NEW 2026 Best Colleges Rankings!

NEW 2026 Hidden Gem Colleges!

Search for a different college major

Home
>
Browse All Majors
>
Engineering
>
Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

Select Type of Degree:

Select State:


#1 #1 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD A majority of majors at Navy are in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with the top five choices being Operations Research, Political Science and Government, General, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, and and Automation......view more Acceptance Rate 9% Annual Degrees Awarded 20 SAT Score 1,200–1,420 Median Starting Salary $62,601
#2 #2 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. United States Military Academy West Point, NY Each year, United States Military Academy grants around 84 degrees to students majoring in Mechanical Engineering, the school’s most popular major. Other popular majors include Economics, General, Systems Engineering, and International Relations and Affairs....view more Acceptance Rate 12% Annual Degrees Awarded 21 SAT Score 1,230–1,440 Median Starting Salary $63,921
#3 #3 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY Every year, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute grants around 237 degrees to those majoring in Computer Science, the institution’s most popular major....view more Acceptance Rate 63% Annual Degrees Awarded 16 SAT Score 1,380–1,510 Median Starting Salary $69,073
#4 #4 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX At Texas A&M University-College Station, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Psychology, General, Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Biomedical Sciences, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 57% Annual Degrees Awarded 72 SAT Score 1,170–1,400 Median Starting Salary $66,609
#5 #5 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO Each year, Missouri University of Science and Technology grants around 212 degrees to students studying Mechanical Engineering, the institution’s most popular major....view more Acceptance Rate 73% Annual Degrees Awarded 18 SAT Score 1,210–1,410 Median Starting Salary $65,332
#6 #6 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA With 5 schools, a college, 34 departments, and 44 undergraduate degrees, MIT has plenty to offer the university student. The schools include Engineering, Science, Sloan School of Management, Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and Architecture and Urban Planning (which was the first of its kind in the U.S.)....view more Acceptance Rate 5% Annual Degrees Awarded 9 SAT Score 1,520–1,590 Median Starting Salary $60,975
#7 #7 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN At The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management, Marketing/Marketing Management, General, Research and Experimental Psychology, and Other....view more Acceptance Rate 42% Annual Degrees Awarded 32 SAT Score 1,210–1,400 Median Starting Salary $66,161
#8 #8 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC Each year, North Carolina State University grants about 916 degrees to students studying Business Administration and Management, General, the school’s most popular major. Other popular majors include Biology/Biological Sciences, General, Computer Science, Psychology, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 42% Annual Degrees Awarded 31 SAT Score 1,240–1,450 Median Starting Salary $66,835
#9 #9 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Research and Experimental Psychology, Other, Computer Engineering, General, and Computer Science....view more Acceptance Rate 42% Annual Degrees Awarded 31 SAT Score 1,380–1,530 Median Starting Salary $66,495
#10 #10 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN At Purdue University-Main Campus, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Experimental Psychology. In fact, Purdue University-Main Campus awards 532 degrees every year to graduating Computer Science students....view more Acceptance Rate 50% Annual Degrees Awarded 31 SAT Score 1,220–1,490 Median Starting Salary $69,479
#11 #11 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Oregon State University Corvallis, OR At Oregon State University, the three most popular college majors students study are Computer Science, Psychology, General, Business Administration and Management, and General. In fact, Oregon State University grants 977 degrees per year to graduating Computer Science students....view more Acceptance Rate 77% Annual Degrees Awarded 27 SAT Score 1,160–1,400 Median Starting Salary $65,405
#12 #12 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA At Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, the most popular majors students study are Finance, General, Psychology, General, and Information Science/Studies. In fact, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus awards 533 degrees annually to Finance, General majors....view more Acceptance Rate 61% Annual Degrees Awarded 22 SAT Score 1,250–1,430 Median Starting Salary $67,238
#13 #13 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA Every year, Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus awards around 1206 degrees to students studying Computer and Information Sciences, General, which is the institution’s most popular major....view more Acceptance Rate 14% Annual Degrees Awarded 16 SAT Score 1,370–1,530 Median Starting Salary $64,130
#14 #14 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM At the University of New Mexico-Main Campus, the most popular majors students pursue are Business Administration and Management, General, Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Psychology, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 79% Annual Degrees Awarded 18 SAT Score 910–1,180 Median Starting Salary $64,764
#15 #15 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI At the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Computer and Information Sciences, General, Economics, General, Business Administration and Management, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 16% Annual Degrees Awarded 15 SAT Score 1,370–1,530 Median Starting Salary $66,055
#16 #16 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC At South Carolina State University, the three most popular college majors students study are Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General, Business Administration and Management, General, Biology/Biological Sciences, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 83% Annual Degrees Awarded 4 SAT Score 800–1,020 Median Starting Salary $67,043
#17 #17 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA At the University of California-Berkeley, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Computer Science, Computer and Information Sciences, Other, and Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology....view more Acceptance Rate 11% Annual Degrees Awarded 12 SAT Score 1,330–1,540 Median Starting Salary $60,123
#18 #18 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of Florida Gainesville, FL At the University of Florida, the most popular majors students pursue are Psychology, General, Biology/Biological Sciences, General, Business Administration and Management, and General. In fact, the University of Florida grants 578 degrees per year to Psychology, General majors....view more Acceptance Rate 24% Annual Degrees Awarded 13 SAT Score 1,330–1,480 Median Starting Salary $62,959
#19 #19 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI Each year, the University of Wisconsin-Madison awards around 665 degrees to students majoring in Computer and Information Sciences, General, which is the school’s most popular major....view more Acceptance Rate 45% Annual Degrees Awarded 10 SAT Score 1,350–1,480 Median Starting Salary $71,474
#20 #20 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Idaho State University Pocatello, ID At Idaho State University, the most popular majors students pursue are Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Psychology, General, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, and General....view more Acceptance Rate 84% Annual Degrees Awarded 6 SAT Score -- Median Starting Salary $66,810
#21 #21 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA Each year, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg grants about 57 degrees to those majoring in Mechanical Engineering, the school’s most popular major....view more Acceptance Rate 98% Annual Degrees Awarded 1 SAT Score 1,120–1,320 Median Starting Salary $67,746
*The estimated net prices above are College Raptor’s estimate. Please contact the college financial aid office for actual net cost figures.

About Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear Engineering programs prepare individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems for controlling and manipulating nuclear energy, including nuclear power plant design, fission reactor design, fusion reactor design, reactor control and safety systems design, power transfer systems, containment vessels and structures design; and the analysis of related engineering problems such as fission and fusion processes, human and environmental factors, construction, and operational considerations.

Of the 425 Nuclear Engineering degrees granted each year at the Bachelors degree level, men make up 77% percent and women make up 23% percent of the field of study. Did you know that Texas has more students being awarded a degree in Nuclear Engineering than any other state in the US? In fact, Texas granted 72 degrees last year! The average annual income for an undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering is $68,500.

Popularity of Nuclear Engineering Degrees in the U.S.

This heat map represents the states that have the highest percent of Nuclear Engineering degrees compared to all other degrees awarded in that state.

Less Popular

More Popular

Careers

The highest paying jobs for Nuclear Engineering majors include Architectural and Engineering Managers, Nuclear Engineers and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. But, something else to consider is how many job openings there currently is. Jobs that are in high need that a degree in Nuclear Engineering can prepare you for are Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary and Nuclear Engineers.

Top Paying Careers

These are the highest paying careers for Nuclear Engineering majors.

Most In-Demand Careers

These are the careers in highest demand for Nuclear Engineering majors.

Student Demographics

Total Students

425

Female Students

99 (23%)

Male Students

326 (76%)

Resources for:

Articles

Resources for:

Nuclear Engineering

#1 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

9%

20

1,200–1,420

$62,601

#2 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

12%

21

1,230–1,440

$63,921

#3 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

63%

16

1,380–1,510

$69,073

#4 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

57%

72

1,170–1,400

$66,609

#5 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

73%

18

1,210–1,410

$65,332

#6 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

5%

9

1,520–1,590

$60,975

#7 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

42%

32

1,210–1,400

$66,161

#8 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

42%

31

1,240–1,450

$66,835

#9 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

42%

31

1,380–1,530

$66,495

#10 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

50%

31

1,220–1,490

$69,479

#11 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

77%

27

1,160–1,400

$65,405

#12 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

61%

22

1,250–1,430

$67,238

#13 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

14%

16

1,370–1,530

$64,130

#14 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

79%

18

910–1,180

$64,764

#15 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

16%

15

1,370–1,530

$66,055

#16 Best College for Nuclear Engineering in the U.S.

83%

4

800–1,020