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Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: Career Overview

Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.

What Tasks Do Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Take On?

The day-to-day responsibilities of nuclear power reactor operators cover:

• Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety.
• Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures.
• Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired.
• Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action.
• Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment.
• Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment.
• Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.
• Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Top nuclear power reactor operators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Related Job Titles

Common job titles for this role include:

• Control Operator
• Control Room Agent
• Control Room Officer
• Control Room Operator
• Licensed Nuclear Control Room Operator
• Licensed Reactor Operator
• Nuclear Control Operator
• Nuclear Control Room Non-Licensed Operator

Job Outlook

There are about 187,758 nuclear power reactor operators working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +14.1% over the projection horizon.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Pay

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$44,906
Hourly median	$21.59
10th percentile	$30,709
25th percentile	$37,808
75th percentile	$52,005
90th percentile	$59,104

Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.

Pay by State

State	Annual median salary
New York	$131,520
Ohio	$124,030
South Carolina	$112,070
Nebraska	$111,300
North Carolina	$107,200

Where Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Earn the Most

Pay for nuclear power reactor operators shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:

Region	Median annual wage	Share of U.S. jobs	Location quotient
Middle Atlantic	$131,520	17.2%	0.79
Plains States	$111,300	4.9%	2.12
Southeast	$109,561	40.5%	2.79
Great Lakes	$30,499	37.4%	1.72

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Metro area	State	Median annual wage	Employment
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	NC	$111,210

Which Industries Hire Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

The bulk of nuclear power reactor operators work in these industries:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Utilities	4,460	$122,810
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	460	$113,130
Management of Companies and Enterprises	50	$122,470
Educational Services	30	$71,570

Below are examples of industries where nuclear power reactor operators work:

Software Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Use

• Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
• Development environment software: Microsoft Azure software (hot technology)
• Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
• Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
• Enterprise application integration software: Microsoft Power Automate (hot technology)
• Business intelligence and data analysis software: Microsoft Power BI (hot technology)
• Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
• Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
• Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
• Industrial control software: Outage management system OMS (in demand)

The Day-to-Day Environment

The on-the-job environment of nuclear power reactor operators is shaped by the following characteristics:

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Telephone Conversations
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Education and Training

Most nuclear power reactor operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

• Geothermal Production Managers (Supplemental)
• Biomass Power Plant Managers (Supplemental)
• Hydroelectric Production Managers (Supplemental)
• Chemical Engineers (Supplemental)
• Nuclear Engineers (Supplemental)
• Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
• Nuclear Technicians (Primary-Short)
• Nuclear Monitoring Technicians (Primary-Short)

About the Data

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 51-8011.00 (Nuclear Power Reactor Operators).