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Nuclear Engineer - Federal Salaries of 2012
Pay Rates for "Nuclear Engineer"
How much does a Nuclear Engineer in the federal government get paid? $131,010.16* *Based on the 2012 average.Nuclear Engineer was the 203rd most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2012, with 692 employed. The most common payscale was the grades similar to general schedule payscale.
In 2012, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission hired the most employees titled Nuclear Engineering, with an average salary of $128,315.
Government Nuclear Engineering jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Nuclear Engineering job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired a Nuclear Engineer
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Regulatory Commission | 429 | $128,315.12 |
| Department of Energy | 243 | $136,686.69 |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 7 | $107,299.14 |
| National Institute of Standards and Technology | 5 | $151,094.80 |
| Geological Survey | 4 | $86,760.25 |
| Department of State | 1 | $155,500.00 |
| George C. Marshall Space Flight Center | 1 | $127,743.00 |
| National Protection and Programs Directorate | 1 | $115,742.00 |
| Domestic Nuclear Detection Office | 1 | $144,385.00 |
Nuclear Engineer Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Nuclear Engineer is $131,010.16.
Common Nuclear Engineer Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Nuclear Engineering Employees |
|---|---|
| GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule | 368 |
| GS - General Schedule | 125 |
| NN - Nnsa Engineering And Scientific | 71 |
| ES - Senior Executive Service | 46 |
| EN - Nat Nuclear Security Admin Exc Srvc Only | 21 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not E | 13 |
| EG - Consultant (other) | 12 |
| EK - Nat Defense Auth Act 1995 Energy Exc Svc | 8 |
| EJ - Dept Of Energy Org Act Excepted Service | 7 |
| ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional | 5 |
| SN - Senior Level System | 5 |
| EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) | 5 |
| AJ - Administrative Judges | 3 |
| ED - Expert (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 2 |
| EF - Consultant (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $34,649.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $146,757.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 0800 ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Nuclear Engineering jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiology | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Metallurgy | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Mathematics Technician | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Navigational Information | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
Average Nuclear Engineering Pay Trend from 2004 to 2020
In 2004, the average pay for a Nuclear Engineer was $111,626. Since then, the average pay has decreased to $0 in 2020.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0840.