Why Earn a Degree in Energy?
The Need for 21st Century Energy Specialists
For global economies, energy has always been the elephant in the room. But the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events, and the war in the Ukraine have suddenly made that elephant very, very large indeed. The world has woken up to the fact that we’re all reliant on an unpredictable beast that requires practical & imaginative caretakers. Our survival depends on it.
Strip out the animal metaphor, and we’re saying that the energy sector will be undergoing large-scale changes in the next few decades. You can expect to see industries & governments looking for specialists who are skilled in:
- Creative Strategies: If the world wants to win the race to Net Zero, current systems for energy production & supply must change. In 2022, approximately 80% of the global population lived in countries that were net energy importers. Existing energy supply chains are vulnerable to weather, workforce shortages, and political instability. Energy demands are sky-rocketing for cooling and transport. And raw materials will not last forever. Alternative strategies are urgently required.
- Renewable Energy: According to an IRENA & ILO report, global renewable energy employment rose from 7.3 million jobs to 12.7 million jobs from 2012 to 2021. With the right government investment, this number could soar in the future. Wind and solar are obvious areas of growth—solar accounted for a third of those global jobs in 2021— but renewable energy pioneers are also exploring developments in geothermal energy, ocean & wave energy, green hydrogen, and more.
- Industry Transitions: Fossil fuel, construction, manufacturing, mining, and automotive companies have been experimenting with ways to reduce carbon emissions and invest in renewables, but many of their employees are unfamiliar with new energy technologies. For real change to occur, these power-hungry industries need an influx of savvy engineers, managers, consultants, and technicians into their ranks. Now more than ever.
- The Business of Energy: The energy sector is made up of a vast, interconnected set of elements (much like an elephant). 21st century companies require business experts who understand every aspect of the ecosystem. Where can efficiencies be found in infrastructure, production & transport? Where can costs be cut? How will government policies and market forces affect a company’s energy supply in the future? These questions are forefront in the minds of CEOs.
Note: For more inspiration, check out the vast treasure trove of IEA reports & data sets, as well as Statista’s section on Energy, which contains reports on specific industries, markets, and trends.
Surging Career Opportunities for Energy Graduates
The upshot of all these changes? Graduates will be entering a field with a mind-boggling number of opportunities. In 2022, the IEA reported that the energy sector employed over 65 million people worldwide. From 2021 to 2022, this sector added almost 300,000 jobs to U.S. workforce. Better yet, clean energy jobs grew 3.9% nationally.
Energy specialists are now active in the field (e.g. solar panel technicians), in the office (e.g. energy lawyers and policy makers), and on the factory floor (e.g. energy engineers). With an accredited degree or certificate from our listings, you have the option to specialize in:
- Fuel Production
- Energy Transmission, Distribution & Storage
- Climate Adaptation & Energy Resilience
- Clean Transportation & Vehicle Manufacturing
- Energy Efficient Products & Services
- Renewable Energy Installation & Maintenance
- Government Policy & Strategy
Or any of the other fields highlighted in EESI’s Fact Sheet on Climate Jobs and USEER’s U.S. Energy & Employment Jobs Report. The trick is finding the right educational qualification. Which leads us to advice on how to…
Choose a Campus-Based Energy Degree
To simplify your search, we’ve organized campus-based energy programs by degree level. You’ll find comprehensive listings on each page. Follow the links to admissions requirements, curricula, and costs. Or browse through the degree guides written by industry experts. We provide some useful tips on how to align your energy interests with your long-term career goals.
Associate’s Degree in Energy- Bachelor’s Degree in Energy
- Master’s Degree in Energy
- Certificate in Energy
- PhD in Energy
Find an Accredited Online Energy Degree
Regionally accredited online degrees in energy do exist! They may not be as plentiful as on-campus programs, but they’re growing in number by the year. We’ve rounded up all the reputable options in the country and organized them into easy-to-skim listings. Here you’ll find distance learning degrees & certificates from well-known universities with solid reputations in energy, business & engineering.
Search for Energy Degrees in Your State
You may be able to save a lot of money and time on your education when you go local. Almost every state has a school with an energy program. Field leaders like California and Texas have dozens and dozens. Be sure to consider energy certificates & degrees from public universities—you may qualify for in-state tuition discounts and scholarships for local students.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Explore Specialty Energy Degrees
Energy Engineering
Energy engineers come at the field from every direction—electrical, civil, mechanical, industrial, and more. Whether you’re just beginning at the undergraduate level or rounding out your career with a graduate degree, there’s an energy engineering program to suit your talents.
Energy Management
Fascinated by the business side of energy? Interested in combining technical knowledge with high-level management skills? You’ll be spoiled for choice. We’ve also include MBA programs in these listings, since we know you may be on the hunt for business degrees with energy concentrations or focus areas.
Energy Policy
Policymakers rule the energy world. They lay the groundwork for governmental strategies and large-scale industry changes. They’re experts in market forces, legislative & regulatory frameworks, costs & benefits, and the long-term effects of their recommendations. And they always take the 30,000-foot-view.
Renewable Energy
Programs in renewable energy focus on resources that can be naturally replenished—think solar, wind, biofuels, geothermal energy, and more. When you specialize in renewables, you’ll be focusing on a burgeoning field. Thanks to government & private investment, jobs are rising rapidly in many sectors.
Sustainable Energy
Sustainable energy meets the needs of present generations without compromising the world of future generations. For example, solar panel manufacturing with rare earth metals may be a renewable energy solution, but it’s not a sustainable model. Learn more by exploring sustainable energy programs.
Additional Resources for Energy Students
We understand that starting your energy journey involves more than just researching schools and selecting a degree program. That’s why we developed our Resources section, which offers in-depth guides to various aspects of energy education and career development. You’ll find information on energy degree accreditation, important energy organizations to know about, and other resources specifically tailored to energy students.
