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Top 15 cities for nuclear engineers by average salary
| Knoxville, TN | $185,740 |
|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $169,110 |
| Chattanooga, TN | $164,940 |
| Seattle, WA | $164,090 |
| Kennewick, WA | $157,770 |
| Richmond, VA | $146,900 |
| Syracuse, NY | $144,690 |
| Chicago, IL | $141,630 |
| Monroe, MI | $140,660 |
| Raleigh, NC | $139,660 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $138,720 |
| Cleveland, OH | $138,080 |
| Columbia, SC | $136,940 |
| Charlotte, NC | $136,550 |
| Miami, FL | $136,380 |
Map: Nuclear Engineers salary by metro area
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nuclear Engineers salary by state
| State | Metros | Highest average | Lowest average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 2 | $185,740 | $164,940 |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | $169,110 | $169,110 |
| Washington | 2 | $164,090 | $157,770 |
| Virginia | 2 | $146,900 | $115,140 |
| New York | 1 | $144,690 | $144,690 |
| Illinois | 1 | $141,630 | $141,630 |
| Michigan | 1 | $140,660 | $140,660 |
| North Carolina | 3 | $139,660 | $129,880 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $138,720 | $133,820 |
| Ohio | 1 | $138,080 | $138,080 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $136,940 | $121,470 |
| Florida | 1 | $136,380 | $136,380 |
| Georgia | 2 | $135,960 | $124,660 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $133,500 | $133,500 |
| Idaho | 1 | $129,270 | $129,270 |
| Alabama | 1 | $128,510 | $128,510 |
| Maine | 1 | $118,620 | $118,620 |
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Nuclear Engineers salary in every city we cover
Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.
| Metro area | Average | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | $185,740 | $179,660 | $89.30 | 240 |
| Washington, DC | $169,110 | $180,360 | $81.30 | 840 |
| Chattanooga, TN | $164,940 | $146,850 | $79.30 | 100 |
| Seattle, WA | $164,090 | $161,050 | $78.89 | 330 |
| Kennewick, WA | $157,770 | $156,460 | $75.85 | 230 |
| Richmond, VA | $146,900 | $140,460 | $70.63 | 350 |
| Syracuse, NY | $144,690 | $141,200 | $69.56 | 110 |
| Chicago, IL | $141,630 | $134,510 | $68.09 | 710 |
| Monroe, MI | $140,660 | $136,260 | $67.62 | 90 |
| Raleigh, NC | $139,660 | $130,300 | $67.14 | 70 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $138,720 | $140,590 | $66.69 | 230 |
| Cleveland, OH | $138,080 | $132,340 | $66.38 | 60 |
| Columbia, SC | $136,940 | $128,340 | $65.84 | 120 |
| Charlotte, NC | $136,550 | $131,850 | $65.65 | 240 |
| Miami, FL | $136,380 | $138,220 | $65.57 | 30 |
| Atlanta, GA | $135,960 | $119,580 | $65.36 | 50 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $133,820 | $133,250 | $64.34 | 170 |
| Boston, MA | $133,500 | $144,830 | $64.18 | 220 |
| Wilmington, NC | $129,880 | $129,710 | $62.44 | 80 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $129,270 | $133,970 | $62.15 | n/a |
| Huntsville, AL | $128,510 | $125,870 | $61.79 | 80 |
| Charleston, SC | $127,920 | $129,590 | $61.50 | n/a |
| Augusta, GA | $124,660 | $132,440 | $59.93 | n/a |
| Greenville, SC | $121,470 | $124,690 | $58.40 | 150 |
| Portland, ME | $118,620 | $120,430 | $57.03 | 370 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $115,140 | $110,510 | $55.36 | 1,260 |
Related jobs
- Civil EngineersU.S. metro average $109,384
- Electrical EngineersU.S. metro average $125,905
- Industrial EngineersU.S. metro average $111,166
- Mechanical EngineersU.S. metro average $114,695
- Engineers, All OtherU.S. metro average $126,739
- Aerospace EngineersU.S. metro average $144,780
- Chemical EngineersU.S. metro average $128,636
- Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerU.S. metro average $140,172
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Nuclear Engineers salary: questions
Where do nuclear engineers make the most money?
In Knoxville, TN, with an average of $185,740 a year, among the 26 metro areas we cover.
What is the average nuclear engineers salary in the U.S.?
$140,970 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where is nuclear engineers pay the lowest?
Virginia Beach, VA, at $115,140 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2161.
- U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.