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The differences between nuclear reactor operators and 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 reactor operator and an operator. Additionally, a nuclear reactor operator has an average salary of $51,694, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.
The top three skills for a nuclear reactor operator include nuclear reactor, electrical equipment and plant operations. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $51,694 | $37,928 |
| Hourly rate | $24.85 | $18.23 |
| Growth rate | -15% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 33,183 | 159,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Nuclear reactor operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | Operator | |
| Average salary | $51,694 | $37,928 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $81,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | - | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a nuclear reactor operator and an operator in terms of educational background:
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between nuclear reactor operators' and operators' demographics:
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | Operator | |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |