Nuclear Engineers Salary
In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, nuclear engineers earn $140,590 at the median, or about $67.59 an hour. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $137,094 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,810/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $141K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About nuclear engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Nuclear engineers pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $141K locally vs. $134K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,810/month, 21.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nuclear engineers in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $133K | $141K |
| Syracuse | $141K | $147K |
| Cleveland | $132K | $141K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level nuclear engineers (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $141K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Nuclear Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $195K | +46% | 230 |
| California | $172K | +29% | 1,070 |
| New Mexico | $164K | +23% | 500 |
| Maryland | $158K | +18% | 180 |
| Massachusetts | $146K | +9% | 210 |
| New York | $141K | +5% | 150 |
| Florida | $135K | +1% | 120 |
| Illinois | $135K | +0% | 1,040 |
| Idaho | $134K | +0% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $133K | -1% | 340 |
| Alabama | $133K | -1% | 290 |
| Georgia | $132K | -1% | 200 |
| North Carolina | $132K | -2% | 460 |
| Michigan | $130K | -3% | 330 |
| Washington | $129K | -3% | 1,380 |
| Virginia | $129K | -4% | N/A |
| Texas | $128K | -4% | 190 |
| South Carolina | $127K | -6% | 1,440 |
| Maine | $124K | -8% | 420 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track nuclear engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a nuclear engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $141K, rent takes 21.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear engineers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear engineers typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,967/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nuclear engineer a high-paying job in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $141K locally vs. $134K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for nuclear engineers?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $141K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $137K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear engineers make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $140,590 a year, that works out to about $68 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,450, and experienced nuclear engineers can clear $173,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $141K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,544/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 21.2% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nuclear engineers salary is worth about $137,094 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.