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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

36 Ranked Colleges
864 Degrees Awarded
$33,800 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Nuclear Engineering is the 253rd most popular major in the country with 864 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, nuclear engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $59,111 and had an average of $22,196 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 36 colleges that offered a degree in nuclear engineering. That schools that top this list have a program in nuclear engineering in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

1
West Point crest
United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States Military Academy. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major. West Point, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at United States Military Academy

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public institution located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management Nuclear Engineering Report

3

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 36 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Nuclear Engineering Report

4

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Troy, New York, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 23 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

5
South Carolina State University crest
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, South Carolina

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, South Carolina State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Orangeburg, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Full South Carolina State University Nuclear Engineering Report

6

With a ranking of #6, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 67 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UT Knoxville

7
Annapolis crest
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

United States Naval Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Annapolis, Maryland, this small public school awarded 8 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at United States Naval Academy

8
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at MIT

9
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

With a ranking of #9, Oregon State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Corvallis, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Oregon State Nuclear Engineering Report

10
ISU crest
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho

Idaho State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Pocatello, Idaho, this fairly large public school handed out 15 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

Full ISU Nuclear Engineering Report

11

Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is a public institution located in College Station, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 101 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Nuclear Engineering Report

12

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 75 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

13
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 7 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Colorado School of Mines Nuclear Engineering Report

14
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

With a ranking of #14, Naval Postgraduate School did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. This small school is located in Monterey, California, and it awarded 35 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Naval Postgraduate School Nuclear Engineering Report

15
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at NC State

16

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #16. UNM is a public institution located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UNM

17
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

University of Idaho ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. U of I is a fairly large public school situated in Moscow, Idaho. It awarded 10 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at U of I

18

With a ranking of #18, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 32 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Tech

19

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #19. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 45 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

20
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Purdue

21

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 39 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

22

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Nuclear Engineering Report

23
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

With a ranking of #23, University of Florida did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 16 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of Florida

24
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #24, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Kansas State University is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University

25
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #25. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Utah

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