Nuclear Engineers Salary
In Texas, nuclear engineers earn $128,340 at the median, or about $61.7 an hour. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $140,278 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Texas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $128K get you in Texas?
About nuclear engineers
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What this looks like in Texas
Nuclear engineers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $128K locally vs. $134K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 17.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level nuclear engineers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track nuclear engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nuclear engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 17.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear engineers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear engineers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,995/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nuclear engineer a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $128K locally vs. $134K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for nuclear engineers?
Texas pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear engineers make in Texas?
The median is $128,340 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,250, and experienced nuclear engineers can clear $170,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,206/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 17.2% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $140,278 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.