As of September 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Nuclear Reactor Operator in Richmond, VA is $105,758, equivalent to $51 per hour, $2,034 weekly, or $8,813 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 Richmond, VA vary widely, spanning from $92,191 to $118,523. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($98,657) and 75th percentile ($112,440), while top earners (90th percentile) make $118,523 per year. This $13,783 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, Richmond Nuclear Reactor Operator often earn 3.4% lower than national averages. 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 $92,191 Richmond, VA September 01, 2026
25th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $98,657 Richmond, VA September 01, 2026
50th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $105,758 Richmond, VA September 01, 2026
75th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $112,440 Richmond, VA September 01, 2026
90th Percentile Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary $118,523 Richmond, VA September 01, 2026
25% $98,657 10% $92,191 90% $118,523 75% $112,440 $105,758 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

See user submitted job responsibilities for Nuclear Reactor Operator.

Job Openings for Nuclear Reactor Operator in Richmond, VA

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

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Nuclear Reactor Operator, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
98657
112440
105758

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
115375
141053
127194
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Nuclear Reactor Operator in Richmond, VA. The base salary for Nuclear Reactor Operator ranges from $98,657 to $112,440 with the average base salary of $105,758. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $115,375 to $141,053 with the average total cash compensation of $127,194.

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For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

98657
112440

 

About Richmond, Virginia    Richmond (/ˈrɪtʃmənd/) is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical ....More

Richmond, Virginia  area prices were up 1.2% from a year ago

Nuclear Reactor Operator Salary in popular cities: Virginia BeachNorfolkChesapeake

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