This guide provides helpful information for those looking to join the Navy as an Electronics Technician, Nuclear (ETN) during the Fiscal Year 2025.
If math and science fire you up, you might be built for Electronics Technician Nuclear. As an ETN, you run the electronic systems that keep a Navy reactor alive. Maintenance, troubleshooting, precision—your job keeps the ship powered.
This isn’t for slackers. You need a sharp mind, a relentless work ethic, and a deep curiosity for physics. But if you’ve got it, the rewards are real—up to $50,000 for first-time enlistment. Re-enlistment bonuses stack on top.
In the civilian world, nuclear techs dream of this hands-on experience. As an ETN, you don’t dream—you do. With a nuclear reactor under your control.
ENLISTMENT BONUS: Future Navy ETNs are currently eligible to receive up to $50K in cash bonus just for signing up.
Job Description
An Electronics Technician Nuclear (ETN) operates and maintains Naval nuclear propulsion plants aboard submarines and aircraft carriers.
Your job? Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot the electronic systems that keep the reactor, steam plant, and propulsion plant running. Calibrate nuclear control rods, monitor radiation levels, manage power distribution. Test, repair, and fine-tune the critical electronics that make fission happen.
After Nuclear Power & Prototype School, you’re on the watch team, making sure the reactor does its job. Three years out of high school, and you’re inside a live nuclear power plant. Not many can say that.
Specific Responsibilities
- Operate & Maintain Naval nuclear propulsion plants on submarines and aircraft carriers.
- Supervise & Administer reactor operations and propulsion plant systems.
- Master Reactor, Electrical & Mechanical Theory to ensure safe and efficient plant operation.
- Monitor Reactor & Steam Plant Chemistry and enforce radiological controls.
- Perform Maintenance & Repairs on reactor control, instrumentation, alarm systems, power distribution, and radiation detection equipment.
- Calibrate Nuclear Control Rods to regulate power generation.
- Operate General Purpose Test Equipment (GPTE) for system diagnostics and performance analysis.
- Test, Troubleshoot & Repair electronic and hydraulic-electric systems supporting reactor operation.
- Stand Watch on a Nuclear Reactor ensuring continuous operation and propulsion.
Reactor Controls Roles
Submarine Reactor Controls Roles
- Reactor Controls Manager – Oversees operations, maintenance, and training for Reactor Controls Division. Audits programs, reviews correspondence, and manages consequence response.
- Reactor Controls Operator – Operates and maintains reactor control, rod control, protection systems, and nuclear instrumentation. Monitors reactor shutdown and ensures safe operations under mentorship.
- Reactor Controls Supervisor – Leads advanced reactor controls operations, maintenance, and personnel training. Mentors operators and ensures mission-critical reactor functionality.
Surface Reactor Controls Roles
- Reactor Controls Manager – Manages Reactor Controls Division operations, maintenance, and training. Reviews procedures, audits programs, and oversees tactical force movement.
- Reactor Controls Operator – Runs and maintains reactor control systems, nuclear instrumentation, and protection systems. Supervises reactor shutdown and maintains radiological controls under mentor guidance.
- Reactor Controls Supervisor – Applies advanced maintenance practices, supervises personnel, and audits reactor control programs. Trains forces, manages risks, and ensures operational readiness.
Rank Structure
Pay Grade | Rate | Abbreviation | Title |
---|---|---|---|
E-1 | Seaman Recruit | SR | Seaman Recruit |
E-2 | Seaman Apprentice | SA | Seaman Apprentice |
E-3 | Seaman | SN | Seaman |
E-4 | Electronics Technician Nuclear Third Class | ETN3 | Petty Officer Third Class |
E-5 | Electronics Technician Nuclear Second Class | ETN2 | Petty Officer Second Class |
E-6 | Electronics Technician Nuclear First Class | ETN1 | Petty Officer First Class |
E-7 | Chief Electronics Technician Nuclear | ETNC | Chief Petty Officer |
E-8 | Senior Chief Electronics Technician Nuclear | ETNCS | Senior Chief Petty Officer |
E-9 | Master Chief Electronics Technician Nuclear | ETNCM | Master Chief Petty Officer |
Quick Promotion: Start at E-3, move to E-4 fast after “A” School if you meet all requirements.
