Nuclear Engineers Salary
In Illinois, nuclear engineers earn $134,510 at the median, or about $64.67 an hour. The range runs from $103K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $143,324 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $135K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About nuclear engineers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Nuclear engineers pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $134K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 17.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Illinois
Entry-level nuclear engineers (10th percentile) start around $103K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Engineers salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $135K | +0% | 710 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois 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 Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 17.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear engineers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear engineers typically earn — is $103K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,306/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nuclear engineer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $134K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for nuclear engineers?
Illinois pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $134,510 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,890, and experienced nuclear engineers can clear $171,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,003/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 17.6% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $143,324 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.