Nuclear Physicist Salary in the United States

How much does a Nuclear Physicist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nuclear Physicist in the United States is $73,333 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,071
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,489 to $80,001
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,347
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $65,489 10% $58,347 90% $86,071 75% $80,001 $73,333 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Nuclear Physicist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $80,001 $6,667 $1,538 $38
Average $73,333 $6,111 $1,410 $35
25th Percentile $65,489 $5,457 $1,259 $31
Check out Nuclear Physicist Job Openings in the United States
Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - LEBANON, NH

Occupational Therapist

The Pediatric Therapy Center - ALBERTVILLE, AL

Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - CHELAN, WA

Travel

Focus Staff - ESCANABA, MI

Search More Nuclear Physicist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Nuclear Physicist Salaries

A Nuclear Physicist'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Nuclear Physicist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Nuclear Physicist'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-Level (less than 1 year): $72,843
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $91,525
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $107,398
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $139,743
  • Expert (over 8 years): $156,063
Levels Salary
Nuclear P... Level Nuclear Physicist$72,843
Physicist... Level Nuclear Physicist$91,525
Physicist... Level Nuclear Physicist$107,398
Physicist... Level Nuclear Physicist$139,743
Physicist... Level Nuclear Physicist$156,063
$72,843 0 yr
$91,525 < 2 yrs
$107,398 2-4 yrs
$139,743 5-8 yrs
$156,063 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Nuclear Physicists

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: $92,495
  • San Francisco: $91,482
  • Oakland: $89,554

What Skills Can Increase a Nuclear Physicist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 10.25% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Calibration (Mentioned in 6.54% Job Postings): In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known accuracy, a device generating the quantity to be measured such as a voltage, a sound tone, or a physical artefact, such as a metre ruler. The outcome of the comparison can result in one of the following: no significant error being noted on the device under test a significant error being noted but no adjustment made an adjustment made to correct the error to an acceptable levelStrictly speaking, the term "calibration" means just the act of comparison, and does not include any subsequent adjustment. The calibration standard is normally traceable to a national standard held by a national metrological body.
  • Technical Skills (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): Technical skills are the specialized knowledge and expertise required to perform specific tasks and use specific tools and programs in real world situations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 10.25%
Calibration 6.54%
Technical Skills 1.6%
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 a Nuclear Physicist's salary.
  • Nuclear Medicine: Can increase your salary by up to 56%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 51%.
  • MRI: Can increase your salary by up to 50%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Nuclear Medicine
$114,399
56%
Consulting
$110,733
51%
MRI
$109,999
50%
Coordination
$87,266
19%
Planning
$85,066
16%
Insight
$82,133
12%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Nuclear Physicist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Nuclear Physicists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Nuclear Physicist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $70,975 and $75,970).

Nuclear Physicist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Nuclear Physicist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 19.0%
Bachelors 41.9%
Masters 19.0%
Doctorate 38.1%
view as graph

Nuclear Physicist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Nuclear Physicist'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 May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Nuclear Physicist

Salaries for a Nuclear Physicist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $54,355 in 2023 to around $54,123 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Nuclear Physicist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Nuclear Physicist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$54,355
2024
$54,327
2025
$54,123
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $54,355
2024 $54,327
2025 $54,123
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Nuclear Physicist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Nuclear Physicist

Here are companies hiring for Nuclear Physicist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Nuclear Physicist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Nuclear Physicist 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.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint 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