Reactor operator vs chemical operator

The differences between reactor operators and chemical 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 reactor operator, becoming a chemical operator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a reactor operator has an average salary of $40,533, which is higher than the $40,526 average annual salary of a chemical operator.

The top three skills for a reactor operator include personnel safety, plant operations and nuclear reactor. The most important skills for a chemical operator are safety procedures, math, and process equipment.

Reactor operator vs chemical operator overview

	Reactor Operator	Chemical Operator
Yearly salary	$40,533	$40,526
Hourly rate	$19.49	$19.48
Growth rate	-15%	4%
Number of jobs	30,994	36,522
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	46	47
Years of experience	4	6

Reactor operator vs chemical operator salary

Reactor operators and chemical operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Reactor Operator	Chemical Operator
Average salary	$40,533	$40,526
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $59,000	Between $31,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Westinghouse Appliances Australia
Best paying industry	-	Pharmaceutical

Differences between reactor operator and chemical operator education

There are a few differences between a reactor operator and a chemical operator in terms of educational background:

	Reactor Operator	Chemical Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Business
Most common college	Texas A&M University	Stanford University

Reactor operator vs chemical operator demographics

Here are the differences between reactor operators' and chemical operators' demographics:

	Reactor Operator	Chemical Operator
Average age	46	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	11%

Differences between reactor operator and chemical operator duties and responsibilities

Reactor operator example responsibilities.

Operate batch and continuous type reactors, high-pressure reactors, centrifuges, filters and solvent distillation equipment.
Coordinate a team of operators and contractors performing leak rate testing (LLRT) within a 17-day outage window.
Monitor, and adjust: modulation, frequency, audio, and antenna current in compliance with FCC regulations.
Maintain and perform troubleshooting on CD/DVD replication equipment.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Participate in project teams for critical on-line system outages or refueling outages.

Chemical operator example responsibilities.

Manage multiple large volume fermentation tanks simultaneously.
Add dye to chemical to be mix.
Mix chemicals together to make a base for dye.
License by the NRC for operation of facility reactor.
Provide the QC lab with batch samples as instructed by formula cards for quality disposition.
Use Hmi's to control the product being make and sending it to storage tanks.

Reactor operator vs chemical operator skills

Common reactor operator skills

Personnel Safety, 11%
Plant Operations, 8%
Nuclear Reactor, 6%
Control Room, 6%
Corrective Maintenance, 5%
NRC, 4%

Common chemical operator skills

Safety Procedures, 8%
Math, 5%
Process Equipment, 5%
Basic Math, 4%
Minor Maintenance, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%