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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1423

Nuclear Engineering: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$146,422 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$146,422Median year-4 earnings

$21,315Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$146,422Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

86thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

1Reporting programs

1With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $95,861
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $96,752
Federal debt: $23,125
Reporting programs: 13

12 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $110,980
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $146,422
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$146,422National median$146,42275th percentile$146,422

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Texas A&M University-College Station$146,422

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 1 crosswalk linksNuclear EngineersSOC 17-2161 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Texas A&M University-College StationDoctoral Degree	College Station, TX	$146,422	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,315

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.