What are the best paying jobs in energy? Wondering if energy is a good industry to work in? Energy powers the world. It provides fuel for vehicles, homes, equipment, appliances, and more. It's a vital part of modern society and energy careers have a critical role in all this.
Jobs in the energy industry are still rapidly growing and abundant. Keep reading to discover the best paying jobs in energy.
Quickstart Guide To Landing A Job In Energy
- Refresh your resume. Getting a high paying job in energy is competitive. Think about it like this: you're selling the company on a major investment in you, so you need to do everything you can to get an edge. Investing a little money to have a professional resume writing service polish up your resume can be the edge you need. Check out our guide to the best resume writing services to get started today.
- Look for new opportunities on ZipRecruiter. If you are looking for a career in the energy industry, start your search on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and you can apply for jobs with just one click! You can also upload your resume to ZipRecruiter's resume database so that recruiters and employers can find you!
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10 Of Best Paying Jobs In Energy
1. Geoscientist
Median National Salary: $87,480/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 26,300
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 5% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: A geoscientist is responsible for studying the Earth's structure, processes, and resources to understand geological phenomena and environmental issues. They use their expertise in geology, geophysics, and earth science to conduct research, analyze data, and provide insights into natural phenomena, resource exploration, and environmental preservation.
2. Wind Turbine Technician
Median National Salary: $57,320/year
Education Required: Vocational school
Number of Jobs: 11,200
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 45% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Wind turbine technicians monitor and service wind turbines. With the continuing evolution of wind energy, jobs like this are on the rise. This is one of the fastest growing professions, growing much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The job duties of a wind turbine technician include installing, monitoring, and performing service work on wind turbines.
3. Civil Engineer
Median National Salary: $89,940/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 326,300
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 5% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Civil engineers are responsible for creating major transportation projects like roads, tunnels, airports, bridges, water systems, and more.
The job duties of a civil engineer may include designing and building infrastructure projects like dams, highways, water supply systems, etc.
In the energy industry, civil engineers design access roads for turbine transportation. This also includes analyzing surveys, maps, and more for project planning.
Related: The Best Engineering Careers
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4. Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Median National Salary: $45,230/year
Education Required: Vocational school
Number of Jobs: 29,400
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 22% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Solar photovoltaic installers are responsible for assembling, installing, and maintaining solar panel systems on rooftops or other structures. They use their expertise in solar technology, electrical systems, and construction to ensure the proper installation and functioning of solar panels, contributing to the expansion of renewable energy sources.
5. Solar Power Plant Operators
Median National Salary: $97,570/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 47,300
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: -10% (Decline)
Job Duties: Solar power plant operators control, monitor, and work with power-generating equipment that converts sunlight to energy.
Solar power plant operators control and maintain the equipment that converts solar energy including starting and stopping turbines and generators, reading charts and meters to monitor electricity usage, and maintaining equipment to uncover potential operating problems.
6. Industrial Engineer
Median National Salary: $96,350/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 327,300
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 12% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Industrial engineers create systems involving machines, people, and materials to produce a product or service.
Industrial engineers can work in different settings, from manufacturing plants to an office. This job requires the use of different resources (i.e. information, materials, people, and machines) to create the final product or service.
7. Petroleum Engineer
Median National Salary: $131,800/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 21,400
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 2% (As fast as average)
Job Duties: Petroleum engineers are responsible for the development and execution of processes for extracting oil and gas deposits from the earth.
The job duties of a petroleum engineer include:
- Finding oil and gas deposits from the earth
- Creating processes and plans for extracting oil and gas deposits efficiently
8. Environmental Scientist
Median National Salary: $76,480/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 80,500
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 6% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Environmental scientists use their knowledge and expertise in the field of natural sciences to monitor environmental conditions and preserve the natural environment as well as human health.
Environmental scientists preserve nature and human health. In the energy sector, they conduct studies on the natural environment to ensure a setting is right for energy production.
For example, an environmental scientist may inspect the site of a wind farm to make sure the environment is suitable.
