Nuclear Engineer salary in Knoxville, TN
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the Knoxville, TN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Ridge.
Median salary$135,888
Middle 50%$125.7k–$146.4k
vs. national median+12%comparison median $121,812
Filings12FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $96,404 |
| 25th | $125,653 |
| 50th (median) | $135,888 |
| 75th | $146,370 |
| 90th | $157,405 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $111,500 | $93,753 | $131,000 | 12 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2022 | $111,301 | $109,676 | $115,821 | 14 |
| FY2023 | $117,000 | $113,255 | $125,741 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $138,000 | $126,097 | $152,550 | 11 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 3 |
Cost of living
Knoxville's median Nuclear Engineer salary of $135,888 is worth about $146,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Knoxville = 92.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Nuclear Engineers in the Knoxville, TN area earned a median of $179,660 in May 2025 (240 employed). The H-1B median here is $135,888, 24% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Ut-Battelle, Llc (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | $138,768 | 11 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 9 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.