How to Become a Nuclear Engineer in Pennsylvania: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median nuclear engineer salary in Pennsylvania is $133,250 per year - in line with the national median of $133,970 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: ABET-accredited bachelor’s in nuclear or mechanical engineering.
How to Become a Nuclear Engineer in Pennsylvania
1. Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor’s
Nuclear engineering, or mechanical engineering with a nuclear focus.
2. Use operations or Navy experience
Licensed-operator and nuclear-Navy backgrounds are prized by utilities and national labs.
3. Start in reactor engineering or radiation protection
Utilities, the Navy’s civilian corps, and national laboratories hire at the bachelor’s level.
4. Pursue senior reactor operator or PE tracks
Depending on whether your path is operations or design.
5. Advance
Senior engineer, licensing/regulatory affairs, or plant management.
Requirements in Pennsylvania
The education path is national - ABET-accredited bachelor’s in nuclear or mechanical engineering. Reactor operator licensing is federal (NRC), not Pennsylvania’s own boards: PE license for some roles; NRC licensing applies to operator positions. Verify current requirements with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission before enrolling, as details change.
Nuclear Engineer Salary in Pennsylvania
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania entry level (10th percentile) | $83,250 |
| Pennsylvania 25th-75th percentile | $103,680 - $162,100 |
| Pennsylvania median | $133,250 |
| Pennsylvania top earners (90th percentile) | $167,110 |
| U.S. median | $133,970 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 340.
The Pennsylvania Job Market: Nuclear Engineer
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Pennsylvania | 340 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.06 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 0.58 |
| Mean annual wage in Pennsylvania | $134,740 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 0.58, Pennsylvania employs nuclear engineers at a lower concentration than the national average; expect fewer openings per capita and weigh relocation or remote-friendly specialties.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,960 |
| 25th | $108,690 |
| 50th (median) | $133,970 |
| 75th | $163,630 |
| 90th | $196,290 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 15,400 |
| 2034 projected | 15,300 |
| Percent change | -1.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a nuclear engineer make in Pennsylvania?
The median annual wage for nuclear engineers in Pennsylvania is $133,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), in line with the national median of $133,970.
How to become a nuclear engineer in Pennsylvania?
The core path is the same nationwide - ABET-accredited bachelor's in nuclear or mechanical engineering - with federal NRC licensing for operator roles, not Pennsylvania's own boards: PE license for some roles; NRC licensing applies to operator positions. See the steps on this page.
How many nuclear engineers work in Pennsylvania?
BLS counts about 340 nuclear engineers employed in Pennsylvania (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Nuclear Engineer in Nearby States
- Nuclear Engineer in New York
- Nuclear Engineer in North Carolina
- Nuclear Engineer in South Carolina
- Nuclear Engineer in Texas
Related
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Nuclear Engineers (SOC 17-2161), Pennsylvania and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |