Find Affordable College Courses

What Do You Want to Study?

Nuclear Technicians in Illinois

Nuclear Technicians in Illinois

Want to work as a Nuclear Technicians in Illinois? Here’s what the data says. Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment. May monitor radiation.

What do Nuclear Technicians Make in Illinois?

For a nuclear technicians working in Illinois, the median annual wage is $102,810 per year (or about $49.43/hour).Pay can range from $62,930 at the 10th percentile to $120,370 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $62,930 $30.25
25th percentile $77,330 $37.18
Median (50th) $102,810 $49.43
75th percentile $115,350 $55.46
90th percentile $120,370 $57.87
Salary ranges for Nuclear Technicians in Illinois

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Illinois nationwide is 3.71, suggesting that nuclear technicians are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, nuclear technicians earn a median of $92,140 per year ($44.30/hour), above the Illinois median.

Nuclear Technicians earnings in Illinois vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 74,812 nuclear technicians nationwide. In Illinois alone, around 870 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 180 nuclear technicians.

Nuclear Technicians in Illinois vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Nuclear Technicians

Top Illinois Metros for Nuclear Technicians

The largest metro-area employers of nuclear technicians in Illinois.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 480 $78,780

Top States for Nuclear Technicians Employment

These states have the highest employment of nuclear technicians work.

State Number Employed
Illinois 870
South Carolina 760
North Carolina 430
Pennsylvania 330
Virginia 320
New York 200
Missouri 180
Alabama 170
Texas 170
Michigan 160
Washington 90
Tennessee 70
Florida 60

Highest-Paying States for Nuclear Technicians

The highest-paying states for nuclear technicians.

State Annual Median Salary
New York $121,460
Florida $118,340
Alabama $107,680
Virginia $106,270
New Mexico $105,350
South Carolina $105,300
Pennsylvania $104,650
Michigan $104,450
North Carolina $104,240
Illinois $102,810

Skills

The most important nuclear technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operations Monitoring  3.9 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  3.8 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.6 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  3.6 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  3.6 / 5
0
5
Quality Control Analysis  3.5 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Public Safety and Security  4.2 / 5
0
5
Mechanical  4.0 / 5
0
5
Physics  4.0 / 5
0
5
Engineering and Technology  3.7 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  3.6 / 5
0
5
Chemistry  3.5 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Key abilities for nuclear technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Problem Sensitivity  4.0 / 5
0
5
Information Ordering  3.9 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  3.9 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  3.9 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  3.6 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  3.6 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

  • Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
  • Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
  • Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
  • Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
  • Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
  • Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
  • Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.
  • Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.
  • Perform testing, maintenance, repair, or upgrading of accelerator systems.
  • Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.
  • Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.
  • Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.

Work Activities

  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Getting Information
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Controlling Machines and Processes
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Processing Information
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Analyzing Data or Information

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Linux

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Nuclear & Radiological Technology
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Allied Health Professions

Other careers like nuclear technicians include:

Also Known As

Accelerator Operator, Accelerator Technician, Auxiliary Operator, Cell Support Operator, Electric Systems Operator, Energy Systems Operator, Equipment Operation Instructor, Equipment Operator, Facilities Operator, Gamma Facilities Operator, Gamma Operator, Hot-Cell Technician, Licensed Nuclear Operator, Non Licensed Operator, Non-Licensed Nuclear Equipment Operator (NLO).

References

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.