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Engineering

Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement.

Median salary (BLS)

$122,930

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$67k – $190k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 8 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $99,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$40,175–$150,500

Time to qualify

4.2 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    FE exam (optional — PE track)

    Certification

    The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the first step toward a PE license; many engineering roles never need it.

    $175–$500 · 2 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar Intern

    Internship

    $36,000

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

    Entry / Junior

    $66,810

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

    Established

    $122,930

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

    Senior

    $156,440

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Identify and recommend energy savings strategies to achieve more energy-efficient operation.
  • •Conduct energy audits to evaluate energy use and to identify conservation and cost reduction measures.
  • •Monitor and analyze energy consumption.
  • •Monitor energy related design or construction issues, such as energy engineering, energy management, or sustainable design.
  • •Inspect or monitor energy systems, including heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) or daylighting systems to determine energy use or potential energy savings.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Engineering

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.