 salaries
Job Title | Years of Experience
Total Pay
Location
Date submitted
Job Title | Years of Experience
Location
Date submitted
Total Pay
Base • Additional pay
Nuclear Engineer
10-14 years
$118K/yr
$118K • $0
Portsmouth, VA
submitted on Jun 1, 2026
$118K/yr
$118K • $0
Nuclear Engineer
1-3 years
$106K - $124K/yr
Los Angeles, CA
submitted on May 26, 2026
$106K - $124K/yr
Nuclear Engineer
1-3 years
$121K - $140K/yr
Alameda, CA
submitted on May 21, 2026
$121K - $140K/yr
Nuclear Engineer
4-6 years
$125K/yr
$125K • $0
Bellevue, WA
submitted on Apr 29, 2026
$125K/yr
$125K • $0
Nuclear Engineer
1-3 years
$102K/yr
$102K • $0
Ballston Spa, NY
submitted on Apr 19, 2026
$102K/yr
$102K • $0
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Nuclear Engineer
1-3 years
$87K/yr
$87K • $0
Pearl Harbor, HI
submitted on Apr 4, 2026
$87K/yr
$87K • $0
Nuclear Engineer
4-6 years
$116K/yr
$96K • $20K
Portsmouth, VA
submitted on Apr 1, 2026
$116K/yr
$96K • $20K
Nuclear Engineer
15+ years
$53K/yr
$53K • $0
Springfield, MO
submitted on Mar 27, 2026
$53K/yr
$53K • $0
Nuclear Engineer
7-9 years
$116K/yr
$116K • $0
Pearl Harbor, HI
submitted on Mar 25, 2026
$116K/yr
$116K • $0
Nuclear Engineer
1-3 years
$112K/yr
$112K • $0
Groton Long Point, CT
submitted on Mar 9, 2026
$112K/yr
$112K • $0
Viewing 1 - 10 of 50
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Engineering?
Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.Show more
Frequently asked questions about Nuclear Engineer salaries
How much does a Nuclear Engineer in United States make?
The average salary for a Nuclear Engineer is $149,614 per year or $72 per hour in United States, which is in line with the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $232,869 (90th percentile). However, the typical pay range in United States is between $119,622 (25th percentile) and $189,490 (75th percentile) annually. Salary estimates are based on 1085 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Nuclear Engineer employees in United States as of June 2026.
What is the highest salary for a Nuclear Engineer in United States?
The highest salary for a Nuclear Engineer in United States is $189,490 per year, $15,791 per month or $91 per hour.
What is the lowest salary for a Nuclear Engineer in United States?
The lowest salary for a Nuclear Engineer in United States is $119,622 per year, $9,968 per month or $58 per hour.
Do Nuclear Engineers Make Good Money in United States?
Glassdoor's anonymous ratings indicate that around 70% of nuclear engineers feel fulfilled with their salary. Specialist qualifications, advanced education, and the possibility of an extra $32,341.78 per year through factors such as bonuses and profit sharing may qualify a nuclear engineer role as well-paid.
How to Make More Money as a Nuclear Engineer
Are you hoping to increase your nuclear engineer salary? To progress in your nuclear engineer career, you'll generally need to complete an advanced degree, such as a Master of Science or Engineering. Depending on your specialization, you should also consider obtaining additional training and certification in core design, medical nuclear engineering, thermal hydraulics, safety analysis, or radiation transport. Some states and companies require nuclear engineers to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and later the licensed professional engineers (PE) exam to advance their career. Where these exams aren't mandatory, they can add weight when you're seeking a higher salary.
How to Negotiate a Higher Salary as a Nuclear Engineer
If you're starting a new job as a nuclear engineer, highlighting valuable experience gained during your internships, such as field and lab work, might help you to negotiate higher remuneration. You should also mention sought-after skills, such as communication, technology, problem-solving, and leadership. If you're seeking a higher salary than in your existing job, detail additional training, education, and research you've conducted, discuss major projects you've worked on, and provide examples of supervisory or project management roles. Membership in professional organizations, such as the Royal Institute of Chartered Engineers (RICE) USA or the American Nuclear Society, may also be useful.