Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salary in the United States
How much does a Nuclear Plant Control Operator make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nuclear Plant Control Operator in the United States is $72,705 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.
However, a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,713
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $60,167 to $77,944
Key Factors That Influence Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salaries
A Nuclear Plant Control Operator's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $62,255
Early Career (1-2 years): $73,576
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,302
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,727
Expert (over 8 years): $120,572
Levels
Salary
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$62,255
Nuclear P... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$73,576
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$91,302
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$105,727
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$120,572
$62,2550 yr
$73,576< 2 yrs
$91,3022-4 yrs
$105,7275-8 yrs
$120,572> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Nuclear Plant Control Operators.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $80,499.
California: $80,194.
Massachusetts: $79,125.
District of Columbia$80,499
California$80,194
Massachusetts$79,125
Washington$78,834
New Jersey$78,805
Alaska$78,703
Connecticut$77,700
New York$77,293
Hawaii$75,992
Rhode Island$75,381
Maryland$74,966
Minnesota$74,399
Colorado$74,181
Illinois$74,109
Oregon$73,832
Delaware$73,629
New Hampshire$73,501
Virginia$73,214
Pennsylvania$72,378
Nevada$71,956
North Dakota$71,818
Michigan$71,600
Wisconsin$71,520
Vermont$71,360
Texas$70,917
Maine$70,888
Arizona$70,844
Ohio$70,793
Georgia$70,124
Indiana$69,790
Wyoming$69,724
Utah$69,623
Iowa$69,579
Kansas$69,230
Louisiana$69,128
North Carolina$69,092
Missouri$69,077
Florida$68,794
Montana$68,641
Nebraska$68,496
Kentucky$68,416
South Carolina$68,125
Tennessee$67,943
Idaho$67,870
New Mexico$67,340
Oklahoma$67,223
Alabama$66,794
South Dakota$66,075
Arkansas$65,682
West Virginia$65,471
Mississippi$64,839
Top Paying Cities for Nuclear Plant Control Operators
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $91,703
San Francisco: $90,699
Oakland: $88,788
San Jose, CA$91,703
San Francisco, CA$90,699
Oakland, CA$88,788
New York, NY$83,712
Paramus, NJ$82,694
Queens Village, NY$82,691
Passaic, NJ$82,622
Bergenfield, NJ$82,615
Stamford, CT$82,455
Huntington, NY$82,425
Newark, NJ$81,888
Bridgeport, CT$81,735
Vallejo, CA$81,590
New Brunswick, NJ$81,561
Petaluma, CA$81,517
Middlesex, NJ$81,379
Somerset, NJ$81,328
Santa Cruz, CA$81,234
Boston, MA$80,790
Monterey, CA$80,535
Seattle, WA$80,368
Santa Rosa, CA$80,354
Los Angeles, CA$80,332
Juneau, AK$80,143
Washington, DC$80,063
Orange, CA$79,804
Santa Ana, CA$79,612
Long Beach, CA$79,540
Anaheim, CA$79,525
Anchorage, AK$79,489
Santa Maria, CA$79,271
Everett, WA$79,256
Danbury, CT$79,000
Bremerton, WA$78,900
Tacoma, WA$78,638
New Suffolk, NY$78,637
Sacramento, CA$78,616
Santa Barbara, CA$78,536
