College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

28 Ranked Colleges
167 Degrees Awarded
$34,400 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 864 people earned their degree in nuclear engineering, making the major the 253rd most popular in the United States. 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.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 167 nuclear engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 28 colleges that offered a degree in nuclear engineering. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in nuclear engineering.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Nuclear Engineering Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nuclear Engineering Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major

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

Top 28 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

1
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado School of Mines. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 4 doctorate’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Colorado School of Mines Nuclear Engineering Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major. UT Knoxville is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UT Knoxville

4

Out of the 28 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management landed the #4 spot on the list. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management

5

Out of the 28 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Nuclear Engineering Report

6
ISU crest
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho

Idaho State University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Pocatello, Idaho is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Full ISU Nuclear Engineering Report

7

With a ranking of #7, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Troy, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

8
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #8, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 94%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University

9

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 20 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

10

University of California - Berkeley came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nuclear engineering students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Report

11
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

With a ranking of #11, Oregon State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Oregon State University is a large public school situated in Corvallis, Oregon. It awarded 8 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Oregon State Nuclear Engineering Report

12
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. K -State is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at K -State

13
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

With a ranking of #13, University of Idaho did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of Idaho is a fairly large public school situated in Moscow, Idaho. It awarded 2 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Idaho

14

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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

15
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 8 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University - Main Campus

16

Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Texas A&M College Station Nuclear Engineering Report

17

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UIUC Nuclear Engineering Report

18

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

19

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

20

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #20. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 2 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Nuclear Engineering Report

21
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. University of Utah is a public institution located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of Utah

22
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #22, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major list. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Tech

23
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #23. University of Florida is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 3 doctorate’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of Florida

24

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 0 doctorate’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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UMCP

24

University of South Carolina - Columbia came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. University of South Carolina - Columbia is located in Columbia, South Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of South Carolina - Columbia

24

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UC

24
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 0 doctorate’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Cornell University

24

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 0 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for General Engineering

Agricultural Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Agricultural Engineering

Biomedical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Biomedical Engineering

Chemical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

Computer Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering

Engineering Mechanics
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Mechanics

Engineering Science
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Science

Materials Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering

Metallurgical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering

Marine Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Marine Engineering

Petroleum Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Petroleum Engineering

Textile Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Textile Engineering

Construction Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Construction Engineering

Industrial Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Industrial Engineering

Operations Research
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Operations Research

Geoscience Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Geoscience Engineering

Electromechanical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering

Biological Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Biological Engineering

Other Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Other Engineering

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

Architectural Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Architectural Engineering

Ceramic Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Ceramic Engineering

Civil Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering

Electrical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Electrical Engineering

Engineering Physics
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Physics

Environmental Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Environmental Engineering

Mechanical Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

Mining Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Mining Engineering

Ocean Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Ocean Engineering

Systems Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering

Forest Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Forest Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering

Surveying Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Surveying Engineering

Paper Science & Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering

Robotics Engineering
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Robotics Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Most Focused Doctor's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options