Entry level pay after Navy

[JsonD13]

So what combination of education and experience would be beneficial for a 80-100K job salary?

I'll be getting out at my 8 year point with two M.S.'s, one in Engineering Management and one in Radiation Health Physics.  Oh yeah, my only B.S. is the Thomas Edison Degree.  What do you guys think this could fetch me (salary figures for a job in ops/maintenance/hp)?

Just looking at the power side of the house, I was thinking medical too.

Jason

[Rad Sponge]

So what combination of education and experience would be beneficial for a 80-100K job salary?

I'll be getting out at my 8 year point with two M.S.'s, one in Engineering Management and one in Radiation Health Physics.  Oh yeah, my only B.S. is the Thomas Edison Degree.  What do you guys think this could fetch me (salary figures for a job in ops/maintenance/hp)?

Just looking at the power side of the house, I was thinking medical too.

Jason

Good job with the education.

The degrees will help you move up (I hope). I think you are going to find that your hourly wage will be the same as a 6 and out (maybe a little higher) if you take the NLO path.

Without sounding too raw, you are either going to be an over educated tech or an engineer with no commericial experience.

Finish your CHP and cha ching.

Put in a year or 2 of solid work ethic and you will most likely be on a management path.

[ChiefRocscooter]

JsonD1e you already have the paper you need, the question is if you can back it up with effort and come across well on ajob interview.  If you do then you will be okay for one of these positions.  Starting at mid 50-70's will depend on plant location but all thingsare about the same when you throw uin the cost of living difference between the higher paying places.

As for staying in the extra 14 or so years to retire I would not knock it to much since as JMK said there are lots of reasons to do it and even the guy who gopt out and started right off  with good money would have a hard time matching the life long medical and 25-30K retirement that starts the month you retire!

Rob

[shayne]

I will concede that after a year or two 80 to 100K is probably the norm for commercial nuke plants.  Thank you all for the lessons.  See...old dogs still can learn new tricks sometimes. 

I don't think it is limited to commercial nuke plants either.  Considering most power plant operator jobs pay just about the same (w/ some cost of living adjustment for area) and this is about $1-2/hr less than the nuclear jobs.  So we are talking about $2k-5k less per year 40 hour week. 

As for staying in the extra 14 or so years to retire I would not knock it to much since as JMK said there are lots of reasons to do it and even the guy who gopt out and started right off  with good money would have a hard time matching the life long medical and 25-30K retirement that starts the month you retire!

Rob

I would have to agree that retirement is good.  You just have to be willing to stay the extra 14 years.  I didn't have the desire to stay another 10 just because I no longer enjoyed the 'quality of life' that being stationed on ships has.

[Fermi2]

M1Ark,

Well said my man.

Mike

[MinnNukeRecruiter]

So what combination of education and experience would be beneficial for a 80-100K job salary?

I'll be getting out at my 8 year point with two M.S.'s, one in Engineering Management and one in Radiation Health Physics.  Oh yeah, my only B.S. is the Thomas Edison Degree.  What do you guys think this could fetch me (salary figures for a job in ops/maintenance/hp)?

Just looking at the power side of the house, I was thinking medical too.

Jason

I'm in a similar boat as you are Jason. I've been reading these posts for the past few days and have a couple additional questions.
A little background: MM E-6 EWS, currently living in the dark side of the Navy (recruiting) as a Nuke Field Coordinator. I do alot of tests and screening interviews and waivers to make more nubs in the world, but it's all moot point here. I just finished my Thomas Edison BS degree, and I was looking into the MS in Eng. Mgmt but the school I was planning on going to canceled that degree path. So I'm at a crossroads... My knowledge in the commercial world is limited, but can someone give me a little description of the hierarchy of these new terms? Is SRO the highest on the operational side? and is NLO the lowest, more like entry-level position?


Thanks for your time guys, it's a community like this that makes me feel like getting out is not a bad idea after all.

Chris

[Roll Tide]

As far as I know, every plant now has an NLO program that is entry level OPS. Next up the line is RO or Reactor Operator (UO or Unit Operator or even RCO Reactor Controls Operator).
SRO is the highest licensed position, but there is still room to advance above that. Shift Manager is the SRO in charge of the site in the absence of plant management (sounds more impressive than it is in these days of cell phones and pagers).

After a stint as Shift Manager, many choose an off-shift position in Training or OPS Support; others choose promotion on up the line. Chain of command is Ops Sup (Supervisor or Superintindent) then Ops Manager. To get to Ops manager, you will probably need the M.S. (but it would help to get to Ops Sup).

Some of these things have been discussed in detail elsewhere.

[M1Ark]

To get to Ops manager, you will probably need the M.S. (but it would help to get to Ops Sup).

Some of these things have been discussed in detail elsewhere.

Not true from my experience. My current Plant General Manager has a HS Diploma and was a Navy Nuke.  Every plant is different.  Some are run by Navy Nukes, some by Engineers and some from local folks that were home grown starting out as plant helpers.  It depends on the personality of the specific plant.

