Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-8011

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Median pay sits 80% above the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Gas Plant Operators, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Gas Plant Operators ($88K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Nuclear Power Reactor Operators publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-8011 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental s…
  2. 2. Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standar…
  3. 3. Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired
  4. 4. Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures
  5. 5. Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action
  6. 6. Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of gener…
  7. 7. Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment
  8. 8. Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests
  9. 9. Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities
  10. 10. Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors
  11. 11. Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading
  12. 12. Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-8011 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Physics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  2. 2. Operations Monitoring 4.0
  3. 3. Operation and Control 4.0
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.9
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 3.9
  6. 6. Monitoring 3.9
  7. 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.8
  8. 8. Writing 3.5

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Physics 4.1
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.9
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 3.7
  4. 4. Mathematics 3.6
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 3.5
  6. 6. Chemistry 3.4
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
+80%
vs mid peer median $68,120
This role $122,890/yr
$123K
National median
↓ -15%
Growth 2024-2034
400
Annual openings
5,150
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

1. South Carolina $118,620
2. Nebraska $108,650
3. Alabama $119,000
4. New York $129,580
5. Illinois $123,980

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  2. 2. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  3. 3. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  4. 4. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  5. 5. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  6. 6. Power Plant Operators $102,040

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators sits 80% above the mid peer median ($68,120). Its own median is $122,890.

Employment Projections expect -15% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 400 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: South Carolina at $118,620. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators pay-rank #1 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is pay-rank #1, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators pays 80% above its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-8011

South Carolina · top state for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

$119K published median

Nebraska · #2 state pay

$109K · behind South Carolina

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Nuclear Power Reactor Operators · $107K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators · $63K

Compare Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Nuclear Power Reactor Operators with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at the top of the pay table? ▼
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is pay-rank #1 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K), Power Plant Operators ($102K), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K), Gas Plant Operators ($88K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do nuclear power reactor operators do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. Leading ones include: Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental s…; Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standar…; Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired; Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for nuclear power reactor operators? ▼
For SOC 51-8011, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.0), Operations Monitoring (4.0), Operation and Control (4.0), Active Listening (3.9). Knowledge areas emphasize Physics, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $122,890 as the national median for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. The published 10th-90th range is $98,640 to $149,310. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is -15%. Projected annual openings: about 400. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Nuclear Power Reactor Operators? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators? ▼
South Carolina ($118,620), Nebraska ($108,650), Alabama ($119,000) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-8011. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics