Reactor operator vs nuclear plant operator

The differences between reactor operators and nuclear plant 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 plant operator. Additionally, a nuclear plant operator has an average salary of $46,061, 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 plant operator are plant procedures, control room, and nuclear reactor.

Reactor operator vs nuclear plant operator overview

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$40,533	$46,061
Hourly rate	$19.49	$22.14
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	30,994	37,238
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Reactor operator vs nuclear plant operator salary

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Plant Operator
Average salary	$40,533	$46,061
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $59,000	Between $32,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between reactor operator and nuclear plant operator education

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Plant Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies
Most common college	Texas A&M University	Northwestern University

Reactor operator vs nuclear plant operator demographics

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

	Reactor Operator	Nuclear Plant Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%
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, 6.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between reactor operator and nuclear plant 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 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.

Reactor operator vs nuclear plant 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 plant operator skills

Plant Procedures, 12%
Control Room, 10%
Nuclear Reactor, 9%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Nuclear Power, 5%
Radiological, 5%

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Reactor Operator
Reactor Operator vs Nuclear Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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