Best Careers in Renewable Energy

When it comes to sustainability, finding a good career isn’t hard. However, imposter syndrome is a pressure that we all feel. To help ease your stress in job searching, we have compiled a list of the best careers in renewable energy no matter your level of skill or qualifications.

Best Careers in Renewable Energy

A liveable salary and stable career are key components when you are searching for jobs. Plenty of jobs meet those requirements in clean energy fields since it is a growing job market.

Some careers will have higher salaries and more requirements than others. However, there are good-paying positions at each level for people who want to better the sustainability of our planet and feel good about their work. After all, the most rewarding part of the job is creating a cleaner world.

Six-Figure Careers in Sustainability 

While these may not be entry-level jobs, six-figure salaries are good end goals for your career. Since most high salaries tend to mean specialized skills, a six-figure job in green energy is no different. To attain this level of pay, you will likely need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, related job experience, and specialized training at the job site.

This doesn’t mean that you will never reach one of these positions. With some elbow grease, dedication, and willingness to expand your skill set, you could become one of the top candidates for these careers. Here are some skills to look into to better your chances:

• A deep repertoire of operating and programming codes (for technology positions)
• Additional education certifications that relate to your career
• An understanding of everchanging clean energy practices
• Specialized training gained from years in a junior position
• Sales experience (for solar consultant)

If you aren’t dismayed by the thought of attending college and gaining some additional skills or training, here are some high-level sustainability jobs to look into further:

High-Five Figure Green Energy Jobs

Just like the six-figure careers in sustainability, high five-figure jobs will tend to be something that you work toward within the first few years of your career. However, some of the jobs on the lower end of high five figures could be positions you could achieve closer to the beginning of your career.

Most high five-figure jobs require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and two to three years of related job experience. However, related skills could help you move up to some of the best careers in renewable energy. 

Peruse this list of careers to determine which one you’d like to pursue:

Other Clean Energy Careers that Require Schooling

There are jobs in sustainability that are easier to obtain straight out of schooling. Many of these jobs still include some form of technical schooling or a bachelor’s degree in a related field. However, they often do not require the additional skills or related work experience of higher-paid jobs.

Though these jobs are lower paying than the ones in the prior paragraphs, they still offer a good wage and room to grow, especially since the Department of Energy reports that nearly 300,000 clean energy jobs were created in 2022. The best part is that these jobs encompass a wide variety of interests and skills, so there is something for most people. The areas that these jobs cover include:

• Sales and business
• Engineering
• Manual labor
• Communication
• Analytical savvy
• Mechanical understanding
• Research skills
• Natural sample collection
• Leadership and decision-making skills

As you can see, there is something here for most interests and skill sets. If you are interested in one or more of those areas, check out the following jobs:

Environmental Jobs with GED Requirements

If you are someone who hasn’t yet had the opportunity to attend a technical school or college, there are still some of the best careers in renewable energy available to you. These jobs can look great on a resume when pursuing one of the higher-level jobs on this list. 

These careers are great for people who want to better the planet and bring home a decent wage yet don’t have the schooling for a more technical job:

As you can see, a greenhouse worker job may require farming or horticulture experience. For anyone interested in sustainability careers, it is vital to look into their Future Farmers of America club at school, join 4-H, or work on a farm in high school.

Related Questions

Is Renewable Energy a Stable Career?

Yes, Forbes reports that the United States reduced coal consumption by 6.7% in 2022. This means there has been a shift toward clean energy sources and, therefore, a steady increase in jobs in that field. Plenty of clean energy jobs come with excellent salaries, too.

Why Should I Pursue a Career in Renewable Energy?

For one thing, careers in green energy are well-paying and very stable as the globe shifts toward utilizing more clean energy. This should give you peace of mind about having a long career in sustainability. An additional benefit is that you will know your job is creating a better future for yourself and generations to come.

Which States Have the Most Renewable Energy Jobs?

All states are increasing their use of clean energy. That said, Renewable Energy World ranks California at the top of the list for most sustainability jobs available. Other states with plenty of clean energy careers include Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan.

Conclusion

With many different career skills in the clean energy field and an exponential growth of jobs in the past decade, clean energy jobs offer incredible possibilities. The best careers in renewable energy allow you to enjoy your work, know that you have a stable and well-paying job, and reap the reward of bettering the world. What more could you need?