Compare careers
Factual side-by-side attributes from the imported O*NET and BLS OEWS datasets. No career is ranked or recommended.
Career A (or your current career)
Nuclear Engineers
Career B (or your target career)
Power Plant Operators
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Comparison table
| Metric | Nuclear Engineers | Power Plant Operators |
|---|---|---|
| National median salary | $133,970 | $102,040 |
| Local median salary | Not published | Not published |
| National employment | 15,280 | 29,320 |
| Typical education | Bachelor's Degree | High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) |
| Job zone | 4 | 2 |
| Important skills | Science, Critical Thinking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making | Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Monitoring |
| Related careers | Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Industrial Engineers, Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar, Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers, Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Wellhead Pumpers |
Career transition: skill overlap
Skill overlap
80%
12 of 15 target skills
Target-only skills
3
Current-only skills
11
Skill overlap compares O*NET skills rated at importance 3.0 or above for each occupation. It is a measure of listed skill overlap, not a probability of getting the job.
Shared skills
- Operations Monitoring—
- Critical Thinking—
- Speaking—
- Monitoring—
- Active Listening—
- Complex Problem Solving—
- Judgment and Decision Making—
- Quality Control Analysis—
- Reading Comprehension—
- Writing—
- Coordination—
- Troubleshooting—
Only in Power Plant Operators
- Operation and Control
- Repairing
- Equipment Maintenance
Only in Nuclear Engineers
- Science
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Operations Analysis
- Systems Analysis
- Systems Evaluation
- Time Management
- Persuasion
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
- Negotiation