Bachelor's+2% vs national median171 grads tracked
Nuclear Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 4th of 11 bachelor's programs in Nuclear Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$81,771
middle 50%: $55,060 – $90,722
Median · 5 years out
$104,999
middle 50%: $82,174 – $129,172
Median · 10 years out
$127,603
middle 50%: $102,996 – $169,393
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Nuclear Engineering (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Nuclear engineering graduates earn $82k in their first year. Ten-year median salaries reach $128k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
3.8 yrs
≈ $4,075 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$112,487 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$108,573 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University
$106,181 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$104,847 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$102,869 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$102,472 · 5 yrs out
Missouri University of Science and Technology
$99,617 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$98,905 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$90,230 · 5 yrs out
South Carolina State University
$86,929 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$123,822 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Compare universities
Agricultural Engineering
Compare universities
Architectural Engineering
Compare universities
Biochemical Engineering
Compare universities
Biological/Biosystems Engineering
Compare universities
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Compare universities