Nuclear reactor operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a nuclear reactor operator. Nuclear reactor operators usually study electrical engineering, nuclear engineering technology, or nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies. 64% of nuclear reactor operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 343 real nuclear reactor operator resumes to see exactly what nuclear reactor operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for nuclear reactor operators are the Excelsior College and the Excelsior College.

There are also many online nuclear reactor operator courses to help get the education required to be a nuclear reactor operator.

What education do you need to become a nuclear reactor operator?

What degree do you need to be a nuclear reactor operator?

The most common degree for nuclear reactor operators is bachelor's degree, with 64% of nuclear reactor operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 64%

Associate, 13%

High School Diploma, 11%

Master's, 10%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a nuclear reactor operator?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a nuclear reactor operator. 15% of nuclear reactor operators major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a nuclear reactor operator include nuclear engineering technology and nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies.

Electrical Engineering, 15%

Nuclear Engineering Technology, 14%

Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies, 9%

Nuclear Engineering, 7%

Other Majors, 55%

Most common colleges for nuclear reactor operators

Nuclear reactor operators often get their degrees at Excelsior College, Thomas College, and Thomas Edison State University. Here are the most common colleges for nuclear reactor operators in the US based on their resumes.

Nuclear reactor operator common college	Percentages
Excelsior College	13.51%
Thomas College	12.16%
Thomas Edison State University	9.46%
Pennsylvania State University	6.76%
Washington State University	6.76%

Show more common nuclear reactor operator colleges

Best majors for nuclear reactor operators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	14.7%
2	Nuclear Engineering Technology	13.5%
3	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	9.4%
4	Nuclear Engineering	7.1%
5	Chemical Engineering	5.9%

Show more common nuclear reactor operator majors

Best colleges for nuclear reactor operators

The best colleges for nuclear reactor operators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A nuclear reactor operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for nuclear reactor operators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become nuclear reactor operators.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

3. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

20 best online courses for nuclear reactor operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for nuclear reactor operators

The most affordable schools for nuclear reactor operators are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for nuclear reactor operators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for nuclear reactor operators.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for nuclear reactor operators

The hardest universities for nuclear reactor operators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for nuclear reactor operators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for nuclear reactor operators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for nuclear reactor operators

The easiest schools for nuclear reactor operators to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, oregon institute of technology, and capitol technology university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a nuclear reactor operator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for nuclear reactor operators.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

9. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

10. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

Average nuclear reactor operator salary by education level

According to our data, nuclear reactor operators with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $58,851 annually. Nuclear reactor operators with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $52,297.

Nuclear reactor operator education level	Nuclear reactor operator salary
High School Diploma or Less	$48,624
Bachelor's Degree	$58,851
Some College/ Associate Degree	$52,297

Nuclear reactor operator education FAQs

What is the best college for Nuclear Reactor Operators?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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