Nuclear technician salary
BLS occupation: Nuclear Technicians · Science · data for May 2025
How much does a nuclear technician make?
- The median nuclear technician salary in the US is $110,240 a year ($53.00 an hour): half of the 6,470 nuclear technicians BLS counts earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) is $108,940.
- The middle half earn between $99,110 and $123,990. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $73,150 and the top 10% more than $133,600.
- That is 2.2 times the median for all US workers ($50,980).
- Florida pays nuclear technicians the most (median $135,550), followed by New York ($129,780) and Pennsylvania ($124,070). Tennessee pays the least ($91,980).
- After adjusting for prices, the pay goes furthest in Florida, where the median is worth $131,075 in typical US prices, then Texas and Pennsylvania.
- BLS projects the number of nuclear technicians to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 900 openings a year. The typical entry education is an associate's degree.
official From BLS's survey of employers: what nuclear technicians are actually paid, not job ads or self-reports. Adjusted figures are derived. How we calculate.
How does your pay compare?
Nuclear technician salary range
Half of nuclear technicians earn between $99,110 and $123,990 a year
Yearly pay at each point of the range, US, May 2025. For comparison, the median for all US jobs is $50,980.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Show the numbers
| Yearly pay | |
|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn under | $73,150 |
| Lowest 25% earn under | $99,110 |
| Median | $110,240 |
| Top 25% earn over | $123,990 |
| Top 10% earn over | $133,600 |
Where nuclear technician pay goes furthest
A salary buys more where prices are low. We divide each state's median by its price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, so every figure is in typical US prices. derived
Nuclear technicians' pay goes furthest in Florida once prices are counted
Median pay ÷ the state's price level (BEA, 2024; US = 100), shown in typical US prices. Top 10 states.
US median
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Our calculation.
Show the numbers
| Worth, in US prices | |
|---|---|
| Florida | $131,075 |
| Texas | $127,822 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,157 |
| Alabama | $124,112 |
| New York | $120,255 |
| North Carolina | $117,073 |
| South Carolina | $115,724 |
| Missouri | $115,155 |
| Illinois | $110,436 |
| Massachusetts | $107,217 |
Nuclear technician pay in every state
| State | Median a year | Hourly | Lowest 10% | Top 10% | Employed | After cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $135,550 | $65.17 | $88,310 | $135,550 | 60 | $131,075 |
| New York | $129,780 | $62.39 | $99,820 | $171,470 | 260 | $120,255 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,070 | $59.65 | $104,320 | $153,120 | 310 | $127,157 |
| Texas | $124,060 | $59.64 | $101,190 | $126,960 | 110 | $127,822 |
| Massachusetts | $113,390 | $54.51 | $83,710 | $113,410 | 50 | $107,217 |
| North Carolina | $110,430 | $53.09 | $108,780 | $128,310 | 420 | $117,073 |
| Illinois | $110,390 | $53.07 | $65,750 | $125,360 | 780 | $110,436 |
| Alabama | $110,240 | $53.00 | $97,500 | $153,280 | 280 | $124,112 |
| South Carolina | $108,490 | $52.16 | $88,210 | $124,190 | 750 | $115,724 |
| Washington | $108,200 | $52.02 | $75,510 | $127,910 | 90 | $101,109 |
| Missouri | $104,580 | $50.28 | $50,920 | $124,580 | 150 | $115,155 |
| California | $99,270 | $47.73 | $58,830 | $115,630 | – | $89,659 |
| Virginia | $98,930 | $47.56 | $60,830 | $161,720 | 680 | $97,850 |
| Tennessee | $91,980 | $44.22 | $78,850 | $121,330 | 110 | $100,120 |
BLS does not publish pay for nuclear technicians in 37 states (too few workers to estimate reliably). After cost of living = median ÷ (BEA price level ÷ 100).
Nuclear technician salary by city
Metro areas where BLS publishes nuclear technician pay: 9 of 387. Rent share = typical rent (September 2026, Zillow) × 12 ÷ the median salary; under 30% is affordable by the usual rule.
