Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Median $106,730
Occupation · SOC 51-8011
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: pay and where the jobs are
What nuclear power reactor operators earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$122,890 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $121,380
- Median hourly wage
- $59.08
- Mean hourly wage
- $58.36
- Employment
- 5,150
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-8011.
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How much do nuclear power reactor operators make?
The median annual wage for nuclear power reactor operators was $122,890 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $98,640 and the highest-paid 10% more than $149,310. As an hourly rate, the median is $59.08. About 5,150 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in New York ($129,580), Illinois ($123,980) and Alabama ($119,000). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Alabama.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for nuclear power reactor operators looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $98,640 | $47.42 | $8,220 | $6,519 |
| 25th percentile | $109,440 | $52.61 | $9,120 | $7,152 |
| Median | $122,890 | $59.08 | $10,241 | $7,938 |
| 75th percentile | $130,490 | $62.73 | $10,874 | $8,371 |
| 90th percentile | $149,310 | $71.78 | $12,443 | $9,443 |
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: pay by state
5 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$98,740 take-home in national prices
2
$92,870 take-home in national prices
3
$90,120 take-home in national prices
Where a median nuclear power reactor operator paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 230 | $129,580 | $102,070 | $158,080 | $92,786 | $85,976 |
| Illinois | 410 | $123,980 | $104,760 | $133,950 | $90,014 | $90,052 |
| Alabama | 360 | $119,000 | $105,050 | $160,760 | $87,704 | $98,740 |
| South Carolina | 320 | $118,620 | $85,820 | $126,790 | $87,065 | $92,870 |
| Nebraska | 50 | $108,650 | $90,120 | $131,100 | $81,201 | $90,120 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-8011. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.