In other words, there is no analog for mining and drilling jobs: The fossil fuel industry has them. But these extraction-based occupations do not exist in the wind or solar energy industries because no fuel is required to generate electricity from the wind or sun. These jobs are frequently unionized and are known to offer high pay, high risk, and uncertain stability. The next highest-earning occupations are in mining, extraction, and transportation of oil and gas. Regardless of the energy source, the pay is similar between fossil fuels and renewables, with solar electricity generation edging out the others. The highest wage category in the energy industry is in electricity generation and power plant operations. The future of extractive industries’ employment is much less certain. Regardless of the relatively small differences between sectors, an important point is that all energy jobs pay well above the national average of $19 per hour, and the non-extractive sectors are growing swiftly.
High-paying jobs are an important consideration as energy transitions from one industry to another, and those jobs lead to a frequent rallying cry of those opposed to moving away from a fossil fuel-based energy economy. Taking a deeper look will show where those wage differences come from. In the industry-wide comparison, fossil fuels offer slightly higher wages than renewables. The difference is that this tally captures industry-wide wages, in contrast to BLS data that examine only certain slices of each industry. Photo credit: Karin Kirk / Yale Climate ConnectionsĪt first the results will seem to contradict the BLS data. Nevertheless, the high wages in renewable electricity generation are an encouraging sign that top-dollar energy jobs will be part of the transition toward cleaner energy sources. For example, wind and solar jobs are tallied only within the utility sector and not in manufacturing wind and solar components. That said, BLS does not track the wind and solar industries as closely as it does fossil fuels. The Department of Labor agency data shows parity between wages in the fossil fuel industry and renewables, with solar electricity generation edging out each of the fossil fuel sectors and wind being comparable to fossil fuels.
Homer Simpson of The Simpsons made at least one good decision in his life - nuclear energy generation is the top breadwinner in the energy industry, according to wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But the data show a more encouraging reality: Clean energy jobs pay well, are plentiful, and are poised for major growth for the foreseeable future. Energy workers are paid 34 percent more than the median US wage, according to the 2020 US Energy and Employment wage report.Ī bygone talking point of the fossil fuel era was that high-paying oil, gas, and coal jobs are irreplaceable. As some service sectors languish with unfilled positions and shorthanded staffing, the energy industry pays premium wages. This story by Karin Kirk originally appeared in Yale Climate Connections and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.Īs the US economy recovers from the COVID-19-induced recession, the emphasis is shifting away from the simplified metric of the number of jobs toward a focus on high-quality, high-paying jobs. Facebook 0 Tweet 0 Pin 0 LinkedIn 0 Email 0
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