Nuclear Engineers in Pennsylvania
Thinking about a career as a Nuclear Engineers in Pennsylvania? Below are the key facts. Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
What do Nuclear Engineers Make in Pennsylvania?
For a nuclear engineers working in Pennsylvania, wages run about $134,580 per year (or about $64.70/hour).Annual wages span from $82,490 at the 10th percentile to $173,150 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,490 | $39.66 |
| 25th percentile | $110,850 | $53.29 |
| Median (50th) | $134,580 | $64.70 |
| 75th percentile | $161,760 | $77.77 |
| 90th percentile | $173,150 | $83.24 |
The job concentration index in Pennsylvania nationwide is 0.83, meaning fewer nuclear engineers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, nuclear engineers earn a median of $134,531 per year ($64.68/hour), above the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 78,654 nuclear engineers in the U.S.. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 480 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 350 nuclear engineers.
Top Pennsylvania Metros for Nuclear Engineers
The metro areas below employ the most nuclear engineers in Pennsylvania.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 240 | $136,590 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 210 | $134,580 |
Top States for Nuclear Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of nuclear engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 1,470 |
| Washington | 1,370 |
| Virginia | 1,300 |
| South Carolina | 1,280 |
| New Mexico | 1,160 |
| Illinois | 950 |
| California | 870 |
| Idaho | 720 |
| North Carolina | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | 480 |
| Tennessee | 480 |
| Maine | 350 |
| Alabama | 270 |
| District of Columbia | 240 |
| Minnesota | 190 |
| Michigan | 180 |
| New York | 160 |
| Maryland | 140 |
| Florida | 140 |
| Georgia | 140 |
Highest-Paying States for Nuclear Engineers
These states pay the most for nuclear engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $189,800 |
| California | $167,660 |
| New York | $159,290 |
| Maryland | $150,340 |
| Minnesota | $150,260 |
| Nebraska | $149,280 |
| Alabama | $144,410 |
| Massachusetts | $141,520 |
| New Mexico | $140,070 |
| Michigan | $137,890 |
Skills
Top nuclear engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for nuclear engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Nuclear Engineers typically:
- Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
- Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
- Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
- Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
- Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
- Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
- Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
- Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.
- Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results.
- Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies.
- Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites.
- Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants.
Work Activities
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Working with Computers
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Documenting/Recording Information
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: C++, Linux In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Nuclear Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Other careers like nuclear engineers include:
- Geothermal Production Managers
- Biomass Power Plant Managers
- Hydroelectric Production Managers
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Chemical Engineers
- Environmental Engineers
Also Known As
Atomic Process Engineer, Core Measures Abstractor, Engineer, Engineering Officer, Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer, Nuclear Design Engineer, Nuclear Electrician, Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Equipment Design Engineer, Nuclear Equipment Research Engineer, Nuclear Equipment Test Engineer, Nuclear Fuels Reclamation Engineer, Nuclear Fuels Research Engineer, Nuclear Licensing Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2161.00