Nuclear Engineers Salary
In South Carolina, nuclear engineers earn $126,570 at the median, or about $60.85 an hour. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $135,848 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 16.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $127K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About nuclear engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Nuclear engineers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $127K locally vs. $134K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 16.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, South Carolina
Entry-level nuclear engineers (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $130K | +2% | N/A |
| Columbia | $128K | +1% | 120 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $125K | -1% | 150 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 16.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear engineers typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,309/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nuclear engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $127K locally vs. $134K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for nuclear engineers?
South Carolina pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $126,570 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,970, and experienced nuclear engineers can clear $159,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,566/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 16.7% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $135,848 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.