Nuclear Plant Control Operator Salary in the United States
How much does a Nuclear Plant Control Operator make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nuclear Plant Control Operator in the United States is $72,710 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): $82,756
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $60,191 to $77,968
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): $73,579
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,304
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,726
Expert (over 8 years): $120,574
Levels
Salary
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$62,255
Nuclear P... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$73,579
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$91,304
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$105,726
Commercia... Level Nuclear Plant Control Operator
$120,574
$62,2550 yr
$73,579< 2 yrs
$91,3042-4 yrs
$105,7265-8 yrs
$120,574> 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: $80,504.
California: $80,199.
Massachusetts: $79,130.
District of Columbia$80,504
California$80,199
Massachusetts$79,130
Washington$78,839
New Jersey$78,810
Alaska$78,708
Connecticut$77,705
New York$77,298
Hawaii$75,996
Rhode Island$75,385
Maryland$74,971
Minnesota$74,404
Colorado$74,186
Illinois$74,113
Oregon$73,837
Delaware$73,633
New Hampshire$73,505
Virginia$73,219
Pennsylvania$72,383
Nevada$71,961
North Dakota$71,823
Michigan$71,605
Wisconsin$71,525
Vermont$71,365
Texas$70,921
Maine$70,892
Arizona$70,848
Ohio$70,797
Georgia$70,129
Indiana$69,794
Wyoming$69,729
Utah$69,627
Iowa$69,583
Kansas$69,234
Louisiana$69,132
North Carolina$69,096
Missouri$69,081
Florida$68,798
Montana$68,645
Nebraska$68,500
Kentucky$68,420
South Carolina$68,129
Tennessee$67,947
Idaho$67,875
New Mexico$67,344
Oklahoma$67,227
Alabama$66,798
South Dakota$66,079
Arkansas$65,686
West Virginia$65,475
Mississippi$64,843
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: $91,709
San Francisco: $90,705
Oakland: $88,793
San Jose, CA$91,709
San Francisco, CA$90,705
Oakland, CA$88,793
New York, NY$83,717
Paramus, NJ$82,699
Queens Village, NY$82,696
Passaic, NJ$82,627
Bergenfield, NJ$82,620
Stamford, CT$82,460
Huntington, NY$82,430
Newark, NJ$81,893
Bridgeport, CT$81,740
Vallejo, CA$81,595
New Brunswick, NJ$81,566
Petaluma, CA$81,522
Middlesex, NJ$81,384
Somerset, NJ$81,333
Santa Cruz, CA$81,239
Boston, MA$80,795
Monterey, CA$80,540
Seattle, WA$80,373
Santa Rosa, CA$80,359
Los Angeles, CA$80,337
Juneau, AK$80,148
Washington, DC$80,068
Orange, CA$79,809
Santa Ana, CA$79,617
Long Beach, CA$79,544
Anaheim, CA$79,530
Anchorage, AK$79,494
Santa Maria, CA$79,275
Everett, WA$79,261
Danbury, CT$79,005
Bremerton, WA$78,905
Tacoma, WA$78,643
New Suffolk, NY$78,641
Sacramento, CA$78,621
Santa Barbara, CA$78,541
Trenton, NJ$78,461
San Diego, CA$78,461
Brockton, MA$78,381
Fairbanks, AK$78,203
Lompoc, CA$78,018
Lowell, MA$77,959
Ventura, CA$77,945
Nashua, NH$77,930
Stockton, CA$77,923
Modesto, CA$77,392
Poughkeepsie, NY$77,232
Olympia, WA$77,094
Kennewick, WA$77,094
New Haven, CT$77,065
Lawrence, MA$76,803
Hartford, CT$76,731
Riverside, CA$76,716
New Bedford, MA$76,643
Richland, WA$76,643
Bakersfield, CA$76,542
San Bernardino, CA$76,512
New Britain, CT$76,505
Atlantic City, NJ$76,505
New London, CT$76,476
Norwich, CT$76,454
Portsmouth, NH$76,440
Boulder, CO$76,286
Portland, OR$76,185
Worcester, MA$76,178
Minneapolis, MN$75,953
Philadelphia, PA$75,851
Honolulu, HI$75,611
Saint Paul, MN$75,576
Vineland, NJ$75,560
Providence, RI$75,349
Chicago, IL$75,138
Bellingham, WA$75,051
Springfield, MA$74,993
Baltimore, MD$74,971
Chico, CA$74,789
Pittsfield, MA$74,593
Manchester, NH$74,455
Spokane, WA$74,135
Denver, CO$74,128
Albany, NY$73,786
Troy, NY$73,757
Nassau, NY$73,679
Schenectady, NY$73,604
Wilmington, DE$73,546
Burlington, VT$73,444
Salem, OR$73,415
Portland, ME$73,190
Yakima, WA$73,117
Rochester, MN$72,891
Reno, NV$72,855
Fresno, CA$72,855
Milwaukee, WI$72,790
Detroit, MI$72,717
Ann Arbor, MI$72,705
Allentown, PA$72,695
Colorado Springs, CO$72,572
Syracuse, NY$72,535
Carson City, NV$72,535
Houston, TX$72,433
Eugene, OR$72,397
Gary, IN$72,310
Springfield, OR$72,252
Bismarck, ND$72,237
Galveston, TX$72,186
Medford, OR$72,077
Fort Collins, CO$72,048
Concord, NH$72,012
Austin, TX$71,990
Mesa, AZ$71,837
Reading, PA$71,830
Phoenix, AZ$71,823
Dallas, TX$71,801
Saint Cloud, MN$71,731
Madison, WI$71,634
Utica, NY$71,437
Rochester, NY$71,321
Des Moines, IA$71,314
Raleigh, NC$71,306
Atlanta, GA$71,197
Battle Creek, MI$71,176
Salt Lake City, UT$71,154
Lancaster, PA$71,045
Harrisburg, PA$70,943
Kansas City, MO$70,870
Champaign, IL$70,856
Kansas City, KS$70,856
Fort Worth, TX$70,848
Columbus, OH$70,836
Boca Raton, FL$70,819
Pittsburgh, PA$70,790
Richmond, VA$70,761
Indianapolis, IN$70,747
Cleveland, OH$70,739
Las Vegas, NV$70,652
Cincinnati, OH$70,652
Petersburg, VA$70,543
Huntsville, AL$70,434
Lansing, MI$70,385
Lebanon, PA$70,376
Pueblo, CO$70,368
Appleton, WI$70,347
Buffalo, NY$70,318
Dayton, OH$70,296
Racine, WI$70,281
Charlotte, NC$70,274
Saint Louis, MO$70,252
York, PA$70,208
Elkhart, IN$70,208
Gastonia, NC$70,195
Billings, MT$70,177
Beaumont, TX$70,158
Lorain, OH$70,143
Benton Harbor, MI$70,129
Toledo, OH$70,114
Binghamton, NY$70,078
Rock Hill, SC$70,070
Rockford, IL$70,034
Springfield, IL$70,005
Elyria, OH$69,998
Fargo, ND$69,998
Flagstaff, AZ$69,947
Fort Lauderdale, FL$69,903
Duluth, MN$69,859
Miami, FL$69,859
Cheyenne, WY$69,809
Grand Forks, ND$69,809
Bangor, ME$69,649
Cedar Rapids, IA$69,569
Durham, NC$69,538
Louisville, KY$69,532
Grand Rapids, MI$69,518
Hialeah, FL$69,510
Casper, WY$69,409
Scranton, PA$69,321
New Orleans, LA$69,300
Virginia Beach, VA$69,292
Akron, OH$69,256
Peoria, IL$69,161
Sarasota, FL$69,147
Nashville, TN$69,096
Omaha, NE$69,096
Green Bay, WI$69,096
Baton Rouge, LA$69,060
Charleston, SC$69,045
Jamestown, NY$69,009
Davenport, IA$69,009
Tucson, AZ$68,972
Saint Petersburg, FL$68,929
Tampa, FL$68,914
Evansville, IN$68,871
Port Arthur, TX$68,871
Bradenton, FL$68,842
Santa Fe, NM$68,711
Orlando, FL$68,580
Clearwater, FL$68,558
Canton, OH$68,405
La Crosse, WI$68,405
Albuquerque, NM$68,362
Newport News, VA$68,354
High Point, NC$68,333
Ogden, UT$68,303
Corpus Christi, TX$68,245
Norfolk, VA$68,202
Laramie, WY$68,202
Rock Island, IL$68,158
Saginaw, MI$68,144
Jacksonville, FL$68,136
Salisbury, NC$68,122
Boise, ID$68,107
Moline, IL$68,071
Fort Myers, FL$68,049
Memphis, TN$68,034
Tulsa, OK$67,998
Waterloo, IA$67,954
Spartanburg, SC$67,882
Lincoln, NE$67,845
Fort Wayne, IN$67,831
Provo, UT$67,824
Cedar Falls, IA$67,736
San Antonio, TX$67,707
Greensboro, NC$67,678
South Bend, IN$67,671
Savannah, GA$67,591
Muskegon, MI$67,562
Birmingham, AL$67,555
Winston Salem, NC$67,519
Lake Charles, LA$67,344
Anderson, IN$67,329
Lexington, KY$67,307
Augusta, GA$67,286
Greenville, SC$67,286
Lima, OH$67,227
Wichita, KS$67,220
Tuscaloosa, AL$67,220
Columbia, SC$67,155
Springfield, OH$67,140
Asheville, NC$67,024
Bloomington, IN$66,973
Knoxville, TN$66,711
Shreveport, LA$66,704
Wilmington, NC$66,609
Roanoke, VA$66,609
Topeka, KS$66,478
Frankfort, KY$66,470
Oklahoma City, OK$66,420
Chillicothe, OH$66,391
Longview, TX$66,384
Melbourne, FL$66,377
Sioux Falls, SD$66,260
Mobile, AL$66,253
Terre Haute, IN$66,224
Altoona, PA$66,180
Amarillo, TX$66,129
Killeen, TX$66,108
Fayetteville, AR$66,049
Chattanooga, TN$66,028
Sioux City, IA$65,962
Idaho Falls, ID$65,948
Lynchburg, VA$65,890
Gainesville, FL$65,795
Portsmouth, OH$65,759
Little Rock, AR$65,744
Lafayette, LA$65,715
Youngstown, OH$65,715
Daytona Beach, FL$65,671
Clarksville, TN$65,664
Pensacola, FL$65,657
Temple, TX$65,652
Hopkinsville, KY$65,439
Erie, PA$65,424
Florence, SC$65,395
Charleston, WV$65,279
Great Falls, MT$65,242
Macon, GA$65,141
Tallahassee, FL$65,133
Fayetteville, NC$65,119
Waco, TX$65,104
Helena, MT$65,053
Pine Bluff, AR$65,026
Vincennes, IN$64,937
Lubbock, TX$64,908
Alamogordo, NM$64,864
Twin Falls, ID$64,799
Rapid City, SD$64,777
Jackson, MS$64,646
Huntington, WV$64,641
Greenville, MS$64,639
Parkersburg, WV$64,565
Montgomery, AL$64,552
Wichita Falls, TX$64,479
Springfield, MO$64,479
Biloxi, MS$64,443
Monroe, LA$64,370
Johnstown, PA$64,319
Sumter, SC$64,290
Columbus, GA$64,283
Pascagoula, MS$64,144
Abilene, TX$64,144
Kingsport, TN$63,955
Albany, GA$63,955
Gulfport, MS$63,934
Alexandria, LA$63,694
Fort Smith, AR$63,512
El Paso, TX$63,316
Las Cruces, NM$62,988
Harlingen, TX$62,804
Pocatello, ID$62,792
Florence, AL$62,698
Brownsville, TX$62,683
Mcallen, TX$62,530
Dothan, AL$62,429
Columbus, MS$61,997
Altus, OK$61,658
Lawton, OK$61,520
Pierre, SD$61,258
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
$90,160
24%
Process Improvement
$79,254
9%
Credit Risk
$77,799
7%
Balance Sheet
$76,345
5%
Initiative
$76,345
5%
Products and Services
$75,618
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
$79,981
$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 July 01, 2026
$60,191
Average$72,710/year
$77,968
$5,016
Average$6,059/month
$6,497
$1,158
Average$1,398/week
$1,499
$29
Average$35/hour
$37
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$77,968
$6,497
$1,499
$37
Average
$72,710
$6,059
$1,398
$35
25th Percentile
$60,191
$5,016
$1,158
$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)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
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
Find Your Next Nuclear Plant Control Operator Job
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current Nuclear Plant Control Operator job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
For Employers
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
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.
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
Smart Recruiting