Trenton, NJ$78,456
San Diego, CA$78,456
Brockton, MA$78,376
Fairbanks, AK$78,198
Lompoc, CA$78,013
Lowell, MA$77,954
Ventura, CA$77,940
Nashua, NH$77,926
Stockton, CA$77,918
Modesto, CA$77,388
Poughkeepsie, NY$77,228
Olympia, WA$77,089
Kennewick, WA$77,089
New Haven, CT$77,060
Lawrence, MA$76,799
Hartford, CT$76,726
Riverside, CA$76,711
New Bedford, MA$76,639
Richland, WA$76,639
Bakersfield, CA$76,537
San Bernardino, CA$76,508
New Britain, CT$76,501
Atlantic City, NJ$76,501
New London, CT$76,471
Norwich, CT$76,450
Portsmouth, NH$76,435
Boulder, CO$76,281
Portland, OR$76,181
Worcester, MA$76,173
Minneapolis, MN$75,948
Philadelphia, PA$75,846
Honolulu, HI$75,606
Saint Paul, MN$75,571
Vineland, NJ$75,555
Providence, RI$75,345
Chicago, IL$75,134
Bellingham, WA$75,046
Springfield, MA$74,988
Baltimore, MD$74,966
Chico, CA$74,785
Pittsfield, MA$74,588
Manchester, NH$74,450
Spokane, WA$74,130
Denver, CO$74,123
Albany, NY$73,781
Troy, NY$73,752
Nassau, NY$73,674
Schenectady, NY$73,600
Wilmington, DE$73,541
Burlington, VT$73,440
Salem, OR$73,411
Portland, ME$73,185
Yakima, WA$73,112
Rochester, MN$72,887
Reno, NV$72,851
Fresno, CA$72,851
Milwaukee, WI$72,785
Detroit, MI$72,713
Ann Arbor, MI$72,700
Allentown, PA$72,691
Colorado Springs, CO$72,567
Syracuse, NY$72,531
Carson City, NV$72,531
Houston, TX$72,429
Eugene, OR$72,393
Gary, IN$72,305
Springfield, OR$72,247
Bismarck, ND$72,233
Galveston, TX$72,182
Medford, OR$72,073
Fort Collins, CO$72,044
Concord, NH$72,007
Austin, TX$71,986
Mesa, AZ$71,833
Reading, PA$71,826
Phoenix, AZ$71,818
Dallas, TX$71,796
Saint Cloud, MN$71,727
Madison, WI$71,629
Utica, NY$71,433
Rochester, NY$71,317
Des Moines, IA$71,309
Raleigh, NC$71,302
Atlanta, GA$71,193
Battle Creek, MI$71,171
Salt Lake City, UT$71,149
Lancaster, PA$71,040
Harrisburg, PA$70,939
Kansas City, MO$70,866
Champaign, IL$70,851
Kansas City, KS$70,851
Fort Worth, TX$70,844
Columbus, OH$70,832
Boca Raton, FL$70,815
Pittsburgh, PA$70,786
Richmond, VA$70,757
Indianapolis, IN$70,742
Cleveland, OH$70,735
Las Vegas, NV$70,648
Cincinnati, OH$70,648
Petersburg, VA$70,539
Huntsville, AL$70,430
Lansing, MI$70,381
Lebanon, PA$70,371
Pueblo, CO$70,364
Appleton, WI$70,342
Buffalo, NY$70,313
Dayton, OH$70,291
Racine, WI$70,277
Charlotte, NC$70,270
Saint Louis, MO$70,248
York, PA$70,204
Elkhart, IN$70,204
Gastonia, NC$70,190
Billings, MT$70,173
Beaumont, TX$70,153
Lorain, OH$70,139
Benton Harbor, MI$70,124
Toledo, OH$70,110
Binghamton, NY$70,073
Rock Hill, SC$70,066
Rockford, IL$70,030
Springfield, IL$70,001
Elyria, OH$69,993
Fargo, ND$69,993
Flagstaff, AZ$69,942
Fort Lauderdale, FL$69,899
Duluth, MN$69,855
Miami, FL$69,855
Cheyenne, WY$69,804
Grand Forks, ND$69,804
Bangor, ME$69,644
Cedar Rapids, IA$69,564
Durham, NC$69,534
Louisville, KY$69,528
Grand Rapids, MI$69,514
Hialeah, FL$69,506
Casper, WY$69,404
Scranton, PA$69,317
New Orleans, LA$69,295
Virginia Beach, VA$69,288
Akron, OH$69,252
Peoria, IL$69,157
Sarasota, FL$69,143
Nashville, TN$69,092
Omaha, NE$69,092
Green Bay, WI$69,092
Baton Rouge, LA$69,055
Charleston, SC$69,041
Jamestown, NY$69,005
Davenport, IA$69,005
Tucson, AZ$68,968
Saint Petersburg, FL$68,925
Tampa, FL$68,910
Evansville, IN$68,866
Port Arthur, TX$68,866
Bradenton, FL$68,837
Santa Fe, NM$68,707
Orlando, FL$68,576
Clearwater, FL$68,554
Canton, OH$68,401
La Crosse, WI$68,401
Albuquerque, NM$68,358
Newport News, VA$68,350
High Point, NC$68,328
Ogden, UT$68,299
Corpus Christi, TX$68,241
Norfolk, VA$68,198
Laramie, WY$68,198
Rock Island, IL$68,154
Saginaw, MI$68,139
Jacksonville, FL$68,132
Salisbury, NC$68,118
Boise, ID$68,103
Moline, IL$68,067
Fort Myers, FL$68,045
Memphis, TN$68,030
Tulsa, OK$67,994
Waterloo, IA$67,950
Spartanburg, SC$67,878
Lincoln, NE$67,841
Fort Wayne, IN$67,827
Provo, UT$67,820
Cedar Falls, IA$67,732
San Antonio, TX$67,703
Greensboro, NC$67,674
South Bend, IN$67,667
Savannah, GA$67,587
Muskegon, MI$67,558
Birmingham, AL$67,550
Winston Salem, NC$67,515
Lake Charles, LA$67,340
Anderson, IN$67,325
Lexington, KY$67,303
Augusta, GA$67,281
Greenville, SC$67,281
Lima, OH$67,223
Wichita, KS$67,216
Tuscaloosa, AL$67,216
Columbia, SC$67,151
Springfield, OH$67,136
Asheville, NC$67,020
Bloomington, IN$66,969
Knoxville, TN$66,707
Shreveport, LA$66,700
Wilmington, NC$66,605
Roanoke, VA$66,605
Topeka, KS$66,474
Frankfort, KY$66,466
Oklahoma City, OK$66,416
Chillicothe, OH$66,387
Longview, TX$66,380
Melbourne, FL$66,373
Sioux Falls, SD$66,256
Mobile, AL$66,249
Terre Haute, IN$66,220
Altoona, PA$66,176
Amarillo, TX$66,125
Killeen, TX$66,104
Fayetteville, AR$66,045
Chattanooga, TN$66,024
Sioux City, IA$65,958
Idaho Falls, ID$65,944
Lynchburg, VA$65,886
Gainesville, FL$65,791
Portsmouth, OH$65,755
Little Rock, AR$65,740
Lafayette, LA$65,711
Youngstown, OH$65,711
Daytona Beach, FL$65,667
Clarksville, TN$65,660
Pensacola, FL$65,653
Temple, TX$65,648
Hopkinsville, KY$65,435
Erie, PA$65,420
Florence, SC$65,391
Charleston, WV$65,275
Great Falls, MT$65,238
Macon, GA$65,137
Tallahassee, FL$65,129
Fayetteville, NC$65,115
Waco, TX$65,100
Helena, MT$65,049
Pine Bluff, AR$65,022
Vincennes, IN$64,933
Lubbock, TX$64,904
Alamogordo, NM$64,860
Twin Falls, ID$64,795
Rapid City, SD$64,773
Jackson, MS$64,642
Huntington, WV$64,637
Greenville, MS$64,635
Parkersburg, WV$64,561
Montgomery, AL$64,548
Wichita Falls, TX$64,475
Springfield, MO$64,475
Biloxi, MS$64,439
Monroe, LA$64,366
Johnstown, PA$64,315
Sumter, SC$64,286
Columbus, GA$64,279
Pascagoula, MS$64,141
Abilene, TX$64,141
Kingsport, TN$63,952
Albany, GA$63,952
Gulfport, MS$63,930
Alexandria, LA$63,690
Fort Smith, AR$63,508
El Paso, TX$63,312
Las Cruces, NM$62,985
Harlingen, TX$62,800
Pocatello, ID$62,788
Florence, AL$62,694
Brownsville, TX$62,679
Mcallen, TX$62,527
Dothan, AL$62,425
Columbus, MS$61,993
Altus, OK$61,654
Lawton, OK$61,516
Pierre, SD$61,254
What Skills Can Increase a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 20.47% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.16% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Customer Care (Mentioned in 1.16% Job Postings): Customer care is the process of building an emotional connection with your customers, whereas customer service is simply the advice or assistance your business provides them.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Analysis
20.47%
Microsoft Office
2.16%
Customer Care
1.16%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's salary.
Customer Care: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Credit Risk: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Customer Care
$90,155
24%
Process Improvement
$79,249
9%
Credit Risk
$77,795
7%
Balance Sheet
$76,341
5%
Initiative
$76,341
5%
Products and Services
$75,614
4%
Get Latest Data
Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Nuclear Plant Control Operator roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit,
offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely,
Nuclear Plant Control Operator positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Nuclear Plant Control Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Nuclear Plant Control Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$79,976
$38.0
10%
How Education impacts a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Nuclear Plant Control Operators enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Nuclear Plant Control Operator with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$69,942
and $75,270).
Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Nuclear Plant Control Operator
No Diploma2.5%
High School2.5%
Associates2.1%
Bachelors66.7%
Masters28.0%
Doctorate0.7%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
2.5%
High School
2.5%
Associates
2.1%
Bachelors
66.7%
Masters
28.0%
Doctorate
0.7%
view as graph
Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Nuclear Plant Control Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$60,167
Average$72,705/year
$77,944
$5,014
Average$6,059/month
$6,495
$1,157
Average$1,398/week
$1,499
$29
Average$35/hour
$37
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$77,944
$6,495
$1,499
$37
Average
$72,705
$6,059
$1,398
$35
25th Percentile
$60,167
$5,014
$1,157
$29
Salaries of jobs related to Nuclear Plant Control Operator
Salaries for a Nuclear Plant Control Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $71,224 in 2023
to around $70,510 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Nuclear Plant Control Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Nuclear Plant Control Operator Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$71,224
2024
$71,241
2025
$70,510
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$71,224
2024
$71,241
2025
$70,510
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Nuclear Plant Control Operator
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Nuclear Plant Control Operator
Here are companies hiring for Nuclear Plant Control Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
K
$114,295/per year
Kpmg Us LLP
Business Services
the United States
W
$114,096/per year
Warner Bros Discovery
Business Services
the United States
D
$111,927/per year
Dentsu International Ltd
Business Services
the United States
G
$111,873/per year
GroupM Worldwide Inc
Business Services
the United States
C
$111,651/per year
CoWorx Staffing
Business Services
the United States
C
$110,194/per year
Contemporary Services Corp
Business Services
the United States
S
$107,128/per year
Showcase Cinemas
Business Services
the United States
A
$106,429/per year
Amentum Services Inc
Business Services
the United States
A
$106,199/per year
Allied Universal Security Services LLC
Business Services
the United States
S
$106,104/per year
Sodexo USA
Business Services
the United States
J
$105,192/per year
JLL Technologies
Business Services
the United States
I
$104,478/per year
Intact Insurance Group USA LLC
Business Services
the United States
N
$101,619/per year
NielsenIQ
Business Services
the United States
T
$101,470/per year
The Leading Edge Alliance
Business Services
the United States
H
$101,308/per year
Honeywell UOP
Business Services
the United States
R
$97,720/per year
Reeve & Associates
Business Services
the United States
M
$97,584/per year
ManpowerGroup Global Inc
Business Services
the United States
F
$95,980/per year
Financial Sys Nco
Business Services
the United States
A
$95,314/per year
Arrow Global Ltd
Business Services
the United States
C
$94,777/per year
CarMax Enterprise Services LLC
Business Services
the United States
D
$94,479/per year
DZConneX
Business Services
the United States
A
$93,802/per year
Adecco Staffing, USA
Business Services
the United States
R
$92,937/per year
Resource MFG
Business Services
the United States
Z
$92,774/per year
Zachry Brands Inc
Business Services
the United States
G
$88,138/per year
Greystar Worldwide LLC
Business Services
the United States
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FAQ about Nuclear Plant Control Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Nuclear Plant Control Operator?
The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Nuclear Plant Control Operator roles,
with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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