221113/Nuclear Electric Power Generation
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
39K
employees, 2023
39K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 166 US Nuclear Electric Power Generation business locations employed 38,822 people and paid $5.3 billion in annual payroll, $135,984 per employee on average. Employment was up 1.2% from 2022. Illinois had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
166
+1.2% vs 2022
Employees
38,822
+1.2% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$5.3B
+2.8% vs 2022
Average pay
$135,984
+1.7% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Nuclear Electric Power Generation in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 23 | 4,746* | $143,618 | 0.08% |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 4,221* | $117,739 | 0.07% |
| Michigan | 9 | 2,403 | $131,963 | 0.06% |
| South Carolina | 9 | 2,351* | $134,583 | 0.11% |
| Georgia | 6 | 2,082* | $135,060 | 0.05% |
| New Jersey | 7 | 2,013 | $135,562 | 0.05% |
| North Carolina | 9 | 1,995* | $137,984 | 0.05% |
| New York | 11 | 1,969* | $131,451 | 0.02% |
| Texas | 7 | 1,788 | $155,718 | 0.01% |
| Louisiana | 5 | 1,701* | $144,591 | 0.10% |
| Ohio | 6 | 1,675* | $126,336 | 0.03% |
| Alabama | 3 | 1,620* | $154,186 | 0.09% |
| Mississippi | 7 | 1,364* | $154,964 | 0.14% |
| Connecticut | 3 | 746* | $148,940 | 0.05% |
| Virginia | 4 | 743* | $140,743 | 0.02% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 19.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Nuclear Electric Power Generation employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8 | 2,903* | $133,361 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9 | 1,867* | $158,089 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3 | 1,340* | $139,594 |
| Niles, MI | 3 | 894* | $134,709 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 3 | 893* | $127,205 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 3 | 841* | $146,127 |
| Wilmington, NC | 3 | 800* | $135,300 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3 | 791* | $135,686 |
| Ottawa, IL | 4 | 751* | $141,537 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 4 | 744 | $150,101 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 3 | 742* | $140,644 |
| Rochelle, IL | 4 | 731* | $136,925 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 3 | 600* | $140,943 |
| Florence, SC | 3 | 590* | $132,549 |
| Cleveland, OH | 3 | 542* | $141,614 |
Business size
US Nuclear Electric Power Generation business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 53 | 31.9% |
| 5 to 9 | 10 | 6.0% |
| 10 to 19 | 16 | 9.6% |
| 20 to 49 | 18 | 10.8% |
| 50 to 99 | 7 | 4.2% |
| 100 to 249 | 13 | 7.8% |
| 250 to 499 | 9 | 5.4% |
| 500 to 999 | 34 | 20.5% |
| 1,000 or more | 6 | 3.6% |
Related industries
The industries this code belongs to
Part of Utilities 22Utilities 221Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 2211Electric Power Generation 22111
Questions and answers
How many people work in Nuclear Electric Power Generation in the US?
38,822 people worked at 166 US Nuclear Electric Power Generation business locations in 2023, up 1.2% from 2022. That is 0.03% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Nuclear Electric Power Generation?
$135,984 a year per employee in 2023, from $5.3 billion in annual payroll (up 1.7% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Nuclear Electric Power Generation jobs?
Illinois had the most, with 4,746 employees in 2023, followed by Pennsylvania (4,221) and Michigan (2,403).
Which metro areas have the most Nuclear Electric Power Generation jobs?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (2,903), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (1,867), Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (1,340) had the most Nuclear Electric Power Generation employees in 2023.
Are most Nuclear Electric Power Generation businesses small?
47.6% of the 166 Nuclear Electric Power Generation business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 40 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.