Nuclear Technicians
Nuclear Technicians (SOC 19-4051) earn a median $110,240 a year ($53.00 an hour) in the United States, with 6,470 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Florida.
What nuclear technicians do
Nuclear technicians assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, and other scientists in laboratories, in power generation, and in other electricity production activities. They operate, maintain, or test the equipment used for nuclear research and testing, and some monitor radiation levels. Typical tasks include following operational policies and procedures that protect safety and the environment, running surveillance tests to confirm the safety of nuclear equipment, monitoring reactor equipment performance to spot inefficiencies and hazards, and testing plant equipment to make sure it works properly. They also apply safety tags to equipment that needs maintenance and follow the procedures that protect radiation workers. The occupation differs from nuclear engineers, who design systems and evaluate operations, and from nuclear power reactor operators, who control the reactor from the control room, as well as from radiation therapists and nuclear medicine technologists, who work in health care. They may modify, devise, or maintain the nuclear equipment used in operations.
Also called: Accelerator Operator, Accelerator Technician, Auxiliary Operator, Electric Systems Operator, Cell Support Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $35.17 | $47.65 | $53.00 | $59.61 | $64.23 | $52.37 | 6,470 |
| Annual | $73,150 | $99,110 | $110,240 | $123,990 | $133,600 | $108,940 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where nuclear technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $42.46 | $53.48 | $65.17 | $65.17 | $65.17 | $58.49 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.14 |
| Annual | $88,310 | $111,230 | $135,550 | $135,550 | $135,550 | $121,650 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $47.99 | $59.61 | $62.40 | $74.41 | $82.44 | $65.84 | 260 | 0.03 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $99,820 | $123,990 | $129,780 | $154,770 | $171,470 | $136,950 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $50.16 | $52.55 | $59.65 | $59.80 | $73.61 | $58.20 | 310 | 0.05 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $104,320 | $109,310 | $124,070 | $124,380 | $153,120 | $121,060 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $48.65 | $53.21 | $59.64 | $61.04 | $61.04 | $56.07 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $101,190 | $110,680 | $124,060 | $126,960 | $126,960 | $116,620 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $40.25 | $40.27 | $54.51 | $54.52 | $54.53 | $49.54 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $83,710 | $83,750 | $113,390 | $113,400 | $113,410 | $103,050 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $31.61 | $38.85 | $53.07 | $59.84 | $60.27 | $50.81 | 780 | 0.13 | 3.08 |
| Annual | $65,750 | $80,800 | $110,390 | $124,470 | $125,360 | $105,680 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $42.41 | $51.71 | $52.16 | $53.64 | $59.71 | $52.10 | 750 | 0.32 | 7.79 |
| Annual | $88,210 | $107,560 | $108,490 | $111,560 | $124,190 | $108,360 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $29.25 | $37.02 | $47.56 | $63.24 | $77.75 | $50.62 | 680 | 0.17 | 3.96 |
| Annual | $60,830 | $77,010 | $98,930 | $131,540 | $161,720 | $105,290 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $52.30 | $52.30 | $53.09 | $53.43 | $61.69 | $54.44 | 420 | 0.08 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $108,780 | $108,780 | $110,430 | $111,140 | $128,310 | $113,240 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $50.16 | $52.55 | $59.65 | $59.80 | $73.61 | $58.20 | 310 | 0.05 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $104,320 | $109,310 | $124,070 | $124,380 | $153,120 | $121,060 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $47.99 | $58.53 | $82.44 | $82.44 | $82.44 | $71.49 | 100 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $99,820 | $121,740 | $171,470 | $171,470 | $171,480 | $148,710 | ||||
| Birmingham, AL | Hourly | $47.97 | $51.50 | $61.03 | $78.02 | $78.02 | $61.94 | 60 | 0.11 | 2.70 |
| Annual | $99,780 | $107,120 | $126,930 | $162,280 | $162,280 | $128,840 | ||||
| Richmond, VA | Hourly | $41.43 | $52.57 | $58.76 | $67.22 | $75.76 | $58.86 | 60 | 0.09 | 2.13 |
