Nuclear power reactor operators
SOC Code: 51-8011
Nuclear power reactor operators carries a 39% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $122,610 and -15.3% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 5,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 39% AI exposure, Nuclear power reactor operators sits 2 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 65% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
44/100
Nuclear power reactor operators, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A+ $122,610
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -15.3%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 39% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Nuclear power reactor operators in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry on a declining BLS line
Typical entry is HS / some college (333/832) while growth is Declining (111/832). This is the crowded high-risk corner of the map - automation and headcount pressure compound without a degree moat.
Where Nuclear power reactor operators sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Nuclear power reactor operators sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
39% Around the middle lower than 35% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Nuclear power reactor operators vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Nuclear power reactor operators is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Nuclear power reactor operators's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 51-8011) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Nuclear power reactor operators be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Nuclear power reactor operators. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety.
- 2. Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures.
- 3. Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired.
- 4. Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures.
- 5. Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action.
- 6. Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment.
- 7. Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment.
- 8. Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.
- 9. Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.
- 10. Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
Knowledge Areas
- Physics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Design
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Nuclear power reactor operators?
Nuclear power reactor operators has an AI exposure score of 39%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Nuclear power reactor operators?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Nuclear power reactor operators is projected to decline by 15.3% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 5,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Nuclear power reactor operators?
Key skills for Nuclear power reactor operators include Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Nuclear power reactor operators earn?
The median annual wage for Nuclear power reactor operators is $122,610, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Nuclear power reactor operators?
The typical entry-level education for Nuclear power reactor operators is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Long-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Nuclear power reactor operators?
Nuclear power reactor operators roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Nuclear power reactor operators: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (39% here).
- Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes · AI exposure 39%
- Art directors · AI exposure 39%
- Camera operators, television, video, and film · AI exposure 39%
- Chefs and head cooks · AI exposure 39%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-15.3% here).
- Office machine operators, except computer · growth -15.2%
- File clerks · growth -15.9%
- Prepress technicians and workers · growth -14.6%
- Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers · growth -14.5%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 81 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Nuclear power reactor operators' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Nuclear power reactor operators side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).