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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Nuclear Engineers

Part of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, in the Engineering and Technology pathway.

Job zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 17-2161.00

What the work is

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.

On a typical day

  • Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
  • Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
  • Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.
  • Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal.
  • Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
  • Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.

What it pays

$128,340
Median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure published)
New workers start near $83,250
Experienced workers reach $170,600
  1. $83k10th
  2. $102k25th
  3. $128kMedian
  4. $156k75th
  5. $171k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $83,250, 25th $101,980, Median $128,340, 75th $155,830, 90th $170,600

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

-1%

U.S. employment change

800

openings a year nationwide, from growth and people leaving

15,400

employed nationwide in 2024

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Critical Thinking4.9
  2. Science4.4
  3. Reading Comprehension5.0
  4. Writing4.8
  5. Mathematics4.4
  6. Active Listening4.3
  7. Complex Problem Solving4.3
  8. Monitoring4.1

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Bachelor's degree81%
  2. Master's degree19%

Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

No Alamo program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

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Does this fit you?

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