Nuclear engineering has the highest median salary of any engineering discipline — approximately $125,000 for experienced engineers — and one of the richest federal funding ecosystems of any STEM field. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission runs its own scholarship and fellowship program. The Department of Energy funds research fellowships at national laboratories. And because nuclear engineers overwhelmingly work for government agencies, national laboratories, and regulated utilities, PSLF eligibility is nearly universal.
The field is also genuinely misunderstood. Nuclear engineers design MRI machines and cancer treatment equipment as often as they work on reactors. Medical physics, radiation detection, nuclear security, and fusion energy are all nuclear engineering disciplines — and all have their own federal funding pipelines.
Funding a Nuclear Engineering Degree
NRC Nuclear Education Grant Program
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission funds undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships specifically for students pursuing nuclear engineering and nuclear-related fields who intend to work in nuclear safety or regulation after graduation.
What it covers: Up to full tuition plus a $10,000 annual fellowship for graduate students. Undergraduate scholarships cover tuition plus up to $10,000. Awards are competitive — approximately 30–50 per year — but competition is lower than comparable federal scholarship programs because the field is small.
Service expectation: Unlike CyberCorps or SMART, NRC awards do not carry a formal service requirement. However, the program explicitly prioritizes students interested in NRC regulatory careers, and recipients are strongly encouraged to apply for NRC employment after graduation.
Who qualifies: US citizens enrolled full-time in an accredited nuclear engineering, health physics, nuclear physics, or related program. See nrc.gov/about-nrc/grants/nuclear-education.html for current programs and deadlines.
DOE Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP)
The Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy funds research grants and fellowships for nuclear engineering students at universities with established DOE research relationships. NEUP fellowships provide $50,000/year for up to three years for PhD students conducting nuclear energy research.
NEUP also funds undergraduate research stipends through the Integrated University Program. Awards flow to students through their institution's DOE research programs — the more DOE-connected your school, the more accessible these awards are. Schools with strong NEUP relationships include MIT, Michigan, Wisconsin, NC State, and Texas A&M.
See neup.inl.gov for current opportunities.
DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR)
The DOE SCGSR program funds graduate students to conduct research at DOE national laboratories — including Oak Ridge, Argonne, Pacific Northwest, Idaho, and Savannah River, all of which have significant nuclear programs. Awards include a $3,000/month stipend supplement plus travel. No service requirement.
See science.osti.gov/wdts/scgsr.
SMART Scholarship
Nuclear engineering is explicitly eligible for SMART Scholarship — DoD has significant nuclear program interests including naval nuclear propulsion, nuclear detection, and materials for defense applications. Full tuition plus $25,000–$38,000/year stipend. Apply at smartscholarship.org.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
The NSF GRFP covers nuclear engineering and plasma physics at the graduate level. $37,000/year stipend plus $16,000/year cost-of-education for three years. No service requirement. Apply at nsfgrfp.org. Deadline: late October.
PSLF for nuclear engineers
Nuclear engineers working for the NRC (federal agency), DOE national laboratories (nonprofit operators), the Tennessee Valley Authority (government corporation), and regulated utilities operating nuclear power plants under NRC license are working for PSLF-qualifying employers in the vast majority of cases. Verify each specific employer at studentaid.gov/pslf/employers.
Industry co-ops
Westinghouse Electric, EDF Energy, Duke Energy, Exelon, and the major nuclear plant operators run engineering co-op programs with compensation ranging from $22,000–$35,000 per rotation. The small size of the nuclear engineering field relative to other disciplines means co-op placement rates at partner employers are high.
Top Nuclear Engineering Schools
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
Ranked #1 for nuclear engineering graduate programs (US News)
Michigan's Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences is consistently ranked #1 in the country at the graduate level. Research funding exceeds $31M annually. The 6:1 undergraduate-to-faculty ratio means direct research access from the first year. Key research areas include fission systems, plasma and fusion, materials and radiation effects, and nuclear policy.
Michigan is particularly strong for DOE NEUP fellowships and NRC grants through its established research relationships. Michigan in-state tuition plus Go Blue Guarantee (free tuition for residents under $65K family income) makes it the strongest combined quality-and-value option in nuclear engineering for Michigan residents.
NRC/DOE positioning: Among the strongest in the country. Michigan's DOE and NRC research relationships produce consistent fellowship placement.
Financial snapshot: Go Blue Guarantee for MI residents under $65K. Strong NEUP and SCGSR access.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Strongest research environment; highest NRC and DOE grant rates
MIT's Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering is the most research-intensive nuclear program in the country. Hands-on research opportunities begin in the first year. Career tracks span utilities, medical technologies, policy, computational analysis, and research. MIT's Nuclear Reactor Laboratory provides students direct access to an operating research reactor — a significant differentiator.
MIT is need-blind for all domestic students and meets 100% of demonstrated need with no loans for families under $90,000. MIT consistently produces more NSF GRFP and DOE fellowship recipients in nuclear engineering than any other institution.
Financial snapshot: Need-blind; no loans under $90K. Highest federal fellowship placement rate in the field.
NC State University (Raleigh, NC)
Home of the nation's first nuclear engineering program
NC State's nuclear engineering program is the oldest in the country — the first nuclear engineering curriculum and first non-governmental research reactor were established here in the 1950s. The graduate program is ranked #3 nationally. The PULSTAR reactor on campus gives students direct operational experience unavailable at most programs.
NC State in-state tuition is approximately $9,000/year — one of the most affordable top-10 nuclear engineering programs for North Carolina residents. Strong NRC and DOE research relationships support fellowship access.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition ~$9K/yr for NC residents. Strong NRC historical relationship — NC State alumni have high NRC employment rates.
Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
Largest nuclear engineering program by enrollment; best research infrastructure
Texas A&M's nuclear engineering department is the largest in the US by student population (419+ students across undergraduate and graduate). Research expenditures exceed $12M annually. The facility infrastructure is exceptional: two research reactors, seven accelerators, and a high-energy pulsed plasma laboratory. Research areas span reactor physics, nuclear security, materials, and medical physics.
Texas A&M's strong SMART Scholarship positioning (driven by its DoD nuclear security research) and Hazlewood Act eligibility for Texas veteran students creates one of the strongest federal funding combinations in nuclear engineering.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition ~$12–14K/yr for TX residents + TEXAS Grant. Hazlewood Act for veterans. Strong SMART positioning.
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
Best value nuclear program; strongest international research access
Georgia Tech's nuclear and radiological engineering program is consistently ranked top 5 nationally with $40M+ in annual research awards. More than half of students spend a semester at Georgia Tech's Metz, France campus — one of the few nuclear engineering programs with built-in international research exposure. The Flower Invention Studio provides rapid prototyping resources for experimental design.
Georgia Tech in-state tuition (~$12,000/year) combined with strong DOE NEUP and SMART positioning makes it the best cost-to-quality ratio in nuclear engineering for Georgia residents.
Financial snapshot: ~$12K/yr in-state for GA residents. Strong NEUP and SMART positioning. Best value top-5 nuclear program.
University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)
One of the few programs with an operational teaching reactor
Wisconsin's nuclear engineering program ranks consistently in the top 5 among public universities and is one of the few remaining programs with an operational research and teaching reactor — a significant differentiator for students pursuing reactor operations, radiation detection, or fuel cycles. Research facilities include nuclear instrumentation labs, ion beam laboratory, and plasma physics laboratories.
Wisconsin in-state tuition is approximately $10,000/year. Strong NRC and DOE NEUP research relationships support consistent fellowship placement.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition ~$10K/yr for WI residents. One of few programs with teaching reactor access.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL)
Best for plasma, fusion, and radiological applications
Illinois's Grainger College of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) is top 10 nationally with particular strength in plasma and fusion science — a rapidly growing research area with significant DOE funding through fusion energy programs. The three concentration tracks (power and environment, plasma and fusion, radiological and medical applications) give students flexibility within a rigorous technical foundation.
Illinois in-state tuition is approximately $15,000/year. Strong DOE fusion research funding creates SCGSR and NEUP fellowship access for plasma track students.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition ~$15K/yr for IL residents. Strong DOE fusion research funding.
UC Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
Best for fusion technology and Bay Area research access
Berkeley's nuclear engineering faculty are at the cutting edge of fusion technology research — one of the most active fusion research programs in the country. Research areas include nuclear physics, fission analysis, fuel cycles, particle beam technologies, and nuclear thermal hydraulics. The 95% six-year engineering graduation rate and 28% first-generation engineering enrollment reflect strong student support infrastructure.
California residents benefit from in-state tuition, Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, and Cal Grants. Berkeley's DOE research relationships and proximity to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory create exceptional NEUP and SCGSR access.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition + Blue and Gold + Cal Grant for CA residents. Lawrence Berkeley Lab access for DOE fellowships.
Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
Best value nationally; only program in Indiana with an operating reactor
Purdue's nuclear engineering program is ranked #1 for value by College Factual and #7 in overall quality. The Purdue University Reactor One (PUR-1) is the only nuclear reactor in Indiana — providing operational training experience that most programs can't offer. Research areas include hydrogen systems, nuclear simulation, radiation sensors, renewable-hybrid nuclear systems, and thermal hydraulics.
Indiana residents benefit from Purdue in-state tuition and Purdue's "Purdue Freeze" tuition policy capping annual increases. SMART Scholarship positioning is strong through Purdue's DoD research relationships.
Financial snapshot: In-state tuition for IN residents. Purdue Freeze caps tuition growth. Strong SMART positioning.
Related Engineering Disciplines
Nuclear engineering intersects with several related fields. If you're still on the fence about whether you're looking for a dedicated nuclear engineering program, the guides below cover the broader landscape:
- Best colleges for engineering — national pillar with SMART Scholarship overview
- Best colleges for mechanical engineering — thermal hydraulics, materials crossover
- Best colleges for chemical engineering — fuel cycles, materials science crossover
- Best engineering schools in Texas — Texas A&M deep dive
