Nuclear Technician Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of nuclear technicians to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 100 more jobs), with about 900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $110,240 a year ranks 93rd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.1%
- Openings a year
- 900
- Median pay
- $110,240
- Pay rank
- 93rd of 825
Is employment of nuclear technicians growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of nuclear technicians to rise 1.1% (about 100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 547th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 6,700 |
| Employment, 2035 | 6,800 |
| Projected change | +1.1% |
| Openings a year | 900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 6,700 jobs here differ from the 6,470 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 679th most of 830 occupations. About 99% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 10 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for nuclear technicians rank?
The median of $110,240 a year ranks 93rd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: associate's degree.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | +6.9% | 5,300 | $55,090 |
| Chemical Technicians | +4.9% | 7,600 | $60,390 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | +19.4% | 3,800 | $61,560 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | +18.5% | 17,100 | $90,150 |
| Chemists | +6.4% | 5,900 | $91,240 |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | -5.9% | 400 | $122,890 |
| Power Plant Operators | -5.1% | 2,300 | $102,040 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | +4.4% | 800 | $101,370 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.