Nuclear Engineers · Virginia

Nuclear Engineers Salary in Virginia

Nuclear Engineers in Virginia earn a median annual wage of $128,890 —3.8% below the national median of $133,970. That ranks VA #16 of 19 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$128,890
Median hourly
$61.97
Entry level (P10)
$81,480
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$192,350
90th percentile
Employment
—
vs U.S. median
-3.8%
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
$81,480
$98,920
$128,890
$164,010
$81,480$128,890$192,350
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $128,890.

Highest-paying states for nuclear engineers

All 19 states ranked by median annual wage. Virginia 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 Virginia

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Virginia.

OccupationVirginia medianU.S. median
Civil Engineers$97,120$100,840
Industrial Engineers$102,550$102,440
Mechanical Engineers$104,180$104,110
Electrical Engineers$119,030$120,630
Engineers, All Other$148,160$122,930
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$97,680$99,280

Frequently asked questions

How much do nuclear engineers make in Virginia?

The median annual wage for nuclear engineers in Virginia is $128,890, or $61.97 per hour. That is 3.8% below the national median of $133,970.

What is the entry-level nuclear engineers salary in Virginia?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $81,480 per year ($39.17/hour). The 25th percentile is $98,920.

How many people work as nuclear engineers in Virginia?

About — people work in this occupation in Virginia.

Is Virginia a good state for nuclear engineers?

Virginia ranks #16 of 19 states by median wage for this occupation.

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