Nuclear plant operator vs licensed nuclear operator

The differences between nuclear plant operators and licensed nuclear 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 nuclear plant operator and a licensed nuclear operator. Additionally, a licensed nuclear operator has an average salary of $51,011, which is higher than the $46,061 average annual salary of a nuclear plant operator.

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed nuclear operator overview

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Nuclear Operator
Yearly salary	$46,061	$51,011
Hourly rate	$22.14	$24.52
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	37,238	38,357
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed nuclear operator salary

Nuclear plant operators and licensed nuclear operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Nuclear Operator
Average salary	$46,061	$51,011
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $29,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between nuclear plant operator and licensed nuclear operator education

There are a few differences between a nuclear plant operator and a licensed nuclear operator in terms of educational background:

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Nuclear Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	Nuclear Engineering
Most common college	Northwestern University	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed nuclear operator demographics

Here are the differences between nuclear plant operators' and licensed nuclear operators' demographics:

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Nuclear Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
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 nuclear plant operator and licensed nuclear operator duties and responsibilities

Nuclear plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Specialize in building distillation units used for distilling hazardous chemicals.

Licensed nuclear operator example responsibilities.

Manage and direct the development of the sector AOP and of proper controls to ensure program/project spending meets sector expectations.
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.

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed nuclear operator skills

Common nuclear plant operator skills

Plant Procedures, 12%
Control Room, 10%
Nuclear Reactor, 9%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Nuclear Power, 5%
Radiological, 5%

Common licensed nuclear operator skills

Nuclear Plant Operator vs. similar jobs

Nuclear Plant Operator related careers

Nuclear Plant Operator related jobs

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Nuclear Plant Operator
Nuclear Plant Operator vs Licensed Nuclear Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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