Optimizing nitrogen fertilization is essential for enhancing wheat productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture in salt-affected soils. This study investigated the effects of four nitrogen levels (0, 96, 192, and 288 kg N ha-1) on the agronomic performance of three wheat cultivars (‘Sakha-95’, ‘Giza-171’, and ‘Misr-3’) in a saline soil (9.18 dS m-1). Significant variations were observed in chlorophyll content, days to heading, flag leaf area, yield and its components, nutrient content (N, P, K), protein content, nitrogen uptake, nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) across nitrogen levels and cultivars. Most traits improved with increasing nitrogen levels up to 288 kg N ha-1, except for canopy temperature depression (CTD) and NUE, which declined. ‘Sakha-95’ showed the best performance in several parameters. Additionally, ‘Sakha-95’ exhibited the highest efficiencies in agronomic efficiency (AE), physiological efficiency (PE), apparent recovery efficiency (ARE), NUtE, and NUE. ‘Misr-3’ excelled in agro-physiological efficiency (APE). The interaction between nitrogen levels and cultivars was crucial in determining optimal growth conditions, with ‘Sakha-95’ and ‘Giza-171’ performing best at 288 kg N ha-1. Interaction effects showed that ‘Sakha-95’ had the earliest heading at 0 and 96 kg N ha-1, while ‘Misr-3’ showed the highest grain phosphorus content and PE at 288 kg N ha-1. Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis indicated key variables influencing agronomic performance under saline conditions. By identifying cultivar-specific responses to nitrogen application, this study offers practical recommendations for improving wheat productivity and nitrogen efficiency under saline conditions, supporting sustainable agricultural practices in such challenging environments.