| Annual | $86,170 | $109,340 | $122,210 | $139,810 | $157,570 | $122,440 | ||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $36.20 | $43.85 | $55.24 | $65.63 | $65.63 | $55.56 | 90 | 0.12 | 2.92 |
| Annual | $75,300 | $91,210 | $114,910 | $136,500 | $136,500 | $115,570 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $40.25 | $40.26 | $54.51 | $54.52 | $54.53 | $49.36 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $83,710 | $83,740 | $113,390 | $113,400 | $113,410 | $102,670 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $31.61 | $38.85 | $48.07 | $60.27 | $60.27 | $48.15 | 470 | 0.10 | 2.51 |
| Annual | $65,750 | $80,800 | $99,990 | $125,360 | $125,360 | $100,150 | ||||
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | Hourly | $34.42 | $47.78 | $52.03 | $55.02 | $62.40 | $51.10 | 260 | 1.10 | 26.51 |
| Annual | $71,600 | $99,370 | $108,210 | $114,440 | $129,790 | $106,290 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $47.99 | $58.53 | $82.44 | $82.44 | $82.44 | $71.49 | 100 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $99,820 | $121,740 | $171,470 | $171,470 | $171,480 | $148,710 | ||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $36.20 | $43.85 | $55.24 | $65.63 | $65.63 | $55.56 | 90 | 0.12 | 2.92 |
| Annual | $75,300 | $91,210 | $114,910 | $136,500 | $136,500 | $115,570 | ||||
| Birmingham, AL | Hourly | $47.97 | $51.50 | $61.03 | $78.02 | $78.02 | $61.94 | 60 | 0.11 | 2.70 |
| Annual | $99,780 | $107,120 | $126,930 | $162,280 | $162,280 | $128,840 | ||||
Top industries employing nuclear technicians
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution employ 55.6% of nuclear technicians nationally (3,600 jobs) at a median $117,590 a year ($56.53 an hour), followed by Scientific Research and Development Services (10.8%) and Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (8.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 3,600 | 55.6% | $117,590 | $56.53 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 700 | 10.8% | $83,740 | $40.26 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 520 | 8.0% | $98,930 | $47.56 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal NAICS 562200 | 210 | 3.2% | * | * |
| Facilities Support Services NAICS 561200 | 120 | 1.9% | $66,940 | $32.18 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (6,470). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $99,340 for nuclear technicians in May 2021 and $110,240 in May 2025, with employment of 5,360 and 6,470.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $99,340 | $47.76 | 5,360 |
| May 2022 | $100,420 | $48.28 | 5,880 |
| May 2023 | $101,740 | $48.92 | 5,400 |
| May 2024 | $104,240 | $50.11 | 5,990 |
| May 2025 | $110,240 | $53.00 | 6,470 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
14 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida profile | $65.17 | $135,550 | $88,310 | $135,550 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.14 |
| 2 | New York profile | $62.40 | $129,780 | $99,820 | $171,470 | 260 | 0.03 | 0.66 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania profile | $59.65 | $124,070 | $104,320 | $153,120 | 310 | 0.05 | 1.24 |
| 4 | Texas profile | $59.64 | $124,060 | $101,190 | $126,960 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $54.51 | $113,390 | $83,710 | $113,410 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.34 |
| 6 | North Carolina profile | $53.09 | $110,430 | $108,780 | $128,310 | 420 | 0.08 | 2.03 |
| 7 | Illinois profile | $53.07 | $110,390 | $65,750 | $125,360 | 780 | 0.13 | 3.08 |
| 8 | Alabama profile | $53.00 | $110,240 | $97,500 | $153,280 | 280 | 0.14 | 3.24 |
| 9 | South Carolina profile | $52.16 | $108,490 | $88,210 | $124,190 | 750 | 0.32 | 7.79 |
| 10 | Washington profile | $52.02 | $108,200 | $75,510 | $127,910 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.61 |
| 11 | Missouri profile | $50.28 | $104,580 | $50,920 | $124,580 | 150 | 0.05 | 1.25 |
| 12 | California profile | $47.72 | $99,270 | $58,830 | $115,630 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $47.56 | $98,930 | $60,830 | $161,720 | 680 | 0.17 | 3.96 |
| 14 | Tennessee profile | $44.22 | $91,980 | $78,850 | $121,330 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.83 |
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4051 Nuclear Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.