Average Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Salary in Illinois

BLS did not publish a wage for nuclear power reactor operators in Illinois in the latest release, but in 2021 the local median hourly wage was $59.77. There are 460 workers employed locally today.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates for Illinois (state).

No annual salary published for this location. BLS does not publish an annual wage estimate for nuclear power reactor operators in Illinois. This is common for occupations where most work is project-based, hourly, or on irregular schedules (actors, athletes, musicians, dancers). No wage figures were published at all for this location in the latest release.

Local employment

Workers tracked locally: 460
How common this job is here: 2.05×; More concentrated here than nationally — this state is unusually strong in this occupation.

The last time BLS reported wages here

The latest release does not include a wage figure for nuclear power reactor operators in Illinois, but earlier releases did. Here is the most recent year with a published wage.

Last reporting year: 2021
Median hourly wage (2021): $59.77/hr
Median annual wage (2021): $124,330
Employment (2021): 340

This data is from the 2021 BLS release. Recent figures may differ — small-sample suppression is common for this occupation.

Metros inside Illinois

Pay and employment for nuclear power reactor operators often cluster in specific cities within the state. Drill into any metro for its local breakdown.

Where nuclear power reactor operators earn the most per hour

Locations where BLS did publish hourly wage data for nuclear power reactor operators this release, ranked highest to lowest.

By hourly wage

Top-paying states

New York: $63.23/hr
Ohio: $59.63/hr
South Carolina: $53.88/hr
Nebraska: $53.51/hr
North Carolina: $51.54/hr

By hourly wage

Top-paying metros

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: $53.46/hr

National job outlook

BLS publishes national employment projections for nuclear power reactor operators from 2024 to 2034. These projections are national and not broken down by state.

Projected growth: -15.3%; -900 net jobs over the projection period
Annual openings: 400; Includes growth plus replacements
Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent

Related occupations

Other jobs in the same field. Many of these follow similar hourly or project-based pay patterns.