Labor market trends for nuclear engineers through 2005

Abstract

Between 1983 and 1989, employment of nuclear engineers in the nuclear energy field increased almost 40 percent while the annual number of nuclear engineering degrees awarded decreased by almost one-fourth. There were, on average, more job openings for new graduates than there were new graduates available to fill the jobs during the 1980s. This trend reversed in the l990s as nuclear engineering employment in the nuclear energy field decreased from 11,500 in 1991 to 9,400 in 1995. During roughly the same period, the annual number of nuclear engineering degrees increased by 11 percent. As a result, from 1990 through 1995, the number of new graduate nuclear engineers available in the labor supply far exceeded the number of job openings for new graduates in the nuclear energy field. This oversupply of new graduates was particularly acute for 1993 through 1995. During 1996--1997, a relative improvement is expected in job opportunities in the nuclear energy field for new graduates; however, a large oversupply is still expected (almost twice as many graduates available for employment as there are job openings). For 1998 through 2000, some improvement is expected in the relative number of job opportunities for new graduates in the nuclear energy field. Nuclear engineering jobs in the nuclear energy field are expected to decrease only slightly (by less than 150) during this period. Also a 10--15% decrease in the annual number of degrees and available supply of new graduates is expected. Overall, an oversupply is expected (140 graduates available per 100 job openings for new graduates in the nuclear energy field), but this is still a substantial improvement over the current period. For 2001 through 2005, if enrollments and degrees continue to decline, the labor market for new graduates is expected to be approximately balanced. This assumes, however, that the number of degrees and the available supply of new graduates will decrease by 25% from 1995 levels.