NLO pay wage

[Rerun]

I have yet to see it as low as 31

[Red Gold]

I've certainly seen lower recently, albeit for candidates with limited experience. But I've seen higher too. Some plants are paying in the high 30s/hr for brand new trainees with just an Associates' and no experience. Of course, these are union plants, and also they're not always in the most desirable locations. Same old factors, I guess.

[Ksheed]

We're talking NLO's not RO's. That chart is incorrect big time.

Okay, so how about this? http://www.nei.org/Careers-Education/Careers-in-the-Nuclear-Industry/Help-for-Your-Job-Search/Sample-Job-Descriptions-and-Salaries/Non-Licensed-Operator

The median salary for a non-licensed operator is $65,080. Actual earnings may be higher due to overtime, bonuses and incentive compensation.

$65,080/2080=$31.29/hour, not counting shift pay.

Obviously this is the median. So location can make it fluctuate, as we all know. What is good down south seams ridiculously low to someone who spent their time up north.

[Rerun]

Made lots more money in the South. I have yet to see an operator anywhere get less than 6 figures

[hamsamich]

All brand new NLOs make >100K down South?  silliness.  Maybe when they are topped out.

[Rerun]

Man I realized a didnt state that correctly. Their base pay is about 77k with ot they make 6 figures

[GLW]

....What is good down south seams ridiculously low to someone who spent their time up north.

It's called the "Sunshine Bonus".

[hamsamich]

all NLOs down south start out at close to 40 bucks an hour?  NO.  Maybe some start out that high but not all of them. Probably not most of them.  I don't even think they top out at 40 an hour at Oconee.  Maybe things have changed since 2014.

[Ksheed]

Man I realized a didnt state that correctly. Their base pay is about 77k with ot they make 6 figures

$77,000/2080=$37.02 base wage. OT is OT and comes and goes but the base wage is what you really live on.

Looks like we are circling back...

Looks to me like mid 30's is average: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nuclear_Power_Reactor_Operator/Salary

...but are we talking NLO or RO

We're talking NLO's not RO's. That chart is incorrect big time.

It's called the "Sunshine Bonus".

Fair weather is indeed a bonus. Cost of living plays a part as well.

[hamsamich]

Yeah you can't assume everyone is going to be eating up that OT, plus we are talking starting wage here, and down south it is much lower in most cases than up north.  I know NLOs up north are more likely to top out closer to 45 or 50 (I think Diablo Canyon may be over 50) an hour, but down South I'm pretty sure most plants top out below 40 an hour.  So if you are starting at 31/hr and top pay is below 40/hr, IMHO you are doing ok.