Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$173,993
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 30.6%
- Live roles
- 36
Nuclear Engineer
$140,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 64.3%
- Live roles
- 28
Highest-paying jobs
Aerospace Software Certification Engineer
Principal Solutions Engineer - Aerospace & Defense
Delivery Engineer - Aerospace & Defense
Chief Engineer (Aerospace)
Structures Engineer, Aerospace & Defense (All Levels)
Senior Design Engineer (Aerospace & Defense Hardware)
AI Systems Engineer (Aerospace Integrations) (Hub-Remote: DC or Philly Metro)
Design Engineer (Aerospace and Defense Hardware)
Senior Product Quality Engineer, Aerospace
Hardware Test Engineer (Aerospace)
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer
Nuclear Safety Engineer
Lead Nuclear Engineer
Senior Integration Engineer, Nuclear Programs
Senior Nuclear Engineer
Senior Nuclear Engineer
Senior Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer
Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Engineer
Nuclear Licensing Engineer
Nuclear Safeguards and Materials Control & Accountability (MC&A) Analyst/Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
PhysicsX
|
$212,500 | 2 |
|
Freeform
|
$155,000 | 2 |
|
Archer
|
$233,000 | 1 |
| VT Voyager Technologies, Inc. | $222,500 | 1 |
|
Divergent
|
$173,993 | 1 |
|
Element 84
|
$172,750 | 1 |
|
Latitudeinc
|
$140,000 | 1 |
|
Anduril Industries
|
$129,500 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Radiant Industries
|
$142,819 | 4 |
|
Antares
|
$167,500 | 3 |
|
General Matter
|
$125,000 | 3 |
Global Engineering & Technology, Inc. (GET)
|
$135,625 | 2 |
Jensen Hughes
|
$118,000 | 2 |
|
Helion
|
$290,500 | 1 |
|
Quast Ltd
|
$262,471 | 1 |
| OK Oklo | $155,000 | 1 |
Nuclear Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $125,000 | 5 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Nuclear Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $173,993 per year (typically $137,500–$212,500), versus $140,500 for Nuclear Engineer ($125,372–$158,113). That puts Aerospace Engineer about 24% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Aerospace Engineer and Nuclear Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.