Science · Career brief

Nuclear Technicians

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Nuclear Technicians at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$110,240

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

1.1%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

900

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Associate degree

Usually a two-year-level credential or equivalent route

Associate's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (6,700 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with an associate-degree path. Main tradeoff: This is a small national occupation (6,700 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median…

Before choosing, compare:Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians Agricultural Technicians Forest and Conservation Technicians

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Nuclear Technicians with another field Explore rankings in Science Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$110,240

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

1.1%employment growth900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Associate's degree; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

6,700

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Nuclear technicians (19-4051).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (6,700 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.
The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.6
Documenting/Recording Information4.5
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic5.8
Conventional5.1
Investigative4.6
Enterprising2.3
Social1.8
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Public Safety and Security Mechanical Physics Engineering and Technology

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Run a small investigation with a written hypothesis, observations or public data, and a conclusion that states what the evidence cannot prove.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Nuclear technicians nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options