Highest-paying metro areas
- New York, NY $171,470
- Birmingham, AL $126,930
- Richmond, VA $122,210
- Virginia Beach, VA $114,910
- Boston, MA $113,390
- Augusta, GA $108,210
- Chicago, IL $99,990
- Greenville, SC $96,730
- Knoxville, TN $78,850
Where the pay goes furthest
- New York, NY $152,332
- Birmingham, AL $138,503
- Richmond, VA $124,885
- Augusta, GA $117,744
- Virginia Beach, VA $117,326
- Boston, MA $104,733
- Greenville, SC $103,721
- Chicago, IL $96,520
- Knoxville, TN $85,180
All 9 metro areas
| Metro area | Median a year | Employed | After cost of living | Rent share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $171,470 | 100 | $152,332 | 25% |
| Birmingham, AL | $126,930 | 60 | $138,503 | 13% |
| Richmond, VA | $122,210 | 60 | $124,885 | 17% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $114,910 | 90 | $117,326 | 20% |
| Boston, MA | $113,390 | 50 | $104,733 | 32% |
| Augusta, GA | $108,210 | 260 | $117,744 | 16% |
| Chicago, IL | $99,990 | 470 | $96,520 | 26% |
| Greenville, SC | $96,730 | 30 | $103,721 | 19% |
| Knoxville, TN | $78,850 | 60 | $85,180 | 26% |
What the median nuclear technician salary pays per paycheck
| Period | Before taxes |
|---|---|
| Year | $110,240 |
| Month | $9,187 |
| Every two weeks | $4,240 |
| Week | $2,120 |
| Hour | $53.00 |
Gross pay, 52 weeks a year, 2,080 hours. Hourly to salary calculator.
Becoming a nuclear technician: education and job outlook
| Typical entry education | Associate's degree |
|---|---|
| Work experience needed | None |
| On-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Projected change in jobs, 2025–35 | +1.1% (all jobs: +3.5%) |
| Openings a year (average) | 900 |
| Self-employed | 2.7% |
official BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35. Openings include workers who retire or change jobs. What the work involves: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Similar jobs
| Job | Median a year | Typical education |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical psychologist | $100,580 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Epidemiologist | $87,220 | Master's degree |
| Environmental scientist | $82,220 | Bachelor's degree |
| Geologist | $101,920 | Bachelor's degree |
| Forensic science technician | $72,060 | Bachelor's degree |
| Economist | $124,720 | Master's degree |
| School psychologist | $95,990 | Master's degree |
Questions about nuclear technician pay
How much does a nuclear technician make an hour?
The median is $53.00 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35.17 and the top 10% over $64.23.
How much does a nuclear technician make a month?
About $9,187 a month before taxes at the median salary of $110,240, or $4,240 every two weeks.
What state pays nuclear technicians the most?
Florida, with a median of $135,550. New York ($129,780), Pennsylvania ($124,070), Texas ($124,060) and Massachusetts ($113,390) follow.
Where do nuclear technicians make the most after cost of living?
Florida: its median of $135,550 is worth $131,075 at typical US prices. Texas, Pennsylvania and Alabama come next.
How much do entry-level nuclear technicians make?
BLS does not report pay by experience. The lowest-paid 10% of nuclear technicians earn under $73,150 a year, and the lowest-paid quarter under $99,110, which is a reasonable guide to starting pay.
What education do you need to become a nuclear technician?
BLS lists the typical entry-level education as an associate's degree. Work experience in a related job: none. On-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Sources and limits
- Pay and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation 19-4051 (Nuclear Technicians). Downloaded 2026-10-24.
- OEWS counts wage and salary workers at employers, including tips and commissions but not overtime pay, bonuses that are not tied to production, or benefits. It leaves out the self-employed. BLS does not publish figures above $239,200 a year or for states and metro areas with too few workers.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (US = 100). Rents: Zillow Observed Rent Index, September 2026; Data Provided by Zillow Group.
- Outlook and education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Pay is not broken down by experience, employer or specialty (for example, ER or pediatric nursing); BLS does not publish those splits.