What is the Nuclear Safety Inspector Salary in 2019?

Nuclear safety inspector salary is well earned because an inspector helps make people safe from the harmful consequences of radiation.

These safety inspectors usually work for government authorities and analyze nuclear energy plants to make sure that these plants are meeting national and government safety guidelines.

The average annual salary of a Nuclear Safety Inspector in the United States is $68,082 in 2019.

ALSO KNOWN AS…

Nuclear safety inspectors are also classified as Occupational Health and Safety Specialists according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. 

Statistics from 2010 show that in the United States there were about 54,680 Safety Inspectors employed across varied industries. Wages for nuclear safety inspectors are not the same nationwide but differ by location and employer.

RECENT SALARY HISTORY

Occupational health and safety specialists gained the average yearly wage of $70,920 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS).

On the low end, occupational health and safety specialists gained the 25th percentile wage of $54,320, meaning 75% earned more than the sum. This 75th percentile pay is $88,050, meaning 25% get more.

The BLS stats from 2016 show that 83,700 persons within the USA were employed as occupational health and safety specialists. 

Note that that numbers for persons employed as nuclear safety inspectors jumped from 54,680 in 2010 to 83,700 in 2016.

Some job sites like ZipRecruiter appear to have more up to date numbers with wages and job postings as high as $125,500 and as low as $21,000. 

For example, there was one posting for a Nuclear Safety Inspector in California with a salary of 68,488 yearly, which is about 1% more than the average annual salary of $68,082 in 2019. 

The number of Nuclear Safety Inspector pay presently represent between $43,000 (25th percentile) to $ 88,500 (75th percentile) across the United States.

The normal salary scope for The Nuclear Safety Inspector changes modestly (up to $ 45,500), which indicates there may be fewer chances for development from ability level, but increased pay based on location and years of experience is still possible.

NATIONWIDE AND WORLDWIDE REGULATION

Nuclear energy plants are governed by the USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). It monitors safe and protection for both the reactors and the emission in every plant on earth.

The inspectors have to be highly educated and some of them be independent so that they will offer complete objective evaluations of the complex to confirm that there is no undue force. 

Worldwide, the World Nuclear Operators Association (WANO) is the leading authority entity, but the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is also a key governing body for the United Nations. 

Finally, a particularly valuable source of international assistance is the International Association of Nuclear Operators.

These groups analyze and research to make sure that nuclear power plants and the environments they reside in are good and they provide public information but they also get to insure that people in this country exist well informed on what nuclear power is and how it’s made.

Nuclear safety measures are meant to make protection for the public and nuclear workers against potential hazards from the process of nuclear energy plants.

These measures do not differ fundamentally internationally, but their careful effort changes between other nations because of their various legislative and regulatory backgrounds.

WHAT DOES A NUCLEAR SAFETY INSPECTOR DO?

Before a person can become a nuclear safety inspector, he or she needs to spend time ‘in the trenches’ as it were, doing the job as a nuclear engineer.  

Nuclear engineers study and install processes, tools and structures to get benefit from radiation and nuclear energy. Many of these engineers use radioactive materials as an industrial or medical resource, like for medical diagnostics and treatment devices.

Many others focus on the development of ships and spacecraft nuclear power sources. They may design and develop nuclear equipment such as reactor nuclei, radiation protection and related instruments.

They may oversee and control nuclear power plant operations and maintenance to ensure compliance with safety standards.

They are responsible for writing administrative procedures for the operation of nuclear power plants or for the handling and waste disposal.

They track the activities of nuclear facilities to identify any design, building or operating practices that contravene safety and legislation.

An inspector will test whether nuclear material reclaims, nuclear fuel reclaims or nuclear waste disposal methods are acceptable is carried out properly.

In an emergency, they take corrective measures or order plant shutdowns. They study nuclear accidents and collect data for prevention measures.

Nuclear engineers also are leading the way in the development of nuclear material applications for medical imaging devices, such as PT scanners and cyclotrons.

This is an instrument that generates a high-energy beam that the medical sector uses to treat and manage cancer tumors.

EDUCATION NEEDED TO BECOME A NUCLEAR SAFETY INSPECTOR 

A bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering is a must for for nuclear engineers. Employers are also looking for adequate prior experience, which can be obtained through co-operative training programs for engineers.

Nuclear engineering jobs require a bachelor’s degree when working in private industry. At least a master’s degree or even a PhD may be needed for certain nuclear engineering positions. 

Students looking to study nuclear engineering must study mathematics, like algebra, trigonometry and calculus.  Biology, chemistry, and physics should also be learned at high schools.

The Bachelor’s programs comprise study of the classrooms, laboratories and fields in the fields of mathematics and engineering. Many universities and colleges offer collaboration programs in which students gain experience while studying.

Some universities are offering a five-year bachelor and a master’s degree program. A degree allows an engineer to work or to undertake research and development as an instructor at a university.

Some cooperative training plans of five or six years combine classroom study with work, allowing students to gain experience and fund some of their education.

Master and Ph.D. programs include teaching, laboratory and research in advanced mathematics and engineering.

Such programs require that a research study typically be conducted with a government or private research grant professor to be considered as successfully completed.