Career profile · 19-4051
Nuclear Technicians
Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment. May monitor radiation.
What the work can involve
- Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
- Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
- Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
- Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
- Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
- Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Physics
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Application server software: VMWare ESX Server
- Clustering software: VMware
- Data base user interface and query software: Data logging software, Database software, Microsoft Access, Structured query language SQL
- Industrial control software: Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Operating system software: Linux, Microsoft Windows
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for nuclear technicians
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 14 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $110,240 | $53.00 | 280 |
| California | $99,270 | $47.72 | Not published |
| Florida | $135,550 | $65.17 | 60 |
| Illinois | $110,390 | $53.07 | 780 |
| Massachusetts | $113,390 | $54.51 | 50 |
| Missouri | $104,580 | $50.28 | 150 |
| New York | $129,780 | $62.40 | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110,430 | $53.09 | 420 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,070 | $59.65 | 310 |
| South Carolina | $108,490 | $52.16 | 750 |
| Tennessee | $91,980 | $44.22 | 110 |
| Texas | $124,060 | $59.64 | 110 |
| Virginia | $98,930 | $47.56 | 680 |
| Washington | $108,200 | $52.02 | 90 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 9 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other→
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary→
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other→
- Neurodiagnostic Technologists→
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists→
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians→
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians→
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 19-4051.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.