Nuclear Engineers Salary
In Georgia, nuclear engineers earn $132,440 at the median, or about $63.68 an hour. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $144,129 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,434/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $132K actually covers in Georgia, month by month
About nuclear engineers
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What this looks like in Georgia
Nuclear engineers pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $132K locally vs. $134K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,434/month, 18.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level nuclear engineers (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $91K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Engineers salary by metro in Georgia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County | $132K | +0% | N/A |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $120K | -10% | 50 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nuclear engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 18.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear engineers in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear engineers typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,158/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nuclear engineer a high-paying job in Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $132K locally vs. $134K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for nuclear engineers?
Georgia pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear engineers make in Georgia?
The median is $132,440 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,800, and experienced nuclear engineers can clear $173,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,871/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 18.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nuclear engineers salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nuclear engineers salary is worth about $144,129 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nuclear engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.