Nuclear Engineers Salary in Illinois

Nuclear Engineerss in Illinois have a median annual salary of $134,510, which works out to about $64.67 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $112,260 to $162,440, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

17-2161 · Nuclear Engineers

Nuclear Engineers pay in Illinois at a glance

Median annual salary

$134,510

Median hourly wage

$64.67/hr

Average annual salary

$139,280

Average hourly wage

$66.96/hr

25th percentile

$112,260

75th percentile

$162,440

10th percentile

$102,890

90th percentile

$171,060

People employed

1,040

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid nuclear engineers roles in Illinois.

10th percentile
$102,890
25th percentile
$112,260
Median percentile
$134,510
75th percentile
$162,440
90th percentile
$171,060

Illinois vs U.S. salary

The median salary for nuclear engineers roles in Illinois is about 0.4% above the U.S. median of $133,970 for the same occupation.

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How much does a nuclear engineers make in Illinois?

Half of nuclear engineers roles in Illinois report earning more than $134,510 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $139,280 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $112,260 and a quarter are above $162,440, so most nuclear engineers pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect nuclear engineers pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

Nuclear Engineers pay in other states

Related jobs in Illinois

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.