H-1B Demand for Nuclear Engineers Surges in FY2025
Explore H-1B visa filings for Nuclear Engineers. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 98% |
| Average Salary | $116,269 |
| Salary Range | $59,738 - $244,061 |
| Top Sponsor | Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC |
| Primary Location | Idaho |
Nuclear Engineers is one of the H-1B visa categories with 25 filings and an average salary of $114,120. The demand for Nuclear Engineers on H-1B visas is significantly increasing, with a substantial jump in FY2025. The average salary for H-1B Nuclear Engineers is slightly below the median salary for the role, suggesting potential for negotiation or a focus on entry-level positions. Geographic concentration is low, with a few states showing minimal H-1B activity, indicating broad opportunities across the US.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 98% |
| Average Salary | $116,269 |
| Median Salary | $112,118 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,144 |
| 75th Percentile | $138,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $59,738 |
| Maximum Salary | $244,061 |
| 10th Percentile | $81,151 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,144 |
| Median (50th) | $112,118 |
| 75th Percentile | $138,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $156,480 |
| Average | $116,269 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 98 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 2 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC | 27 | $138k |
| UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY) | 14 | $143k |
| Framatome Inc. | 6 | $91k |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 5 | $103k |
| UChicago Argonne LLC | 5 | $91k |
| KAIROS POWER LLC | 3 | $143k |
| Holtec International | 3 | $107k |
| Triad National Security, LLC | 3 | $104k |
| North Carolina State University | 3 | $83k |
| Deployable Energy Limited | 2 | $118k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Idaho | 24 |
| Tennessee | 13 |
| Illinois | 11 |
| California | 6 |
| Massachusetts | 6 |
| Virginia | 6 |
| Texas | 5 |
| New Mexico | 5 |
| New Jersey | 4 |
| Maryland | 3 |
Focus on demonstrating specialized skills and experience in nuclear engineering to stand out in the competitive H-1B application process, especially given the recent surge in demand.
The average H-1B salary for Nuclear Engineers is $114,120, with a median of $114,600. The 25th-75th percentile range is $101,196 to $131,796.
Top H-1B sponsors for Nuclear Engineers include BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC, University of Wisconsin System, UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY), JAPAN ELECTRIC POWER INFORMATION CENTER, USA, Deployable Energy Limited. A total of 10 employers have filed for this role.
There are 25 H-1B filings on record for Nuclear Engineers positions. 96.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Nuclear Engineers positions are Idaho (9), Wisconsin (3), Tennessee (3), Texas (3), District of Columbia (2).
Yes, Nuclear Engineers is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 25 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Nuclear Engineers salaries range from $59,850 to $182,340. The median salary is $114,600.
The approval rate for Nuclear Engineers H-1B petitions is 96.0%. The number of H-1B petitions for Nuclear Engineers has seen a dramatic increase from 1 in FY2024 to 21 in FY2025.
The average salary offered to H-1B Nuclear Engineers ($114,120) is very close to the median salary ($114,600).
Focus on demonstrating specialized skills and experience in nuclear engineering to stand out in the competitive H-1B application process, especially given the recent surge in demand.
The highest number of H-1B petitions are concentrated in states with limited nuclear engineering presence, such as ID, WI, TN, and TX.
The Nuclear Engineers occupation (SOC code 17-216100) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Nuclear Engineers positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Nuclear Engineers positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Nuclear Engineers positions show an average offered salary of $116,269, with a range from $59,738 at the entry level to $244,061 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Idaho (24 filings) and Tennessee (13 filings).
Career outlook for Nuclear Engineers professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Nuclear Engineers role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Nuclear Engineers roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Nuclear Engineers positions, the average offered salary of $116,269 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 34.9%, with 82% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Nuclear Engineers positions is 98%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Nuclear Engineers positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Nuclear Engineers H-1B filings is approximately 34 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Nuclear Engineers positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Nuclear Engineers, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.