United States · Pay by job · Production
Nuclear Power Reactor Operator salary and take-home pay
The typical US nuclear power reactor operator earns $122,890 a year, or $59.08 an hour (BLS, May 2025). On that pay, a single filer in Texas keeps about $95,261 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators (SOC 51-8011). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a nuclear power reactor operator earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $98,640 | $47.42 | |
| 25th | $109,440 | $52.61 | |
| Median | $122,890 | $59.08 | |
| 75th | $130,490 | $62.73 | |
| 90th | $149,310 | $71.78 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $109,440 to $130,490 a year, and about 5,150 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Nuclear Power Reactor Operator · Texas · single · median
$95,261.32 a year after tax
$7,938.44 a month · $3,663.90 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $122,890.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$18,227.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$9,401.09 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $95,261.32 |
Pay: the national median, $122,890 a year, because BLS released no median for this job in Texas. One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a nuclear power reactor operator take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $98,640 | $78,223 | $72,157 | $73,001 |
| 25th | $109,440 | $85,821 | $78,610 | $79,941 |
| Median | $122,890 | $95,261 | $86,624 | $88,435 |
| 75th | $130,490 | $100,456 | $91,013 | $93,095 |
| 90th | $149,310 | $113,319 | $101,882 | $104,634 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a nuclear power reactor operator keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $129,580 | $92,537 |
| 2 | Illinois | $123,980 | $90,014 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.
How much does a nuclear power reactor operator earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $119,000 | 360 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | not released | – |
| Arizona | not released | not released | not yet |
| Arkansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| California | not released | not released | – |
| Colorado | not released | not released | not yet |
| Connecticut | not released | not released | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | not released | not released | – |
| Georgia | not released | not released | – |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $123,980 | 410 | $90,014 (#2) |
| Indiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Iowa | not released | not released | not yet |
| Kansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| Kentucky | not released | not released | not yet |
| Louisiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maine | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maryland | not released | not released | not yet |
| Massachusetts | not released | not released | not yet |
| Michigan | not released | not released | – |
| Minnesota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Mississippi | not released | not released | not yet |
| Missouri | not released | not released | not yet |
| Montana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nebraska | $108,650 | 50 | not yet |
| Nevada | not released | not released | – |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | not released | not released | – |
| New Mexico | not released | not released | not yet |
| New York | $129,580 | 230 | $92,537 (#1) |
| North Carolina | not released | not released | – |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | not released | not released | – |
| Oklahoma | not released | not released | not yet |
| Oregon | not released | not released | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | not released | not released | – |
| Rhode Island | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Carolina | $118,620 | 320 | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | not released | not released | – |
| Texas | not released | not released | – |
| Utah | not released | not released | not yet |
| Vermont | not released | not released | not yet |
| Virginia | not released | not released | – |
| Washington | not released | not released | – |
| West Virginia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wisconsin | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a nuclear power reactor operator?
BLS expects jobs as a nuclear power reactor operator to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- -5.9%
- Openings a year
- about 400
- Usual education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 production jobs closest in pay to a nuclear power reactor operator:
- Power Distributor and Dispatcher median $106,730
- Power Plant Operator median $102,040
- Refinery Operator median $96,710
- Gas Plant Operator median $87,820
- Stationary Engineer median $78,620
- Chemical Plant and System Operator median $78,120
- Production Supervisor median $74,450
- CNC Programmer median $68,120
- Aircraft Assembler median $65,380
- Tool and Die Maker median $64,050
Every job in the group: Production jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $122,890, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $59.08 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $122,890, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about nuclear power reactor operator pay
How much does a nuclear power reactor operator make an hour?
The median is $59.08 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $52.61 to $62.73, and the top 10% earn $71.78 or more.
Which state pays a nuclear power reactor operator the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, New York has the highest median for this job: $129,580 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New York leaves the most: $92,537 a year for a single filer on its median of $129,580.
What is a nuclear power reactor operator’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $122,890, a single filer keeps about $95,261 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $86,624 in California and $88,435 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a nuclear power reactor operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training (more than a year).
Is the number of nuclear power reactor operator jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a nuclear power reactor operator to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).