Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Also called: Nuclear Control Operator, Nuclear Reactor Operator, Nuclear Station Operator (NSO), Reactor Operator (RO)Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 4 of its 19 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 5.9% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.9% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 86% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $119,000 | $115,520 to $146,140 | 360 |
| Illinois | $123,980 | $119,100 to $130,500 | 410 |
| Nebraska | $108,650 | $108,650 to $124,120 | 50 |
| New York | $129,580 | $121,310 to $142,560 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $118,620 | $107,190 to $119,540 | 320 |
Nationally: $122,890. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 4 of its 19 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety. | Not published |
| Not much | Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired. | Not published |
See all 19 tasks
| Not much | Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests. | Not published |
| Not much | Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review and edit standard operating procedures. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary. | Not published |
| Not much | Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status. | Not published |
| Not much | Authorize actions to correct identified operational inefficiencies or hazards so that operating efficiency is maximized and potential environmental issues are minimized. | Not published |
| Not much | Supervise technicians' work activities to ensure that equipment is operated in accordance with policies and procedures that protect workers from radiation and ensure environmental safety. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct measurement of the intensity or types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct the collection and testing of air, water, gas, or solid samples to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 19 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 19 tasks fall under 12 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #42 Diagnose system or equipment problems
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Operate energy production or distribution equipment | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Diagnose system or equipment problems | |||
| Plan work activities | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities |
Show all 12 activities
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Inspect facilities or equipment | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation15%
- A document or report14%
- A plan or strategy13%
- An explanation or answer12%
- An app or website11%
How they worked with Claude
72% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for nuclear power reactor operators specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 3,034 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 17%
- 2 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Commercial Pilots Moderate +5.2% 4%
- 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 2,665 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 16%
- 2 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Cooks, Restaurant Moderate +12.1% 3%
- 4 Cashiers High -6.5% 3%
- 5 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators High -2.9% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 50% high school
- 16% postsecondary certificate
- 6% some college
- 13% associate's
- 15% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 33 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 29% high school
- 30% some college
- 18% associate's
- 19% bachelor's
- 3% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers” · 511 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers”
1 program: Nuclear/Nuclear Power Technology/Technician.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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