Nuclear Power Reactor Operators vs Power Plant Operators: $123K vs $102K Median Pay

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators vs Power Plant Operators: what changes?

Consider Nuclear Power Reactor Operators if you want to operate or control nuclear reactors. Consider Power Plant Operators if you would rather control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators and Power Plant Operators. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

National median pay (2025): $122,890
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 400

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Nuclear Power Reactor Operators brief

Power Plant Operators

National median pay (2025): $102,040
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 2,300

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Power Plant Operators brief

How the national numbers differ

Power Plant Operators has the edge on annual openings

Power Plant Operators is at 2,300 annual openings, compared with 400 annual openings for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators.

Typical preparation differs.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Power Plant Operators: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators has the edge on median pay

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is at $122,890, compared with $102,040 for Power Plant Operators.

Power Plant Operators has the edge on projected growth

Power Plant Operators is at -5.1% projected growth, compared with -5.9% projected growth for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators.

39/ 100

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

51.3/ 100

Power Plant Operators

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators vs Power Plant Operators

Dimension	Nuclear Power Reactor Operators	Power Plant Operators
Median pay (2025)	$122,890	$102,040
Pay percentile	89.8 percentile	84.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-5.9%	-5.1%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	400	2,300
2025 employment	5,200	29,800
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Nuclear Power Reactor Operators brief Read Power Plant Operators brief

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators vs Power Plant Operators: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Power Plant Operators

How the national numbers differ

Power Plant Operators has the edge on annual openings

Typical preparation differs.

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators has the edge on median pay

Power Plant Operators has the edge on projected growth

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators vs Power Plant Operators

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