Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
Collect and test samples to monitor results of nuclear experiments and contamination of humans, facilities, and environment.
Also called: Cathodic Protection Technician, Chemical Radiation Technician, Decontaminator, Health Physics Technician (HP Tech), Instrumentation Control Specialist, Laboratory Control Specialist
Median pay
$110,240
Pay for the broader BLS group “Nuclear Technicians”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$73,150 – $133,600
People employed
6,470
Whole BLS group
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 3.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 4.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 5.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 6.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
The hard parts
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
Nuclear Monitoring Technicians pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (14 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Nuclear Technicians”.
What nuclear monitoring technicians do
- 01Brief workers on radiation levels in work areas.
- 02Calculate safe radiation exposure times for personnel using plant contamination readings and prescribed safe levels of radiation.
- 03Monitor personnel to determine the amounts and intensities of radiation exposure.
- 04Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.
- 05Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment.
- 06Determine intensities and types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Mathematics
Knowledge
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Chemistry
- English Language
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from nuclear monitoring technicians
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators91% · —
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists84% · —
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians83% · —
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers77% · —
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians77% · —
Change into nuclear monitoring technicians
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators91% · $122,890
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians80% · $61,560
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists78% · $101,370
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists77% · $78,350
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers77% · $106,730
Majors that lead here
- Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician
- Industrial Radiologic Technology/Technician
- Nuclear/Nuclear Power Technology/Technician
- Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians, Other
- Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.