Nuclear technicians
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Nuclear technicians in the United States earn a median salary of $110,240 per year — about $53 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 6K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of -8%.
AI & Automation Risk
Nuclear technicians perform a mix of digital monitoring and physical labor, such as collecting environmental samples and maintaining hardware. While AI can significantly automate the data analysis, radiation calculation, and system monitoring aspects of the role, the requirement for physical presence in hazardous environments and the manual calibration of equipment provide a buffer against full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJBEST VALUE | $171,470 | Above avg (112.6) | $152,222 |
| Birmingham, AL | $126,930 | Below avg (91.8) | $138,321 |
| Richmond, VA | $122,210 | Average (98.3) | $124,277 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $108,210 | Below avg (91.2) | $118,594 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $114,910 | Average (97.7) | $117,589 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $96,730 | Below avg (93.1) | $103,928 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $113,390 | Above avg (110.4) | $102,715 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,990 | Average (102.5) | $97,565 |
| Knoxville, TN | $78,850 | Below avg (92.2) | $85,489 |