upper level job

Entry Nuclear Engineer Salary in Applegate, CA

How much does an Entry Nuclear Engineer make in Applegate, CA?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry Nuclear Engineer in Applegate, CA is $87,800 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

However, an Entry Nuclear Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $99,263
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $81,000 to $93,800
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $74,809
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $81,000 10% $74,809 90% $99,263 75% $93,800 $87,800 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry Nuclear Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $93,800 $7,817 $1,804 $45
Average $87,800 $7,317 $1,688 $42
25th Percentile $81,000 $6,750 $1,558 $39
Check out Entry Nuclear Engineer Job Openings in Applegate, CA
Nuclear Hardness&amp Surivivability Engineer

Aerospace Corporation - El Segundo, CA

Entry Level Systems Engineer

BAE Systems - San Diego, CA

Entry Level Software Engineer

BAE Systems - San Diego, CA

SUPERVISORY NUCLEAR ENGINEER

Department of Defense - point loma complex san diego, CA

Search More Entry Nuclear Engineer Jobs in Applegate, CA

Key Factors That Influence Entry Nuclear Engineer Salaries

An Entry Nuclear Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Nuclear Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Nuclear Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry Nuclear Engineer (0-2 years): $87,728
  • Engineer, Experienced - Nuclear (2-4 years): $102,543
  • Radiological Engineer III (4-7 years): $124,365
  • Engineer, Specialist - Nuclear (7+ years): $150,228
  • Engineer, Lead/Master - Nuclear (7-10 years): $173,510
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Entry Nuclear Engineer0-2 years$87,728
Engineer, Experienced - Nuclear2-4 years$102,543
Radiological Engineer III4-7 years$124,365
Engineer, Specialist - Nuclear7+ years$150,228
Engineer, Lead/Master - Nuclear7-10 years$173,510
$87,728 Entry Nuc...
$102,543 Engineer,...
$124,365 Radiologi...
$150,228 Engineer,...
$173,510 Engineer,...
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry Nuclear Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $103,300
  • San Francisco: $102,300
  • Oakland: $100,000

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Nuclear Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 18.57% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Construction Management (Mentioned in 0.34% Job Postings): Construction management (CM) is a professional service that uses specialized, project management techniques to oversee the planning, design, and construction of a project, from its beginning to its end. The purpose of CM is to control a project's time / delivery, cost and quality—sometimes referred to as a project management triangle or "triple constraints." CM is compatible with all project delivery systems, including design-bid-build, design-build, CM At-Risk and Public Private Partnerships. Professional construction managers may be reserved for lengthy, large-scale, high budget undertakings (commercial real estate, transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities, and military infrastructure), called capital projects.
  • Python (Mentioned in 0.34% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 18.57%
Construction Management 0.34%
Python 0.34%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Entry Nuclear Engineer's salary.
  • Cybersecurity: Can increase your salary by up to 39%.
  • Test Plans: Can increase your salary by up to 37%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 36%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cybersecurity
$122,042
39%
Test Plans
$120,286
37%
Consulting
$119,408
36%
Analytical Skills
$118,530
35%
Hydraulics
$112,384
28%
Analysis
$109,750
25%
Get Latest Data

Entry Nuclear Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Nuclear Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on February 01, 2026

Entry Nuclear Engineer Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an Entry Nuclear Engineer, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Entry Nuclear Engineer Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Aviation Engineer II $102,600 17%
Airport Design Engineer $77,601 -12%
Aerospace Aviation Engineer II $102,590 17%
Intermediate Engineer $98,800 13%

Find Your Next Entry Nuclear Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Entry Nuclear Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Cost of Living In Applegate, CA

Cost of Living in Applegate, CA is
23.6% Higher
than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

Explore Cost of Living Calculator
Empower Your Team

Salary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.

Find Salary.com Comp Consulting
See Salary Trends in 2025

Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.

Price Your Company Jobs and Make Pay Fair

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst