Many community college grads continue to out-earn Bachelors holders

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by me again, May 25, 2015.

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  1. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

  2. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    This shouldn't be a surprise, at least as far as the industrial trades or applied engineering. At my previous employer around a third or more of our field techs, journeyman, and even apprentices had full engineering degrees. If you're willing to give up the prestige of being salaried and white collar, with not much overtime it's fairly easy to dwarf a standard salary position.
     
  3. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    It sounds very appealing for an 18 or 20 year old to get a technical A.S. degree and then move right into a money making career -- and then get the Bachelors later on as an add-on for career progression.
     
  4. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    mY CURRENT GIRLFRIEND AND MY FAVORITE BARTENDRESS IN TOWN ARE BOTH EX-WIVES OF NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNICIANS AND ONE OF THEM TOLD ME THAT A NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNICIAN CAN MAKE $50/HOUR (ABT. $104,000/YEAR PLUS OT) STRAIGHT OUT OF AN ASSOCIATE'S. TERRA TECH, HERE I COME!
     
  5. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    wHEN MY NIECE WAS LOOKING AT COLLEGES, ONE OF HER FAVOURITES WAS SOME FASHION SCHOOL WHERE SHE WAS TOLD SHE COULD BE MAKING $70,000 STRAIGHT OUT OF AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
     
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I've no doubt she was told that, Ted. That's exactly the sort of thing some hard-sell colleges tell people. In reality, I'd bet there are people who find they OWE $70,000 for that particular associate degree (from a for-profit college) and aren't making anywhere near that...

    Wouldn't doubt there are plenty who never get to work in the business, as well ...

    J.
     
  7. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    Yes, depending on the region of the country and the bargaining agreement, many (although not all) reactor operators are earning near that wage, particularly licensed Senior Reactor Operators. That being said, it's NOT a wage earned straight out of an associates degree nor is an associates degree historically even required. There are many reactor operators with mere high school diplomas, at least as far as formal and regionally accredited schooling goes. Power plant operators, particularly nuclear, tend to go through formal training programs that take anywhere from 2-5 years to complete and begin earning that amount.
     
  8. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    Probably not straight out of school with no experience. And $50 an hour is pretty optimistic for experienced technicians, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2012 nuclear reactor technicians earn an average of $69,060 per year.

    Nuclear Technicians : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
     
  9. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    and just think of all the money you save by not having to buy flashlights
     
  10. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    In that scenario a person could do worse than getting that AS degree, enlisting in the Navy and getting assigned to Groton (or somesuch) and letting the Navy pay for your Bachelors degree. You'd come out with a Bachelors, some serious experience, a bunch of connections/references and essentially debt-free.
     
  11. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    :wave: Former Control Room Power Plant Operator/Stationary Engineer and many other power plant titles here. Depending on the region, upwards of $50 an hour isn't unheard of, especially for licensed SRO's. With overtime, most are earning well over six figures, with the limiting factor being the NRC fatigue rules. In fossil plants, not under the jurisdiction of the NRC nor with fatigue rules, there are many technicians earning upwards of $200k a year or more. Granted, that is working a significant amount of overtime.

    I've always been slightly baffled by the Bureau of Labor statistics in this field and can only summarize that it's based off of an aggregate of all of the technician level positions within a power plant. With there being a significant variation between levels of training and compensation.

    Again, these wages are not earned "fresh out of school", they're earned after extensive on the job training and the completion of a apprenticeship, training program, etc.
     
  12. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    Navy Nukes are highly prized in the private sector, we regularly hired them. Last I heard, the U.S. Navy Nuclear school was considered the second hardest education program in the United States. Graduates also had a transition program available to them allowing them to earn a Bachelors Degree in Nuclear Engineering. It always amazed me though how few pursued it. That being said, having graduated from the Navy Nuclear program and been honorably discharged would only possibly get you into the door. With rare exception, even the person who graduated and than earned their bachelors, would restart at the same point as a kid out of high school. At least as far as operation technicians are concerned. I should note though that over the past few years, there have been changes in the energy industry that are pushing for full engineering degrees being required for all entry level positions.
     

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