Nuclear plant operator vs plant operator

The differences between nuclear plant operators and plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a nuclear plant operator, becoming a plant operator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a nuclear plant operator has an average salary of $46,061, which is higher than the $42,697 average annual salary of a 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 plant operator are plant equipment, plant operations, and preventative maintenance.

Nuclear plant operator vs plant operator overview

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$46,061	$42,697
Hourly rate	$22.14	$20.53
Growth rate	-15%	-7%
Number of jobs	37,238	43,388
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	46	47
Years of experience	4	12

Nuclear plant operator vs plant operator salary

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Plant Operator
Average salary	$46,061	$42,697
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $32,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City	-	Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	-	Idaho
Best paying company	-	NW Natural
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between nuclear plant operator and plant operator education

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Plant Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Nuclear plant operator vs plant operator demographics

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Plant Operator
Average age	46	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5%
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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between nuclear plant operator and plant 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.

Plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and operate the DCS system or control board.
Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Used basic math skills to calculate the weight of the ammonia by the price it are per ton.
Operate compressors, scrubbers, pipeline, pumps, coolers, and evaporators to liquefy or compress gas.
Maintain and repair all equipment involve in plant processes to keep within OSHA safety standards and EPA environmental codes.

Nuclear plant operator vs plant 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 plant operator skills

Plant Equipment, 7%
Plant Operations, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Boilers, 5%
Minor Maintenance, 4%
Ladders, 4%

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Nuclear Plant Operator
Nuclear Plant Operator vs Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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