Nuclear Engineers · North Carolina

Nuclear Engineers Salary in North Carolina

Nuclear Engineers in North Carolina earn a median annual wage of $131,850 —1.6% below the national median of $133,970. That ranks NC #13 of 19 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$131,850
Median hourly
$63.39
Entry level (P10)
$96,300
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$166,200
90th percentile
Employment
460
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-1.6%
U.S. $133,970

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$96,300
$123,720
$131,850
$161,310
$96,300$131,850$166,200
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $131,850.

Employment concentration (0.94×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for nuclear engineers

All 19 states ranked by median annual wage. North Carolina is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$195,190$93.842303.32
2California$172,400$82.881,0700.60
3New Mexico$164,300$78.995005.88
4Maryland$157,960$75.941800.67
5Massachusetts$145,760$70.082100.60
6New York$141,200$67.881500.16
7Florida$135,400$65.101200.12
8Illinois$134,510$64.671,0401.74
9Idaho$133,970$64.41——
10Pennsylvania$133,250$64.063400.58

Related occupations in North Carolina

Occupations in the same job family, compared within North Carolina.

OccupationNorth Carolina medianU.S. median
Civil Engineers$100,730$100,840
Industrial Engineers$99,310$102,440
Mechanical Engineers$100,720$104,110
Electrical Engineers$110,130$120,630
Engineers, All Other$112,450$122,930
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$95,700$99,280

Frequently asked questions

How much do nuclear engineers make in North Carolina?

The median annual wage for nuclear engineers in North Carolina is $131,850, or $63.39 per hour. That is 1.6% below the national median of $133,970.

What is the entry-level nuclear engineers salary in North Carolina?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $96,300 per year ($46.30/hour). The 25th percentile is $123,720.

How many people work as nuclear engineers in North Carolina?

About 460 people work in this occupation in North Carolina, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is North Carolina a good state for nuclear engineers?

North Carolina ranks #13 of 19 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.94x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays nuclear engineers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $195,190 per year, followed by California ($172,400) and New Mexico ($164,300).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes