As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Nuclear Reactor Operator in North Carolina is $103,273, equivalent to $50 per hour, $1,986 weekly, or $8,606 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Nuclear Reactor Operator in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Nuclear Reactor Operator in North Carolina vary widely, spanning from $90,028 to $115,733. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($96,340) and 75th percentile ($109,795), while top earners (90th percentile) make $115,733 per year. This $13,455 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Troubleshooting or Construction Management, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, North Carolina Nuclear Reactor Operator often earn 5.0% lower than national averages due to demand from Fortune 15 companies. However, North Carolina currently ranks 36 nationwide for Nuclear Reactor Operator job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Nuclear Reactor Operator Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $90,028 NC July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $96,340 NC July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $103,273 NC July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $109,795 NC July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $115,733 NC July 01, 2026
25% $96,340 10% $90,028 90% $115,733 75% $109,795 $103,273 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Nuclear Reactor Operator Instructor

Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC - Elk Park, NC

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What is a Nuclear Reactor Operator ?

A reactor operator (or nuclear reactor operator) is an individual at a nuclear power plant who is responsible for directly controlling a nuclear reactor from a control panel and is the only individual at a nuclear power plant who can directly alter significant amounts of reactor reactivity. The reactor operator occupies a position of great responsibility that may require him or her to start up a nuclear reactor, shut down a critical nuclear reactor, monitor reactor parameters, or respond to a casualty of the nuclear reactor. All reactor operators are required to be licensed or qualified by ...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Aberdeen, NC Avg. Salary $115,128 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Advance, NC Avg. Salary $117,534 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Ahoskie, NC Avg. Salary $115,271 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Alamance, NC Avg. Salary $117,849 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Albemarle, NC Avg. Salary $117,632 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Albertson, NC Avg. Salary $114,411 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Alexander, NC Avg. Salary $116,800 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Alexis, NC Avg. Salary $121,343 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Alliance, NC Avg. Salary $114,072 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Almond, NC Avg. Salary $114,877 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Job Openings for Nuclear Reactor Operator in North Carolina

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Nuclear Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Nuclear Reactor Operator

    4 - 7 years experience
    Master's Degree or MBA

  3. Up a level:

    Nuclear Engineer IV

    7 + years experience
    Master's Degree or MBA

Recently searched related titles: Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Specialist

Jobs with a similar salary range to Nuclear Reactor Operator : Nuclear Operator, React Engineer, Reactor Engineer