Engineers

How to become a Nuclear Engineer

Official title: Nuclear Engineers

Also called: Engineer, Nuclear Design Engineer, Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Licensing Engineer, Nuclear Process Engineer, Nuclear Reactor Engineer, Nuclear Safety Engineer, Nuclear Steam Supply System Engineer (NSSS Engineer), Radiological Engineer, Reactor Engineer

Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.

Main tasks

Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.

How to become one

Nuclear engineers typically need at least a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering or a related field. They typically do not need a license to enter the occupation.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Engineering degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 47 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $133,970 a year The middle half earn $108,690 to $163,630.
About 16,600 people work in this job now, and about 16,600 are projected by 2035. (+0.4%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Nuclear Engineer?

Nuclear engineers typically need at least a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering or a related field. They typically do not need a license to enter the occupation.

How much does a Nuclear Engineer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $133,970 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $108,690 to $163,630.

Is a Nuclear Engineer a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 16,600 people now and 16,600 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Nuclear Engineer?

Usually. 84% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Nuclear Engineer?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.