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Nuclear Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
56 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
57
Optimistic
56
Base Case
53
Pessimistic
Earnings $81,134/yr (12% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Medium (19,400 openings/yr)
ROI 12.2x earnings multiple (5.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #8 of 9 Nuclear Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Nuclear Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $813K $779K $682K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.7x 12.2x 10.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.9x 5.6x 4.9x
Probability of Field Employment 73% 66% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 57 56 53

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,016
Out-of-state: $138,004 (5.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$60,804
5% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,500
3.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (4 Year)
$100,427
24% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $81,134 at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign come in 12% above the national median of $72,611 for Nuclear Engineering programs.

The 12.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $81,134 far exceeding the $20,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

With only 9 programs offering Nuclear Engineering nationally, this is a niche field. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks #8 among them.

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A 44% admission rate makes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accessible to a wide range of qualified students, serving a student body of 34,623 in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Nuclear engineers $127,520/yr
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr
View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 9 schools offering Nuclear Engineering →

Nuclear Engineering at Other Schools

Missouri University of Science and Technology ($77,947) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($77,014) North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($74,540) The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ($73,724) Oregon State University ($69,657) Oregon State University-Cascades Campus ($69,657) Texas A & M University-College Station ($66,604) Purdue University-Main Campus ($63,226)

Other Majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer Science ($124,530) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($113,503) Mathematics and Computer Science ($109,843) Computer Engineering ($103,123) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($86,483) Systems Engineering ($81,785) Mechanical Engineering ($80,187) Industrial Engineering ($78,313)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Nuclear Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Nuclear Engineering program score?
A score of 56/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign trails the majority of Nuclear Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Nuclear Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nuclear Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →