Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Salary in the US
A nuclear power reactor operators earns a national median of $122,890 a year (mean $121,380) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #77 of 825.
How much does a nuclear power reactor operators earn in the US?
A nuclear power reactor operators in the United States earns a median of $122,890 a year (mean $121,380), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 141% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 5,150 people work in this occupation (SOC 51-8011), ranked #77 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$122,890
per year
Mean
$121,380
per year
Employment
5,150
US workers
National rank
#77
of 825 by median
What a nuclear power reactor operators earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a nuclear power reactor operators (SOC 51-8011) earns a median annual wage of $122,890 and a mean (average) of $121,380. The median is the midpoint — half of nuclear power reactor operators earn more and half earn less — and is 141% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a nuclear power reactor operators in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for nuclear power reactor operators is $122,890, and the mean (average) is $121,380. The median is the midpoint — half of nuclear power reactor operators earn more and half earn less.
- How does nuclear power reactor operators pay compare to the US average?
- At $122,890, a nuclear power reactor operators earns 141% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many nuclear power reactor operators are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 5,150 nuclear power reactor operators employed nationally (SOC 51-8011), across all industries.
- Where does this nuclear power reactor operators salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 51-8011. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
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Find nuclear power reactor operators jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which nuclear power reactor operators roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 51-8011 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries