As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Nuclear Reactor Operator in New Jersey is $117,792, equivalent to $57 per hour, $2,265 weekly, or $9,816 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 New Jersey vary widely, spanning from $102,685 to $132,004. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($109,884) and 75th percentile ($125,231), while top earners (90th percentile) make $132,004 per year. This $15,347 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, New Jersey Nuclear Reactor Operator often earn 8.4% higher than national averages due to demand from Fortune 15 companies. However, New Jersey currently ranks 5 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 $102,685 NJ July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $109,884 NJ July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $117,792 NJ July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $125,231 NJ July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $132,004 NJ July 01, 2026
25% $109,884 10% $102,685 90% $132,004 75% $125,231 $117,792 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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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 Bayonne, NJ Avg. Salary $143,764 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Bergenfield, NJ Avg. Salary $144,286 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Bloomfield, NJ Avg. Salary $143,897 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location East Brunswick, NJ Avg. Salary $142,403 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Hoboken, NJ Avg. Salary $146,146 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Irvington, NJ Avg. Salary $143,088 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Lakewood, NJ Avg. Salary $136,785 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Middlesex, NJ Avg. Salary $142,127 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Passaic, NJ Avg. Salary $144,297 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Location Union, NJ Avg. Salary $143,072 Date Updated July 01, 2026
Job Openings for Nuclear Reactor Operator in New Jersey

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