9. Financial Analyst
Median National Salary: $96,220/year
Education Required: Bachelor's degree
Number of Jobs: 376,100
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 8% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Financial analysts review and analyze financial data for the organization. They gather information about the company's finances to aid in the organization's financial planning and decision-making efforts.
The job duties of a financial analyst include:
- Gathering and analyzing financial data to make financial projections
- Guiding businesses toward making smart financial decisions to better the overall organization
- Financial reporting
10. Electrical Line Installer
Median National Salary: $82,340/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 122,400
Job Growth 2022 - 2032: 3% (As fast as average)
Job Duties: Electrical line installers, also known as line workers, are responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical power systems and telecommunication cables. They use their expertise in electrical systems, safety procedures, and climbing techniques to work on power lines, poles, and towers, ensuring the reliable transmission of electricity and communication signals.
What Is The Energy Industry?
The energy industry is an exciting one to work in. It fuels jobs in sectors like hydroelectric, wind, solar, nuclear, gas, coal, and petroleum.
Energy careers represent dozens of different professions and many don't require a bachelor's degree to start.
This career field is ever-changing as new technologies are born and "green" energies are outpacing and replacing energy careers in sectors like nuclear energy.
Energy careers are plentiful and many come with some perks you'll be happy with, like strong work-life balance, high salary, opportunities for upward mobility, and more. But, like with all jobs, there are pros and cons to consider. Let's examine those.
Pros and Cons of Energy Careers
Pros Of Working In Energy
The pros of working in energy include:
- High pay: Many energy careers have an average salary greater than $60,000/year, with many reaching six figures or more, not including total compensation which can include stock options, bonuses, and more.
- Opportunities for upward mobility: This is an industry to grow with. If you're motivated by career advancement opportunities, energy is the job sector to work in.
- Working in a changing industry: Evolution is happening. This can bring about exciting, new developments and opportunities, which can make employment in energy a rewarding experience.
Cons Of Working In Energy
The cons of working in energy include:
- A decline in certain energy sub-sectors like nuclear energy: Many careers in nuclear energy are declining. As the world begins exploring greener energies, more of this will happen, which will phase out nuclear careers.
- High educational requirements: You'll find that most of the energy jobs in this roundup require a postsecondary degree. While some careers can be worked with on-the-job training or vocational education, many positions will be out of reach until you have a bachelor's degree or higher.
- Entry-level jobs are not abundant: This aligns with the previous point and the high educational requirements. Some entry-level jobs are available but not many.
Requirements And Skills To Work In The Energy Sector
The requirements and skills to work in the energy sector can include:
- Postsecondary education: A college degree will be a minimum requirement for many energy jobs.
- Strong communication skills: You'll be working with peers and management so having the ability to communicate well with others is an essential skill to possess.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Having the ability to identify problems and come up with a plan for a solution is a top skill to have, across any industry position.
- Data analysis: Looking at the data to spot patterns and trends is not a core job duty for all energy careers but it's certainly a great skill to have in your toolkit. It can come in handy in virtually every career, energy-related or not.
Best Places To Find The Best Paying Jobs In Energy
There are many websites you can search to find energy jobs. Before starting your search, check out the best resume services so you can be prepared with a professional resume that aligns nicely with job applications for energy sector jobs.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is an online career search engine you can use to find energy jobs. You can search for millions of jobs right at your fingertips, along with reading jobseeker reviews, researching salaries, and more. It's the perfect place to conduct your job search.
Google Jobs
Google Jobs is a free job search tool built into Google. Search energy jobs by location, educational requirements, and other filters to find the exact position you're looking for.
For more information, check out our Google Jobs review.
Indeed
Indeed is one of the best career search websites on the internet. They have an easy-to-use, simple job search tool to help you find the exact energy job you're looking for.
For more information, check out our Indeed review.
The Bottom Line
The energy sector is a fast-growing and rapidly-evolving industry. If you're looking for a long-standing career that you can do for years, consider working in energy.
When you are ready to begin applying for jobs, start your career search using ZipRecruiter.
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