How much does a nuclear power reactor operator make?

The median pay is $59.08 per hour — roughly $123,000 a year, with the real range running from about $47.42/hr (10th percentile) to $71.78/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a nuclear power reactor operator?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a nuclear power reactor operator actually do all day?

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.

Manufacturing & Production

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

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 it pays
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators earn a median of $59.08/hr — about $123,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $47.42/hr; the top 10% earn $71.78/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

You're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of nuclear power reactor operators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.

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Quick questions

How much does a nuclear power reactor operator make?: The median pay is $59.08 per hour — roughly $123,000 a year, with the real range running from about $47.42/hr (10th percentile) to $71.78/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a nuclear power reactor operator?: The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a nuclear power reactor operator actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.