Nuclear Engineering
What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.
Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)
Best Schools for Nuclear Engineering by Earnings
| # | School | 4yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public | $116,047 |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus GA · Public | $114,772 |
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public | $103,438 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public | $102,449 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public | $100,212 |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville TN · Public | $99,139 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public | $94,365 |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public | $94,330 |
| 9 | Oregon State University OR · Public | $94,105 |
| 10 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus OR · Public | $94,105 |
| 11 | Missouri University of Science and Technology MO · Public | $89,929 |
| 12 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY · Private | $87,239 |
Is Nuclear Engineering Worth It?
The Numbers Support This Major
If you're weighing Nuclear Engineering, the money case is about as strong as it gets. Graduates average $80,252 four years out, well above the typical major, so the degree tends to pay for itself fast. The harder question here isn't whether it's worth it - it's where you study it.
This is a more specialized field, offered at 13 schools in our data. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so weigh each aid offer closely.
The top earner here is Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, where graduates pull $114,772 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.
Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.