Licensed reactor operator vs power reactor operator

The differences between licensed reactor operators and power reactor operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a licensed reactor operator and a power reactor operator. Additionally, a power reactor operator has an average salary of $52,542, which is higher than the $48,455 average annual salary of a licensed reactor operator.

The top three skills for a licensed reactor operator include control room operations, plant operations and NRC. The most important skills for a power reactor operator are nuclear reactor, nuclear power, and plant equipment.

Licensed reactor operator vs power reactor operator overview

	Licensed Reactor Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Yearly salary	$48,455	$52,542
Hourly rate	$23.30	$25.26
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	37,085	28,448
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Licensed reactor operator vs power reactor operator salary

Licensed reactor operators and power reactor operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Licensed Reactor Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Average salary	$48,455	$52,542
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $72,000	Between $34,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between licensed reactor operator and power reactor operator education

There are a few differences between a licensed reactor operator and a power reactor operator in terms of educational background:

	Licensed Reactor Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common major	Business	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Texas A&M University	Purdue University

Licensed reactor operator vs power reactor operator demographics

Here are the differences between licensed reactor operators' and power reactor operators' demographics:

	Licensed Reactor Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9%	Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 1.3% White, 79.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between licensed reactor operator and power reactor operator duties and responsibilities

Licensed reactor operator example responsibilities.

Complete the NRC PWR fundamentals exam and subsequently withdrawn for short term disability.
Assume role as lead intern during the licensing period to train and ensure other interns pass the NRC exam.
Implement tool control and OSHA safety regulations while working independently on various machinery.
Work with DeltaV software for reactor control and production.

Power reactor operator example responsibilities.

Ensure continuous control of chemistry vital to operational reactor safety and provide oversight for complex radiological control maintenance.
Authore multiple watch station examinations and PowerPoint presentations.

Licensed reactor operator vs power reactor operator skills

Common licensed reactor operator skills

Control Room Operations, 16%
Plant Operations, 15%
NRC, 11%
Plant Equipment, 10%
Collection Systems, 10%
CDL, 8%

Common power reactor operator skills

Nuclear Reactor, 42%
Nuclear Power, 36%
Plant Equipment, 21%

Licensed Reactor Operator vs. similar jobs

Licensed Reactor Operator related careers

Licensed Reactor Operator related jobs

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Operator responsibilities

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Licensed Reactor Operator
Licensed Reactor Operator vs Power Reactor Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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