Headline risk
4%
Very Low RiskNuclear technicians
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
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.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 104,240
Employment 2024
6.0K
Projected Change (2024–34)
-7.7%
Openings (2024–34)
0.7K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of nuclear technicians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety. AI use: 0%
- 2. Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment. AI use: 0%
- 3. Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly. AI use: 0%
- 4. Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair. AI use: 0%
- 5. Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance. AI use: 0%
- 6. Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 33.9 · 373K employed
Under 25: 25% · 25–54: 64% · 55+: 11%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
major_group_fallback · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Nuclear technicians assist physicists, engineers, and other scientists in nuclear power generation and production activities, such as operating or maintaining nuclear testing equipment.
Nuclear technicians typically work in nuclear power plants or in laboratories. Most work full-time. In power plants, their work schedules may vary to include nights, holidays, and weekends. Nuclear technicians must take precautions to avoid exposure to radiation.
Nuclear technicians typically need an associate’s degree in either nuclear science or a nuclear-related technology. Some enter the occupation with a high school diploma or postsecondary nondegree award plus experience, such as from the military or an apprenticeship. Once hired, nuclear technicians typically receive extensive on-the-job training.
The median annual wage for nuclear technicians was $104,240 in May 2024.
Employment of nuclear technicians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.