by our College Data Analytics Team
[Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying nuclear engineering schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send nuclear engineering graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is University Of Florida, our #1 for nuclear engineering graduate salaries in the Southeast Region. University Of Florida is a public school located in the city of Gainesville. Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of about $112,160 a year early in their careers.
Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus produces some of the highest-paid graduates in nuclear engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the nuclear engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $98,613.
Strong graduate earnings at The University Of Tennessee earned it the #3 place for nuclear engineering. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a public institution. Nuclear Engineering graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of about $94,044 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned it the #4 place for nuclear engineering. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public school located in the city of Raleigh. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates from North Carolina State University At Raleigh make a median of around $74,540 per year.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their nuclear engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.