Nuclear Engineers
SOC Code: 17-2161 Job Zone 4: Considerable Preparation Needed
Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Nuclear Engineers. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | $93,205 | $136,635 | $180,086 | $223,517 |
| Ogden, UT | $164,466 | $183,768 | $203,091 | $222,394 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $162,157 | $181,896 | $201,635 | $221,374 |
| Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $162,344 | $181,958 | $201,552 | $221,166 |
| Morristown, TN | $94,910 | $133,702 | $172,515 | $211,307 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $98,758 | $136,219 | $173,701 | $211,162 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $106,517 | $140,962 | $175,427 | $209,872 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $93,642 | $132,330 | $170,997 | $209,685 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $96,699 | $130,582 | $164,466 | $198,349 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $135,470 | $155,355 | $175,219 | $195,104 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC | 38 | $130,767 |
| UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY) | 33 | $134,165 |
| UChicago Argonne LLC | 17 | $88,574 |
| Framatome Inc. | 11 | $83,661 |
| Triad National Security, LLC | 8 | $135,166 |
| University of Michigan | 7 | $74,604 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 6 | $102,532 |
| Holtec International | 5 | $108,772 |
| JAPAN ELECTRIC POWER INFORMATION CENTER, USA | 4 | $141,500 |
| North Carolina State University | 4 | $82,331 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11 | $119,445 |
| 2021 | 3 | $153,161 |
| 2022 | 22 | $97,517 |
| 2023 | 30 | $99,803 |
| 2024 | 60 | $112,748 |
| 2025 | 67 | $118,371 |
| 2026 | 9 | $116,910 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Science | 4.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 | |
| Mathematics | 4.0 | |
| Monitoring | 4.0 | |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Writing | 4.0 | |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Engineering and Technology | 4.6 |
| Physics | 4.5 |
| Mathematics | 4.4 |
| English Language | 4.0 |
| Public Safety and Security | 4.0 |
| Chemistry | 3.9 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.7 |
| Design | 3.7 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 81.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 19.1% |
Typical Tasks
- Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
- Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
- Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.
- Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal.
- Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
- Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
- Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
- Recommend preventive measures to be taken in the handling of nuclear technology, based on data obtained from operations monitoring or from evaluation of test results.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
C++ Linux Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Oracle Java Python SAP software SAS Salesforce software The MathWorks MATLAB UNIX ANISN dose assessment computer code
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