Nuclear plant operator vs power reactor operator

The differences between nuclear plant 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 nuclear plant operator and a power reactor operator. Additionally, a power reactor operator has an average salary of $52,542, 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 power reactor operator are nuclear reactor, nuclear power, and plant equipment.

Nuclear plant operator vs power reactor operator overview

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Yearly salary	$46,061	$52,542
Hourly rate	$22.14	$25.26
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	37,238	28,448
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Nuclear plant operator vs power reactor operator salary

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Average salary	$46,061	$52,542
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $34,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between nuclear plant operator and power reactor operator education

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common major	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Northwestern University	Purdue University

Nuclear plant operator vs power reactor operator demographics

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

	Nuclear Plant Operator	Power Reactor Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	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 nuclear plant operator and power 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.

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.

Nuclear plant operator vs power 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 power reactor operator skills

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

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Nuclear Plant Operator
Nuclear Plant Operator vs Power Reactor Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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