Nuclear Engineering
Offered at 81 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 2 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 22 | $77,236 | $101,306 | $23,458 |
| Master's | 28 | — | $114,801 | — |
| Doctoral | 24 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 5 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $80,881 | $103,340 | $27,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | GA | — | $119,494 | — |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $75,747 | $117,301 | $19,500 |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $82,743 | $114,290 | $21,000 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | — | $108,476 | $23,458 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | — | $103,739 | — |
| 6 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $77,236 | $101,996 | $25,495 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | PA | $76,869 | $101,306 | $26,000 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $76,869 | $101,306 | $26,000 |
| 9 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | NY | — | $100,961 | $23,555 |
| 10 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | MO | $80,397 | $100,073 | $24,141 |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | $90,657 | $98,070 | $19,500 |
| 12 | Oregon State University | OR | — | $94,069 | $18,500 |
| 13 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | OR | — | $94,069 | $18,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | — | $124,675 | — |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | — | $114,908 | — |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | — | $114,695 | — |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $103,822 | $113,334 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | — | $132,400 | — |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $126,268 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do nuclear engineering graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in nuclear engineering reports median earnings of $77,236. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
