Side-by-side distribution
Nuclear Engineer
$133,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 56.9%
- Live roles
- 130
Structural Engineer
$125,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 41.4%
- Live roles
- 824
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer
Staff Nuclear Hardness and Survivability Engineer
Principal Nuclear Engineer
Sentinel - Sr Staff Nuclear Hardness Survivability Engineer - 19988
Senior/Staff Nuclear Safety Analysis Engineer
Engineer IV - VI, Nuclear Safety Analysis
Sentinel - Nuclear Surety - Staff Systems Engineer - 20390
Staff Systems Engineer - Nuclear Hardness & Survivability -18271
Staff Nuclear Hardness & Survivability Systems Engineer
Nuclear Licensing Engineer
Highest-paying jobs
Project Manager II - Structural Engineer Buildings
Resident Structural Engineer (PHX)
Principal Structural Design Engineer - Data Center Infrastructure
Structural Engineer, Thermofluids
Senior Spacecraft Structural Analysis Engineer II - TS/SCI Clearance
Staff Structural Engineer
Staff Structural Engineer
Senior Principal Engineer, Structural Engineering
Principal Structural Engineer - Buildings
Project Manager I - Structural Engineer Buildings
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 14 |
|
Radiant Industries
|
$168,188 | 11 |
General Matter
|
$125,000 | 6 |
The Aerospace Corporation
|
$167,850 | 4 |
|
Antares
|
$167,500 | 4 |
| GV GE Vernova | $164,150 | 4 |
|
Amentum
|
$137,500 | 4 |
|
X-energy
|
$133,500 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 44 |
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 29 |
| PA Parsons | $121,550 | 25 |
Barr Engineering
|
$95,903 | 18 |
AtkinsRéalis
|
$120,000 | 12 |
|
HNTB
|
$169,823 | 9 |
STV
|
$153,681 | 9 |
| WJ Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | $135,400 | 9 |
Nuclear Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $147,500 | 9 |
Structural Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $185,000 | 7 |
| Austin | $185,000 | 10 |
| New York | $154,300 | 21 |
| Los Angeles | $154,200 | 25 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 40 |
| Denver | $117,020 | 22 |
| Boston | $112,331 | 6 |
| Chicago | $103,113 | 11 |
| Atlanta | $103,113 | 5 |
| Toronto | $92,900 | 7 |
Nuclear Engineer vs Structural Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Nuclear Engineer is $133,500 per year (typically $120,000–$175,500), versus $125,000 for Structural Engineer ($103,113–$149,500). That puts Nuclear Engineer about 7% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Nuclear Engineer and Structural 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.