I want to dream bigger

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Is there money in nuclear engineering?
Not talking about super rich, but like getting a job.

I'm a college dropout, making decent money as a software developer.
(Dropped out because i started development 4 years before i started college, i literally wasn't learning anything /g/ hadnt already taught me or researched myself, i now make an OK 45K )

Every day, more and more, i feel i fucked up and went into the wrong field.

Nuclear science is so much more interesting than what i'm currently doing.

I feel like were currently using a sledge hammer to drive finishing nails, in the way that current nuclear power-plants, are run.

Beta voltaics, and the science currently going on with duet-tritium + lasers really fucking interest me, to the point I'm considering going back to school, re-training, then eventually would like to go onboard with nasa designing power-plants for the next rover.

Literal country side powerplants are neat, but not really the field i want to go into, i want to join research teams and risk radiation poisoning to figure out the next big breakthrough, I DO NOT WANT TO END UP AS A FUCKING NURSE.

But would there be jobs waiting for me when i get out of school?
I feel like software development isnt pushing me anymore.
Is this a PHD kinda thing, or a masters kinda thing.

tl:dr how does one get into real nuclear science? Not xray techs and powerplant janitors.