Nuclear plant operator vs nuclear auxiliary operator

The differences between nuclear plant operators and nuclear auxiliary 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 nuclear auxiliary operator. Additionally, a nuclear auxiliary operator has an average salary of $53,638, 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 nuclear auxiliary operator are plant procedures, electrical equipment, and emergency response.

Nuclear plant operator vs nuclear auxiliary operator overview

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Nuclear Auxiliary Operator
Yearly salary	$46,061	$53,638
Hourly rate	$22.14	$25.79
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	37,238	28,460
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Nuclear plant operator vs nuclear auxiliary operator salary

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Nuclear Auxiliary Operator
Average salary	$46,061	$53,638
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $33,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between nuclear plant operator and nuclear auxiliary operator education

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Nuclear Auxiliary Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies
Most common college	Northwestern University	Stanford University

Nuclear plant operator vs nuclear auxiliary operator demographics

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Nuclear Auxiliary Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3%
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 nuclear auxiliary 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.

Nuclear auxiliary 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.
Complete training as a fire brigade team member at Delgado fire school.

Nuclear plant operator vs nuclear auxiliary 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 nuclear auxiliary operator skills

Plant Procedures, 23%
Electrical Equipment, 19%
Emergency Response, 19%
APS, 16%
Plant Operations, 9%
Routine Tests, 6%

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Nuclear Plant Operator
Nuclear Plant Operator vs Nuclear Auxiliary Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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