Nuclear Power Reactor Operators build operation and control, operations monitoring and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Nuclear Monitoring Technicians (91%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Monitoring Technicians | 91% | $110,240Pay for the broader BLS group “Nuclear Technicians” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | Nuclear Technicians | 87% | $110,240 | −10% | None |
| 3 | Hydroelectric Production Managers | 77% | $126,060Pay for the broader BLS group “Industrial Production Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Geothermal Production Managers | 74% | $126,060Pay for the broader BLS group “Industrial Production Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Biomass Power Plant Managers | 69% | $126,060Pay for the broader BLS group “Industrial Production Managers” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 6 | Commercial Pilots | 69% | $123,220 | 0% | None |
| 7 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 68% | $232,140 | +89% | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Nuclear Engineers | 68% | $133,970 | +9% | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | 67% | $115,160 | −6% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Chemical Engineers | 65% | $125,040 | +2% | Bachelor's degree |
Compared with Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, median $122,890. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as nuclear power reactor operators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
91% skill match · $110,240 (broader BLS group)
Equipment Maintenance · Equipment Selection · Instructing
87% skill match · $110,240 · −10% pay
Equipment Maintenance · Equipment Selection · Repairing
77% skill match · $126,060 (broader BLS group)
Equipment Maintenance · Equipment Selection · Management of Financial Resources
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Nuclear Monitoring Technicians (91% skill match, median $110,240), Nuclear Technicians (87% skill match, median $110,240) and Hydroelectric Production Managers (77% skill match, median $126,060), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 5 pay more than nuclear power reactor operators at the median. The biggest increases: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (+89%, $232,140), Air Traffic Controllers (+20%, $148,080) and Medical Dosimetrists (+20%, $147,470).
8 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.