Nuclear Technicians Salary
In Illinois, nuclear technicians earn $110,390 at the median, or about $53.07 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $117,624 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 20.2% 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 $110K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About nuclear technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Illinois
Nuclear technicians pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $110K locally vs. $110K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 21% 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 technicians (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Technicians 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 | $100K | -9% | 470 |
Compare to other states
Track nuclear technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nuclear technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 21% 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 technicians in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear technicians typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,282/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nuclear technician a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $110K locally vs. $110K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for nuclear technicians?
Illinois pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $110K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $118K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear technicians make in Illinois?
The median is $110,390 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,750, and experienced nuclear technicians can clear $125,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,715/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 21% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nuclear technicians 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 technicians salary is worth about $117,624 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nuclear technicians 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.