You have enough experience and education to do whatever you want in nuclear power.  The MS will help some but not alot until you get to Site VP level.

[Fermi2]

As a former DTE Energy SR VP (and a very good one at that) was fond of saying, all you need is an Associates and an SRO License. He had no Navy experience, an associates degree in Business Management and a BWR SRO license. He was respectively a PM, Asst VP, VP. Sr VP and a Corporate Sr VP. Did a great job at all of those jobs too. So far as I know I've never worked for an OM who had an MS.

Mike

[Roll Tide]

My current Plant General Manager has a HS Diploma and was a Navy Nuke. 

When I was at Turkey Point (same utility that M1Ark is referring to) my Ops Manager interviewed for Plant Manager. From the discussion I had with him, the utility believed INPO expectations were for the Ops Manager and above to have a Master's. (As a condition for him taking the position, he had to enroll in an external Master's program and complete it within a certain date)

There is an ebb and flow to these cycles. TVA once (early 1980's) stated the expectation that NLO had A.S., RO had B.S., and SRO had Master's; they even had arrangements with a college to provide the sheepskin partially based on the corporate training.

There is a lot of degree inflation, with the external MBA programs so abundant. I would like to see a more reasonable level as a requirement, but having extra should be a benefit in the future.

[alphadude]

There is more to life than the homegrown power plant that has a guy with a high school diploma running it. Get a MS degree, overall you will make more money during your life time-its a known fact.  Besides what if somebody determines that you need more than a high school diploma to run a billion dollar complex?  I think there is more to that story than presented.  Maybe he dont run the plant but really just occupies an office- in that case a HS diploma will work fine. More than likely the HS guy went to officers school and nuke engineering- which is more than HS diploma

[Len61]

[ Besides what if somebody determines that you need more than a high school diploma to run a billion dollar complex?  I think there is more to that story than presented.  Maybe he dont run the plant but really just occupies an office- in that case a HS diploma will work fine. More than likely the HS guy went to officers school and nuke engineering- which is more than HS diplomaquote]
From my experience it's the VP in the front office that "just occupies an office", the home grown guy on the other hand (be he ex navy or not) grew up at the plant, knows how it works, and does the best that he can to run the plant in spite of coroprate interference.

[M1Ark]

There is more to life than the homegrown power plant that has a guy with a high school diploma running it. Get a MS degree, overall you will make more money during your life time-its a known fact.  Besides what if somebody determines that you need more than a high school diploma to run a billion dollar complex?  I think there is more to that story than presented.  Maybe he dont run the plant but really just occupies an office- in that case a HS diploma will work fine. More than likely the HS guy went to officers school and nuke engineering- which is more than HS diploma

All good theories, alphadude.  Now say something you KNOW.

[Roll Tide]

As a former DTE Energy SR VP (and a very good one at that) was fond of saying, all you need is an Associates and an SRO License.

I bet someone else would have to make the tough calls. Like "OPS is $1 Million over budget for the year in OT due to overstaffing" 

(And you didn't see a need for an MBA!)


I recently looked at the state of GA site for college search stuff ( www.gacollege411.org  if anyone is wondering) and saw they considered Nuclear Reactor Operators to be paid $60K. That isn't as much as a topped out AUO makes with TVA (no OT included)!

Bear that in mind as you are considering your resources

[Limited Quanity]

(This was split from another thread. It really belongs under "Getting out". RT)



Thank you for this...I love a good laugh in the morning.

Sounds to me like you just don't like being told what to do...so don't worry too much, once you fail out of NPS (if you even make it that far...I have my doubts) and get sent back to the civilian world you won't have to listen to anyone anymore...er...scratch that, it is just as bad out here so sounds like you are s**t out of luck my friend.

I always get a kick though out of these young men who think they are so smart that they are going to do their 6 years in the Nuke field and then get out and make 80 to 100K......you guys kill me.  Hey...maybe standup comedy is for you!

Grow up...grow some nads...and tell your recruiter what things you can do and what things you have a problem making and why...I am sure if you are both adults you can work things out so that all the requirements are met.  You have a rude awakening coming your way my friend...good luck with that.

Dear EMCS,
Figured you and I probably got in about the same time.  But unfortunately, I was one of those Nuke drops you were referring too.  Just so you'll feel better tonight sleeping, I'm on shift at one of those commercial power plants protecting the employees here and the general public in the vicinity of our plant nestled snug in their beds.

I lucked out I guess.  Ended up with my NEC 9591 before leaving the Navy, worked hard too, but I guess lucky too.  Lucked out like JMK said on another post and stayed in while AS-32 went to GITMO and guarded a PET (tank).  Managed during the time to get out 111 resumes to various utilities.  Landed another great government job and they didn't even want to interview me, sight unseen, lucky I guess.

