Nuclear Engineering Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Design and operation of nuclear power plants and applications of nuclear energy.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$118K
salary
ROI Payback
3.3 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
2%
rate
Nuclear Engineering Overview
Design and operation of nuclear power plants and applications of nuclear energy.
Category
Engineering
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
66%
Enrollment Trend
stable
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
8%
Lifetime Premium
$1000K
Female Graduates
15%
Nuclear Engineering Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$21,600
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$21,600
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$978,400
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,000,000) minus net degree cost ($21,600)
Nuclear Engineering Salary Progression
Common Nuclear Engineering Careers
Nuclear Engineer
Health Physicist
Reactor Operator
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Nuclear Engineering
#1
MIT
#2
University of Michigan
#3
Georgia Tech
#4
Penn State
#5
Texas A&M
Related Majors
Nuclear Engineering Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Nuclear Engineering Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for nuclear engineering programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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