Nuclear Engineers · SOC 17-2161

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Nuclear Engineerss

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025U.S. metropolitan areas

Metro areas ranked by published median annual wage for nuclear engineers. Areas where BLS suppressed the median are not ranked. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

Top 25 of 26 metro areas

Nuclear Engineers: metro areas with the highest published median annual wages, May 2025
#	Metro area	Median annual	Employment	Per 1,000 jobs
1	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$180,360	840	0.3
2	Knoxville, TN	$179,660	240	0.6
3	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$161,050	330	0.2
4	Kennewick-Richland, WA	$156,460	230	1.8
5	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$146,850	100	0.4
6	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$144,830	220	0.1
7	Syracuse, NY	$141,200	110	0.4
8	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$140,590	230	0.1
9	Richmond, VA	$140,460	350	0.5
10	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$138,220	30	0.0
11	Monroe, MI	$136,260	90	2.2
12	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$134,510	710	0.2
13	Idaho Falls, ID	$133,970	Not published	Not published
14	Pittsburgh, PA	$133,250	170	0.2
15	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$132,440	Not published	Not published
16	Cleveland, OH	$132,340	60	0.1
17	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$131,850	240	0.2
18	Raleigh-Cary, NC	$130,300	70	0.1
19	Wilmington, NC	$129,710	80	0.4
20	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$129,590	Not published	Not published
21	Columbia, SC	$128,340	120	0.3
22	Huntsville, AL	$125,870	80	0.3
23	Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$124,690	150	0.4
24	Portland-South Portland, ME	$120,430	370	1.3
25	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$119,580	50	0.0

Full state and metro tables, the national distribution, and the pay map are on the Nuclear Engineers overview.

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.