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Most Popular Schools for Nuclear Engineering

2026 Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools

There are 40 colleges that offer a degree in Nuclear Engineering. Learn more about the most popular schools below:

Finding the Best Nuclear Engineering School for You

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which Nuclear Engineering program is right for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendance, there are many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. This report analyzed 40 schools in the United States to see which Nuclear Engineering programs were the most popular. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school’s program.

The following schools top our list of the Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools.

Our 2026 rankings named Texas A&M University-College Station the most popular school in the U.S. for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in College Station, TX, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 105 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $54,018. Full Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University-College Station Report

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville comes in at #2 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in Knoxville, TN, this is a public institution. This school awarded 83 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $44,937. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

North Carolina State University at Raleigh landed the #3 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Located in Raleigh, NC, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 77 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $50,866. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University at Raleigh

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor landed the #4 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a public school located in Ann Arbor, MI. During the most recent year for which we have data, 58 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $64,597. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of California-Berkeley comes in at #5 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. University of California-Berkeley is a public school located in Berkeley, CA. During the most recent year for which we have data, 57 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $57,445. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of California-Berkeley

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign comes in at #6 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in Champaign, IL, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 56 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $53,513. Full Nuclear Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Report

#7

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN

Purdue University-Main Campus landed the #7 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Purdue University-Main Campus is a public school located in West Lafayette, IN. During the most recent year for which we have data, 52 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $61,124. Full Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University-Main Campus Report

#8

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR

Oregon State University landed the #8 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Oregon State University is a public school located in Corvallis, OR. During the most recent year for which we have data, 50 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $47,459. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology comes in at #9 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in Cambridge, MA, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 41 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $109,923. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus landed the #10 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public school located in University Park, PA. This school awarded 39 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $54,468. Full Nuclear Engineering at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Report

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus landed the #11 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is a public school located in Atlanta, GA. During the most recent year for which we have data, 34 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $87,556. Read More…

University of New Mexico-Main Campus landed the #12 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Located in Albuquerque, NM, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 30 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $42,863. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

University of Wisconsin-Madison landed the #13 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Located in Madison, WI, this is a public institution. This school awarded 29 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $53,379. Read More…

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus comes in at #14 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 27 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $49,721. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #15 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public school located in Rolla, MO. This school awarded 26 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $75,542. Read More…

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute landed the #16 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit school located in Troy, NY. During the most recent year for which we have data, 25 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $75,120. Read More…

#17

United States Naval Academy

Annapolis, MD

United States Naval Academy landed the #17 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Located in Annapolis, MD, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 25 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $40,669. Read More…

#18

Idaho State University

Pocatello, ID

Idaho State University landed the #18 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Idaho State University is a public school located in Pocatello, ID. This school awarded 23 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $45,217. Read More…

United States Military Academy comes in at #19 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in West Point, NY, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 21 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669. Full Nuclear Engineering at United States Military Academy Report

#20

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida comes in at #20 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. University of Florida is a public school located in Gainesville, FL. During the most recent year for which we have data, 20 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $48,898. Read More…

#21

University of Idaho

Moscow, ID

University of Idaho comes in at #21 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. University of Idaho is a public school located in Moscow, ID. This school awarded 13 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,058. Read More…

Air Force Institute of Technology-Graduate School of Engineering & Management landed the #22 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Air Force Institute of Technology-Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public school located in Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. During the most recent year for which we have data, 11 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $40,669. Full Nuclear Engineering at Air Force Institute of Technology-Graduate School of Engineering & Management Report

Colorado School of Mines comes in at #23 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Colorado School of Mines is a public school located in Golden, CO. This school awarded 11 degrees in Nuclear Engineering in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $76,390. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus landed the #24 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking. Located in University Park, PA, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 9 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $54,468. Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

Ohio State University-Main Campus comes in at #25 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Nuclear Engineering majors. Located in Columbus, OH, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 8 people earned their degree in Nuclear Engineering from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $49,087. Full Nuclear Engineering at Ohio State University-Main Campus Report

#27

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT
#28

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS
#31

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA
#34

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY
#36

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY
#40

Wilberforce University

Wilberforce, OH

Nuclear Engineering by Region

View the Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking for a specific region near you.

Region
New England
Middle Atlantic
Great Lakes
Plains States
Southeast
Southwest
Rocky Mountains
Far Western US

More Nuclear Engineering Rankings

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the Most Popular Nuclear Engineering Schools ranking, along with other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Nuclear Engineering Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
General Nuclear Engineering 959
Related Major Annual Graduates
Mechanical Engineering 42,939
Electrical Engineering 26,760
Civil Engineering 20,005
Computer Engineering 19,986
Biomedical Engineering 13,914

References

*The average salary above is for the top 25 schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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