Career Outlook
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
BLS employment projections 2024–2034 · SOC 51-8011
Projected Growth
-15.3%
2024–2034
Annual Openings
400
projected/year
Median Salary
$123K
annual (BLS 2025)
Current Employment
5,700
workers (2024 projections base)
The Nuclear Power Reactor Operators career outlook (SOC 51-8011) combines two separate BLS data products: Employment Projections for 2024-2034 trajectory, and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from May 2025 for current pay. We classify this trajectory as declining versus the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. That places it 18.4 percentage points below the national average across all occupations.
Workforce size is projected to reach 4,900 by 2034, a net loss of 900 jobs from the 2024 base. The observed 10th-to-90th percentile pay spread runs from $98,640 to $149,310 (median hourly rate $59.08/hr). OEWS does not classify those percentile boundaries by career stage. Typical entry-level credential is High school diploma or equivalent.
How to read these projections
Growth projections are directional indicators, not guarantees. BLS revises these annually based on updated demographic, technology, and policy inputs, the 2024-2034 projections already factor in assumptions about AI adoption, remote-work normalization, demographic aging, energy transition, and post-pandemic industry shifts, but unforeseen disruptions (recessions, breakthrough technologies, policy changes) can reshape numbers this far out. When treating this page as career-decision evidence, pair the growth percentage with annual openings (small occupations growing fast can still offer few actual entry points, while large occupations growing slowly can offer thousands of replacement opportunities), use the percentile band to understand the reported wage distribution, and check whether the credential requirements match your current educational investment. Entry and experienced work-level pay require separate evidence. The "Similar Occupations" list below highlights adjacent SOC codes worth considering as comparison anchors or alternative pathways.
Job Growth Projection
-15.3%
Declining
vs. national average (3.1%)
-18.4% below
2024 Employment
5,700
Change
-900
2034 Projected
4,900
Entry Requirements
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience Required
None
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Salary Data (BLS 2025)
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $98,640 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,440 |
| Median (50th) | $122,890 |
| 75th Percentile | $130,490 |
| 90th Percentile | $149,310 |
| Mean (Average) | $121,380 |
Is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators a growing field?
Is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators a growing field?
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is projected to decline by 15.3% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. The national average across all tracked occupations is about 3.1%.
What education do Nuclear Power Reactor Operators need?
The typical entry-level education requirement for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is: High school diploma or equivalent. Work experience required: None. On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
How many Nuclear Power Reactor Operators jobs will be available?
There are approximately 400 annual job openings projected for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, which includes new positions due to growth plus openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
What is the median salary for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators?
The median annual salary for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is $122,890 ($59.08/hr), based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. Half of workers earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Similar Career Paths
Occupations in SOC major group 51 with comparable growth and entry requirements.
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Outlook fields use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; wage fields use BLS OEWS May 2025; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.