SOC 19-4051.00

    Nuclear Technicians

    Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities.

    Median pay
    $110,240
    Growth
    +1.1%
    Slower than average
    Openings a year
    900
    Typical education
    Associate's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $73,150
    Median
    $110,240
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $133,600
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    6,470 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Nuclear technicians assist scientists and engineers in laboratories and power plants by operating equipment and monitoring radiation. The career offers a high median annual salary of $110,240, with entry-level workers earning over $73,150.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What nuclear technicians do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment. May monitor radiation.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    Nuclear technicians spend their days supporting nuclear physicists and engineers in power generation, electricity production, and research settings. Their primary duties involve monitoring processes and surroundings, inspecting equipment, and controlling machines to ensure safe operations. They must gather information, document their findings, and evaluate data to confirm compliance with safety standards.

    This role requires a strong realistic interest, meaning workers enjoy hands-on, practical tasks. Key skills for this profession include operations monitoring, quality control analysis, active listening, and critical thinking. Technicians must understand physics, chemistry, engineering, and public safety. Because they work with radioactive materials, they must demonstrate work styles such as extreme cautiousness, attention to detail, dependability, and high stress tolerance.

    How to get there

    To enter this field, individuals typically need an associate's degree or vocational training. Relevant college majors include nuclear engineering technology, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, and allied health diagnostic, intervention, and treatment professions.

    Preparation focuses on gaining medium-level technical training and hands-on experience. Some states list a license for this career. Additionally, technicians can earn professional credentials, such as the Registered Radiation Protection Technologist certification from the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for nuclear technicians is $110,240. The lowest 10% of earners make less than $73,150, while the highest 10% earn more than $133,600. Currently, there are 6,470 people employed in this field.

    Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 1.1%, which is slower than the average for all occupations. Despite this slow growth rate, about 900 job openings are expected to emerge each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    79 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    60 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    14 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    21 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    68 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    92
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    90
    Documenting/Recording Information
    88
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    86
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    83
    Getting Information
    82
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    81
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    80
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    77
    Processing Information
    72
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Operation and Control

    Knowledge

    • Public Safety and Security
    • Mechanical
    • Physics
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Education and Training
    • Chemistry
    • English Language
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Mathematics
    • Law and Government

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Expression
    • Perceptual Speed
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Clarity

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Self-Control
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Cooperation
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Achievement Orientation

    Also called

    Accelerator Operator · Accelerator Technician · Auxiliary Operator · Cell Support Operator · Electric Systems Operator · Energy Systems Operator · Equipment Operation Instructor · Equipment Operator · Facilities Operator · Gamma Facilities Operator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to nuclear technicians

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Nuclear Technicians$110,240 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Wagner College logo
      Wagner College

      Staten Island, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $156,982
      Median debt
      $27,000
    2. 2St. John's University-New York logo
      St. John's University-New York

      Queens, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $102,500
      4 yrs after
      $142,774
      Median debt
      $23,325
    3. 3John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences logo
      John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences

      South Bend, IN · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $112,673
      4 yrs after
      $122,061
      Median debt
      $23,437
    4. 4Saint Francis University logo
      Saint Francis University

      Loretto, PA · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $115,813
      Median debt
      $28,000
    5. 5D'Youville University logo
      D'Youville University

      Buffalo, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $113,290
      4 yrs after
      $114,737
      Median debt
      $30,703
    6. 6Molloy College logo
      Molloy College

      Rockville Centre, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $90,567
      4 yrs after
      $111,267
      Median debt
      Not reported
    7. 7Salisbury University logo
      Salisbury University

      Salisbury, MD · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,312
      4 yrs after
      $109,739
      Median debt
      $23,250
    8. 8Long Island University logo
      Long Island University

      Brookville, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $90,526
      4 yrs after
      $107,539
      Median debt
      $22,000

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What nuclear technicians may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Industrial Radiologic Technology/Technician
    • Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians, Other
    • Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician
    • Nuclear/Nuclear Power Technology/Technician
    • Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    2 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about nuclear technicians

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for nuclear technicians?

    People in this field are also called accelerator operators, auxiliary operators, equipment operators, and radiation protection technicians.

    What certifications are available for this career?

    Technicians can obtain the Registered Radiation Protection Technologist credential through the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists. Some states also list specific licensing requirements for this work.

    What are the main knowledge areas required for this job?

    Technicians need a strong foundation in public safety and security, mechanical systems, physics, and engineering. They also utilize knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, and computers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.