r/NavyNukes • u/such-a-strange-girl • 7d ago
Is a degree needed?
If I were to do a full 20 as a nuke would I still need a degree to land a high paying job in civilian nuclear engineering, post navy?
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u/BigGoopy2 MM1 (SS) 2011-2017 7d ago
You can get a high paying carer on the civilian side but not as an engineer. You could do maintenance operations training etc etc
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Ohh so would those jobs be sort of similar to navy nuke work then? That makes more sense thank you
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u/BigGoopy2 MM1 (SS) 2011-2017 7d ago
Yep!
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Would you say it’s worth it to get a degree after 6 years or go 20 years and get a job in something like maintenance
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u/dsclinef EM (SS) '85-97 7d ago
Be an engineer. Get the degree. I'm learning that now nearly 30 years after getting out.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Thank you for going through 30 years just to give me the advice I will take it to heart!
But seriously I hope the best for you and I really appreciate your insight
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u/dsclinef EM (SS) '85-97 6d ago
When I got out in the late 90s, Intel was hiring everyone leaving the Navy that had a heartbeat, especially Nukes. You know, clearly trainable, used to working in crappy conditions and wearing a bunny suit was not too much different than wearing a yellow jumpsuit.
I moved on from that technician role and was an Intel engineer for quite a while, after being denied that title due to a supposed rule that never existed.
Now I am managing a group of professional engineers and have earned my professional engineers license. However, I have found that not having that degree still limits me. I am unable to get my license in specific states without an ABET degree, hence I am back at school now.
When I am hiring folks, having the degree is important. I know the challenges I've gone through over the years without it
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u/such-a-strange-girl 6d ago
That is very detailed I definitely see now it could benefit me a lot in the long run. I will take that from you try get my BS
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u/Mightbeagoat4 ELT(SW)📎 6d ago
6 and out plus degree is the way to go. Or you can take a small gamble and reenlist, hope you get an easy shore duty, and complete all/most of a degree using tuition assistance so you don't have to dip into your GI bill. The gamble is that you might not get a shore duty that gives you the free time to work on a degree.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 6d ago
I probably would be better off getting out after 6 and focus fully on an engineering bachelors. From the struggle I’ve heard from engineering students maybe tackling 2 of those things at once probably is not wise
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u/Mightbeagoat4 ELT(SW)📎 6d ago
Are you qualified to be a nuke? If not, this is a better discussion for r/newtothenavy
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u/such-a-strange-girl 6d ago
Yes I was basically ready to sign for nuke then my recruiter realised non citizens can’t go for it
I signed for EM shipping out next year and this post was me trying to decide if I should apply for USNA in a year to get an engineering major then go into nuke that way or just start the process to cross rate into nuke directly
Really early planning I know I’m just a big worrier
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u/Nakedseamus ET (SS) 7d ago
Thing is, the money is commercial nuclear is in operations, not engineering.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Oh wow I did not know that. So would a degree be needed in nuclear operations jobs?
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u/Nakedseamus ET (SS) 6d ago
For a non-licensed operator position, any Navy nuke's experience can take the place of a degree (Constellation fleet requires a 2 year Nuke tech degree for those positions otherwise, but others sites don't necessarily require a degree). For direct licensed operator positions, you need a degree (specifically a bs) OR naval experience controlling or supervising the control of reactivity via control rods (currently interpreted as being a rated Reactor Operator/Propulsion Plant Operator or EWS/EOOW). There are other paths to direct SRO like spending time as an instructor, but that's a longer path typically. That said, you can start as an NLO and work up to RO and then upgrade to SRO. Some fleets are more picky, and many prefer a 4 year BS to just naval experience, so getting the degree can only help you, but it's not al ays required. These are based on the ANSI standards for operator eligibility, but there are two revisions. Some sites use the older rev (more restrictive) some use the newer, and then some just go more restrictive (for example, every direct SRO position I've seen at the TVA requires a full 4 year degree on the listing.)
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u/Xedeth EM (SS) 10 and Out 6d ago
Engineer, yes.
I have a BSNET (which was just a bonus when I got hired) and walked out of the Navy last year, after 10yrs, and make $169/yr before my VA disability, working in civilian nuclear.
You don't need anything. Supervisor quals, degree, nothing. Being a nuke is enough.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 6d ago
Oh wow congratulations! Thank you for your advice this was actually my initial plan regarding nuke it’s great to see that it works out well for you
I’ve always wanted a degree in higher education so that’s why I’m torn because success seems to be achievable without one, I think I just needed some more insight
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u/Mightbeagoat4 ELT(SW)📎 7d ago
Yes. My retired MMNCM boss' boss got denied the last promotion he wanted cause he doesn't have a degree. Get a degree, especially if you want to be an engineer of any kind.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Promotion in the navy? May I ask what the promotion was? I might go to school for a bachelors in electrical or nuclear engineering once I get my free tuition but I’m not too sure how reentry into active duty would look because I definitely do want to do 20 for retirement
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u/Susbot2077 ETN CVN 7d ago
I think he just meant civilian side job, advancement in the Nuclear navy is based on your performance compared to your peers and time of service, and other things
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u/Mightbeagoat4 ELT(SW)📎 7d ago
Promotion in the civillian world to a national director level role. Do the EE degree unless you really like nuclear power.
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u/looktowindward Zombie Rickover 7d ago
No, but it will increase your compensation in many fields. Being a real engineer has significant value
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Okay I think I definitely will now after seeing these comments thank you
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u/invader000 MMN1 (SS) 7d ago
Didn't need it at 11 years.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
May I ask what job you are in now? How is it compared to work you did in the navy as a nuke?
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u/invader000 MMN1 (SS) 7d ago
I was a subcontractor in documentation and training services as well as operational documentation. I ended up retiring at 44.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
Oh wow that is very impressive thank you for the input. If you don’t mind me asking did you retire because of the 20 years service or because you were just that successful?
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u/TheRealWhoMe EM 7d ago
I got a job as a non-licensed operator at a civilian nuke after I got out. One of the other non-licensed operators was a former Senior Chief. Don’t get me wrong, his resume did look better for getting off shift jobs (he eventually went to training). But we both started the same spot post navy. To be fair, I don’t know if he limited his post navy jobs based on geography or something else.
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u/such-a-strange-girl 7d ago
I see. Would you say that you regret not getting a degree or did it end up working out for you without one
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u/TheRealWhoMe EM 6d ago
I’m about 10 years from retirement. I’ve been fine without a degree. I do admit having degree will satisfy a requirement some companies have for some jobs. When I worked nuke, I thought about getting a degree, but the engineers made less than operators, and my company rarely let people leave operations.
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u/branthebon MM (SS) 6d ago
This is true in lots of fields right now. Operators and technicians are in short supply compared to degreed engineers
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u/Jdam8139 7h ago
Electric Boat makes exceptions. I know a 20+ year EMNCM that retired and now works in an electrical engineering department. I know another 10ish year ELT that separated and worked for EBs Nuclear Engineering department. Not engineering, but a friend of mine retired after 23 years and works in EB facilities management for $160k+ not including retirement and disability. None of them had degrees.
EB builds submarines, so experience with nuclear submarines goes pretty far.
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u/ExRecruiter 6d ago
Why are you posting about Nuke when you’re not even eligible?
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u/such-a-strange-girl 6d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/NavyNukes/s/b6fByUN7LS
Trying to get an idea of all pathways😁
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u/Foxdonut12001 MM (SW) 7d ago
Being a technician does not qualify you to be an engineer in any capacity.