Nuclear Technicians Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for nuclear technicians in the U.S. is $110,240 ($53.00 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $110,240
- Mean annual wage
- $108,940
- Median hourly wage
- $53.00
- Employment
- 6,470
6,470 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,150 | $35.17 |
| 25th percentile | $99,110 | $47.65 |
| Median (50th) | $110,240 | $53.00 |
| 75th percentile | $123,990 | $59.61 |
| 90th percentile | $133,600 | $64.23 |
Highest-paying states for nuclear technicians
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $135,550 | 60 |
| New York | $129,780 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,070 | 310 |
| Texas | $124,060 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $113,390 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $110,430 | 420 |
| Illinois | $110,390 | 780 |
| Alabama | $110,240 | 280 |
| South Carolina | $108,490 | 750 |
| Washington | $108,200 | 90 |
Lowest-paying states
- Tennessee: $91,980 median annual wage
- Virginia: $98,930 median annual wage
- California: $99,270 median annual wage
- Missouri: $104,580 median annual wage
- Washington: $108,200 median annual wage
About this occupation
Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment. May monitor radiation.
Typical tasks
- Collect air, water, gas or solid samples for testing to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.
- Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
- Decontaminate objects by cleaning them using soap or solvents or by abrading using brushes, buffing machines, or sandblasting machines.
- Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.
- Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
- Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Associate's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 6.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 15.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 23.9% |
| Associate's degree | 8.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 37.7% |
| Master's degree | 5.7% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220
- Chemists$91,240
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280
- Biological Technicians$57,510
- School Psychologists$95,990
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.