Reactor operator vs nuclear control operator

The differences between reactor operators and nuclear control 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 reactor operator and a nuclear control operator. Additionally, a nuclear control operator has an average salary of $48,030, which is higher than the $40,533 average annual salary of a reactor operator.

The top three skills for a reactor operator include personnel safety, plant operations and nuclear reactor. The most important skills for a nuclear control operator are control room, emergency operations, and .

Reactor operator vs nuclear control operator overview

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Control Operator
Yearly salary	$40,533	$48,030
Hourly rate	$19.49	$23.09
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	30,994	58,529
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Reactor operator vs nuclear control operator salary

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Control Operator
Average salary	$40,533	$48,030
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $59,000	Between $30,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between reactor operator and nuclear control operator education

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Control Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Criminal Justice
Most common college	Texas A&M University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Reactor operator vs nuclear control operator demographics

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Control Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%
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, 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 reactor operator and nuclear control 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.

Nuclear control operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate and manage annual physical inventory as well as inventory valuation in accordance with Canadian GAAP.
Lead operations finance team to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting and costing consistent with internal policy and SOX requirements.
Complete training as a fire brigade team member at Delgado fire school.

Reactor operator vs nuclear control operator skills

Common reactor operator skills

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

Common nuclear control operator skills

Control Room, 55%
Emergency Operations, 45%

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Reactor Operator
Reactor Operator vs Nuclear Control Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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