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Senior reactor operator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior reactor operator. Senior reactor operators usually study mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, or nuclear engineering technology. 72% of senior reactor operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 249 real senior reactor operator resumes to see exactly what senior reactor operator education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior reactor operators are the Excelsior College and the Excelsior College.
There are also many online senior reactor operator courses to help get the education required to be a senior reactor operator.
What education do you need to become a senior reactor operator?
What degree do you need to be a senior reactor operator?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a senior reactor operator?
- Nuclear Engineering, 14%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for senior reactor operators
| Senior reactor operator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Excelsior College | 11.43% |
| Thomas Edison State University | 11.43% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 8.57% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.14% |
| Thomas College | 7.14% |
Best majors for senior reactor operators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 16.4% |
| 2 | Nuclear Engineering | 14.3% |
| 3 | Nuclear Engineering Technology | 9.3% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 7.1% |
| 5 | Physics | 7.1% |
Best colleges for senior reactor operators
The best colleges for senior reactor operators are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
A senior reactor operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior reactor operators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become senior reactor operators.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,880
Enrollment
6,590
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
10. Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,440
Enrollment
6,785
20 best online courses for senior reactor operators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior reactor operators
The most affordable schools for senior reactor operators are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for senior reactor operators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for senior reactor operators.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior reactor operators
The hardest universities for senior reactor operators to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for senior reactor operators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for senior reactor operators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior reactor operators
The easiest schools for senior reactor operators to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, the university of texas permian basin, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior reactor operator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for senior reactor operators.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
7. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
10. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
Average senior reactor operator salary by education level
| Senior reactor operator education level | Senior reactor operator salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $60,184 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $75,458 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,607 |
Senior reactor operator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025