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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

36 Ranked Colleges
864 Degrees Awarded
$34,200 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major” ranking looked at 36 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in nuclear engineering. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in nuclear engineering.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major” list to help you make the college decision.

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. 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.

Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major. Texas A&M University - College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 101 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Nuclear Engineering Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 75 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at U-M

3

Out of the 36 schools in the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 67 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UT Knoxville Nuclear Engineering Report

4
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oregon State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. Oregon State University is a large public school situated in Corvallis, Oregon. It awarded 48 ’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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Oregon State Nuclear Engineering Report

5

Out of the 36 schools in the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. 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.

Full University of California - Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Report

6
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #6. NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University

7

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #7. 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.

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%.

Full UW - Madison Nuclear Engineering Report

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

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 UIUC

9
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 38 ’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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Purdue

10

Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 36 ’s nuclear engineering degrees 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

11

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

12

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended 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 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 23 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Nuclear Engineering Report

13

Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #13. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at MIT

14

With a ranking of #14, University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 21 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

15
West Point crest
United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #15. 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 more about Nuclear Engineering at United States Military Academy

16
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of Florida is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 ’s 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Florida

17
ISU crest
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho

With a ranking of #17, Idaho State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. This fairly large school is located in Pocatello, Idaho, and it awarded 15 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Idaho State University Nuclear Engineering Report

18
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

University of Idaho came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Located in Moscow, Idaho, this fairly large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full U of I Nuclear Engineering Report

18
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

Naval Postgraduate School ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. Naval Postgraduate School is located in Monterey, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Full Naval Postgraduate School Nuclear Engineering Report

18

Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #18. 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 AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management Nuclear Engineering Report

18

With a ranking of #18, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 9 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Ohio State University - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

22
Annapolis crest
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

With a ranking of #22, United States Naval Academy did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. This small school is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and it awarded 8 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full United States Naval Academy Nuclear Engineering Report

23
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Colorado School of Mines is located in Golden, Colorado and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Colorado School of Mines Nuclear Engineering Report

24
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #24, University of Utah did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major list. University of Utah is a large public school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at U of U

24
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nuclear Engineering Major ranking. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 K -State

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