Nuclear scientist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a nuclear scientist. Nuclear scientists usually study nuclear engineering, chemistry, or biology. 75% of nuclear scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 15 real nuclear scientist resumes to see exactly what nuclear scientist education sections show.

The most common colleges for nuclear scientists are the Louisiana State University and A&M; College and the Louisiana State University and A&M; College.

There are also many online nuclear scientist courses to help get the education required to be a nuclear scientist.

What education do you need to become a nuclear scientist?

What degree do you need to be a nuclear scientist?

The most common degree for nuclear scientists is bachelor's degree, with 75% of nuclear scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 75%

Master's, 17%

Doctorate, 8%

What should I major in to become a nuclear scientist?

You should major in nuclear engineering to become a nuclear scientist. 23% of nuclear scientists major in nuclear engineering. Other common majors for a nuclear scientist include chemistry and biology.

Nuclear Engineering, 23%

Chemistry, 23%

Biology, 8%

Mechanical Engineering, 8%

Other Majors, 38%

Most common colleges for nuclear scientists

Nuclear scientists often get their degrees at Louisiana State University and A&M; College, New York University, and University of Nevada - Las Vegas. Here are the most common colleges for nuclear scientists in the US based on their resumes.

Nuclear scientist common college	Percentages
Louisiana State University and A&M College	14.29%
New York University	14.29%
University of Nevada - Las Vegas	14.29%
Michigan State University	14.29%
University of Virginia	14.29%

Show more common nuclear scientist colleges

Best majors for nuclear scientists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Nuclear Engineering	23.1%
2	Chemistry	23.1%
3	Biology	7.7%
4	Mechanical Engineering	7.7%
5	Engineering And Industrial Management	7.7%

Show more common nuclear scientist majors

Best colleges for nuclear scientists

The best colleges for nuclear scientists are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.

A nuclear scientist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for nuclear scientists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become nuclear scientists.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

2. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

8. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

10. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

20 best online courses for nuclear scientists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for nuclear scientists

The most affordable schools for nuclear scientists are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida state university.

If the best universities for nuclear scientists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for nuclear scientists.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for nuclear scientists

The hardest universities for nuclear scientists to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for nuclear scientists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for nuclear scientists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

2. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,488

8. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for nuclear scientists

The easiest schools for nuclear scientists to get into are D'Youville College, barry university, and linfield college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a nuclear scientist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for nuclear scientists.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

8. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

9. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

10. Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Weatherford, OK • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,085

Average nuclear scientist salary by education level

Nuclear scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $128,258 annually. With a Master's degree, nuclear scientists earn a median annual income of $113,350 compared to $99,611 for nuclear scientists with an Bachelor's degree.

Nuclear scientist education level	Nuclear scientist salary
Master's Degree	$113,350
Bachelor's Degree	$99,611
Doctorate Degree	$128,258

Nuclear scientist education FAQs

What is the best college for Nuclear Scientists?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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