Salary and Benefits
Salary for the First 6 Years
Monthly pay for Navy enlisted Sailors (E-1 to E-6) in the first six years is laid out in the January 2025 Active Duty Pay chart:
Pay Grade | Less than 2 Years | Over 2 Years | Over 3 Years | Over 4 Years | Over 6 Years |
E-1 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 |
E-2 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 |
E-3 | $2,484.60 | $2,640.60 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 |
E-4 | $2,752.20 | $2,892.90 | $3,049.80 | $3,204.30 | $3,341.40 |
E-5 | $3,001.50 | $3,203.70 | $3,358.80 | $3,517.20 | $3,763.80 |
E-6 | $3,276.60 | $3,606.00 | $3,765.00 | $3,919.80 | $4,080.60 |
Extra Pays and Allowances
- Nuclear Enlistment Bonus: $50,000 just for signing up.
- Housing Allowance (BAH): For members living off-base. Covers rent, based on rank, location, and if they have dependents.
- Subsistence Allowance (BAS): Enlisted get $465.77 monthly for food.
- Hazard Duty Pay: For dangerous jobs. Pays $150-$250 per month, depending on the job.
- Sea Pay: For those assigned to ships or deployed units. Depends on rank and time at sea, from $50 to $750 a month.
- Submarine Duty Incentive Pay (SUBPAY): Up to $1,000/month based on qualifications and assignment.
- Special and Incentive Pays: Bonuses for certain roles, like air traffic control or unique skills. These can be a few hundred to thousands per year.
Source: Figures are from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
Benefits
- Healthcare: Active-duty personnel are eligible for free complete medical and dental treatment. Tricare programs are inexpensive for families to use.
- Housing Accomodation: Depending on location, rank, and family size, free on-base accommodation or a tax-free housing allowance (BAH) for off-base living are available.
- Food: Monthly Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) for food costs is known as the “food allowance.”
- Blended Retirement System (BRS): Conventional pensions are no longer available to active-duty personnel. Rather:
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Up to 5% in government matching and automatic contributions.
- Retirement Pay: After 20 years of service, you’re eligible for monthly payments according on the BRS formula, which combines TSP savings with a calculated pension.
- Education:
- Availability of tuition assistance programs that pay for all or part of college tuition.
- Support for higher education under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
- Navy College Program to support education while on service.
- Life Insurance: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides coverage up to $500,000.
- Vacation: ten or more federal holidays plus thirty days of paid vacation each year.
- Extra Benefits:
- Exchanges and commissaries provide tax-free purchasing.
- Discounted travel via military resorts, access to fitness centers, and leisure amenities.
ETN Training Path
Recruit Training Command (Boot Camp)
- Where: Great Lakes, IL
- What: Basic military training. Get in shape, learn discipline, prep for the real work.
“A” School – 6 Months
- Where: Charleston, SC
- What You Learn:
- Electricity, electronics, solid-state devices, microprocessors
- Digital logic, control circuits, schematic reading
- Troubleshooting and fixing electronic systems
Nuclear Power School (NNPS) – 6 Months
- Where: Charleston, SC
- What You Learn:
- Nuclear physics, reactor engineering, power plant systems
- Heat transfer, fluid dynamics, radiological control
- Reactor safety and chemistry—keep everything running right
Prototype Training – 6 Months
- Where: Charleston, SC, or Ballston Spa, NY
- What You Do:
- Hands-on training with a live nuclear reactor
- Run reactor systems, troubleshoot problems, stand watch
- Learn radiation safety and risk management under real conditions
Qualification to Join
Basic Requirements
- Education: High school diploma or equivalent
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- Math: Must have completed at least one year of Algebra
- Age: Must be under 25 years old at enlistment
- Security Clearance: Must qualify for a security clearance
ASVAB & NAPT Requirements
Option 1 – Automatic Qualification:
- VE + AR + MK + MC ≥ 252 OR
- AR + MK + EI + GS ≥ 252
- Both scores must be at least 235
Option 2 – Conditional Qualification :
- VE + AR + MK + MC ≥ 235 AND AR + MK + EI + GS ≥ 235
- Must pass the Navy Advanced Programs Test (NAPT)*
- Final Score Requirement:
- VE + AR + MK + MC + NAPT ≥ 290 OR
- AR + MK + EI + GS + NAPT ≥ 290
- Both base scores (before NAPT) must be at least 225
- No waivers allowed
*The Navy Advanced Programs Test (NAPT) is a two-hour supplemental exam for Nuclear Field applicants who don’t qualify based solely on ASVAB scores.
Service Obligation
Time Commitment: 6 years (4-year enlistment + 2-year extension for training)
These requirements are current as of Fiscal Year 2025, per the Navy Personnel Command. No updates have been issued thus far.
More Information
If you wish to learn more about becoming an Electronics Technician, Nuclear (ETN), contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online.
You may also be interested in the following related Navy Enlisted jobs: