Nuclear plant operator vs licensed reactor operator

The differences between nuclear plant operators and licensed 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 nuclear plant operator and a licensed reactor operator. Additionally, a licensed reactor operator has an average salary of $48,455, which is higher than the $46,061 average annual salary of a nuclear plant operator.

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

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed reactor operator overview

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Reactor Operator
Yearly salary	$46,061	$48,455
Hourly rate	$22.14	$23.30
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	37,238	37,085
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed reactor operator salary

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Reactor Operator
Average salary	$46,061	$48,455
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $32,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between nuclear plant operator and licensed reactor operator education

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Reactor Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Texas A&M University

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed reactor operator demographics

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Licensed Reactor Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9%
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, 6.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between nuclear plant operator and licensed reactor 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 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.

Nuclear plant operator vs licensed reactor 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 reactor operator skills

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

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Nuclear Plant Operator
Nuclear Plant Operator vs Licensed Reactor Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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