Nuclear Technician Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Nuclear Technicians — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$110,240
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$53.00
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$133,600
entry level starts ~$73,150
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 6,000 employed

How much does a Nuclear Technician make?

Nuclear Technicians in the United States bring home a median salary of $110,240 a year, or around $53.00 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $73,150, while the top 10% earn $133,600.

That is $48,850 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Nuclear Technician salary range by percentile

Half of all Nuclear Technicians earn between $99,110 and $123,990 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$73,150$35.17
25th percentile (early career)$99,110$47.65
50th percentile (median)$110,240$53.00
75th percentile (experienced)$123,990$59.61
90th percentile (top earners)$133,600$64.23

Highest-paying states for Nuclear Technician

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Florida leads the country for Nuclear Technician pay at $135,550 a year, followed by New York ($129,780) and Pennsylvania ($124,070). At the other end, Tennessee posts the lowest median at $91,980 — a gap of $43,570 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Florida$135,550$65.17+23%
2New York$129,780$62.39+18%
3Pennsylvania$124,070$59.65+13%
4Texas$124,060$59.64+13%
5Massachusetts$113,390$54.51+3%

Workforce and education

About 6,000 people work as Nuclear Technicians in the United States. On qualifications: an associate degree (about 2 years of college) is the typical entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Nuclear Technician make in the United States?
The median Nuclear Technician salary in the United States is $110,240 per year, or about $53.00 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $73,150, while the top 10% of earners make $133,600 or more.
How does Nuclear Technician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Nuclear Technician median of $110,240 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Nuclear Technicians the most?
Florida is the highest-paying state for Nuclear Technicians, with a median salary of $135,550 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Nuclear Technician?
Becoming a Nuclear Technician typically requires about 2 years of college. An associate degree (about 2 years of college) is the typical entry requirement.
How many Nuclear Technicians work in the United States?
About 6,000 people were employed as Nuclear Technicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.