They don't ask much of me though out here since I flunked out of Nuke school.  Once in a while I get asked to escort the NRC resident and his tour group or INPO inside the RCA because frankly I don't know why.  Once in a while we have what they call a refueling outage and they ask me if I want to be one of those Shift Supervisors, you know tell people what to do and know these things called procedures so that we do it right, I don't know why.  I even get to help send Radioactive Material over our nations highways, sometimes I even have to talk to these guys in the black suburbans with really tinted windows and they are really nervous too. Especially the one that sits with all the computers and tracking equipment, maybe because I didn't make it in NPS, I don't know why.

I'm glad you and I got to laugh about them dumb old Nuke drops.  You said you were thinking about jumping back over in the the Nuke side, come on over.  Maybe you'll luck out and I'll get to sit in on your interview board, they do that sometimes, I don't why.  There's plenty $ for everyone.  Why over the last 6 years since you've gotten out I've made only $616K during that time.  Seems like I even turned down some overtime because I don't know why. 

One thing that I have learned in this business and it's a funny business.  You always treat those who work for you as per the old "Golden Rule".  You never know when the guy who worked sometime for you now might be the guy your working for in the future.  That's funny, and I don't know why.

Many regards,
Class 8101 dropout

[Fermi2]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rad Sponge]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I concur, that was worth a Karma.

There should be a bonus program where at one time during the year and in only one session you can give someone 1000 karma points in one click.

[ggratecc]

It really matters more where you are making 80-100K in relation to the cost of living.  If you make that in S. California you really aren't that well off.  Making 50-60K say at Beaver Valley in a low cost of living area is better than making 80K at Turkey Point a significantly higher cost of living area.  It is all relative to where you want to work.  Just something to think about.

This is my first time posting... I've read some of the posts here to aquaint myself.
I'm a former EM1(SS) Nuc.
Feel free to ask me any questions.
Greg

[Marlin]

I'm surprised that Mike hasn't replied yet. Go to the jobs tab follow "employer" to post positions.

JMK note: All taken care of.

Thanks

[visserjr]

OVERTIME GRUB

[Aldo]

As a ExNuc I've worked in this industry since 1979. Built power stations and torn them down. I would recommend that you pursue an education in the engineering field(s) after your out of the Nav. Never worked directly for a utility, but I've had them as customers for years. The money will still be there and you'll be able to go just about anywhere. If you go fulltime (year around) you can probably knock it off in three years or less. Or work and go at night but that takes time (8/12 years). In any case once you have the paperwork it's yours for ever. I wouldn't worry about the money, my experience is that you can make excellent money in this industry with had work and a determined attitude. Good luck!

[rlbinc]

You really don't need a degree in this industry.
Simple competency is such a rare commodity, that you can write your own ticket with a large amount of initiative.
I have taught - and attempted to teach plant operations to esteemed men of letters. Not always successfully.

Just be smart. You'll make it.

[Rad Sponge]

Here is one last nugget of opinion and insight from me:

This thread had developed around the assumption that you will remain in the technical portion of nuclear power upon discharge and remain there for a career: OPs, Chem, HP, Maint, Planning etc.

As was mentioned before, these jobs don't necessarily require traditional college degrees in order to advance. In these cases, the degree is nice to set yourself apart from your fellow brilliant peers when its time to advance. IMHO.

But, what if you wanted something else?

What if you wanted to enter the business development end? Finance? HR? There you will find many analysts with financial degrees, BA/BS-HR, communication, MBAs, etc. Many of these people are not nukes, but traditionally trained corporate analysts with traditional degrees making the decisions that trickle down into how you operate within the company. There are some nukes, but I have found the majority of HR and Business is non-nukes.

These are basically the coners of the company.

That's all I am saying for now.

And yes, 80-100K is realistic upon discharge....within a year or 2.

[menichols74]

I don't know about anything but SRO training pipelines, but this is what I've found out so far (looking to get out of Navy in Dec 07).

TVA (government)
Start 75K/yr
SRO license (18 months later): 105k/yr

Average Private Utility
Start
SRO license (18-24 mo later): 135k/yr

Don't flame me for this, this is just what the TVA recruiter is telling me and what a headhunter is telling me. I don't know about the other positions in operations or engineering.

[Fermi2]

I don't know about anything but SRO training pipelines, but this is what I've found out so far (looking to get out of Navy in Dec 07).

TVA (government)
Start 75K/yr
SRO license (18 months later): 105k/yr

Average Private Utility
Start
SRO license (18-24 mo later): 135k/yr

Don't flame me for this, this is just what the TVA recruiter is telling me and what a headhunter is telling me. I don't know about the other positions in operations or engineering.

Your figures for TVA are off. You won't be making 105 K a year when you get your license.

Also in a Private Utility you'll be making about what you will at TVA Base. Your research is WAY off.

Also it's gonna take you longer to license at TVA. The program itself is set out to be longer. Another thing, you won't start SRO training right away as you have to have 6 months MINIMUM onsite before starting the program, Average time with TVA is 9 months to a year.

I've worked in both sectors AND I've hired in both sectors so I think I have a decent idea as to what I'm talking about.

Mike