Top 15 Best Paying Jobs in Power Generation (Updated 2023)
It comes as no surprise that the desire for power is greater than ever. Power is the foundation of all practical applications, including those found in computers, medical equipment, lighting, automobiles, modern conveniences, and numerous other technologies.
As important in industry as any other – if not even more important, considering just how electrified our modern world is these days – power generation jobs are not tough to find.
That said, there is a world of difference between jumping into any old power generation job and connecting with some of the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation.
Below we go over just about everything you need to know about these top paying jobs, what they involve, the kind of money you can expect to make, and the educational background you need to break in.
Let’s get started!
What is the Power Generation Industry?
The power generation industry is exactly it sounds like – the industry responsible for generating power that then gets shipped all over the country to homes and businesses nationwide.
Our modern world is more power-hungry than any other time in human history.
Almost every aspect of our lives are impacted by devices that run off of electricity, and electricity generated by coal, natural gas, oil, hydroelectric technology, or renewable sources. And that trend isn’t going to reverse anytime soon.
Professionals in the power generating world are responsible for producing electricity, but beyond that they are also in charge of producing electricity efficiently, cost effectively, and safely – not just for human beings (and all other living creatures) but for the environment as well.
Career opportunities (including in the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation we highlight below) are bountiful in this business. You won’t have a tough time finding a way to break in, that’s for sure.
Are Power Generation Jobs a Good Career Path?
Power generation jobs are about as safe and secure a career path for the foreseeable future – and we don’t just mean the next 20 to 40 years, either.
Human beings are going to need reliable, consistent, and affordable sources of electricity pretty much from here on out. The means and methods of generating that technology will likely change over time (just as the responsibilities for these careers will), but the demand for power isn’t going to decline.
We’re talking about a career field that is about as future proof (not to mention recession proof) as it gets.
On top of all of that, there are exceptional careers in this field – including some of the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation highlighted below – that pay very, very well. We are talking about average salaries coming in at high five figures with lots of potentially make six figures or more.
As if that wasn’t reason enough to consider getting into the power generation industry it’s also possible to begin with very little formal education for a lot of these jobs – basically meaning you can hit the ground running with a high school diploma and start making fantastic money straightaway.
Let’s start digging a little bit deeper into the top paying jobs in power generation right now, shall we?
Best Paying Jobs in Power Generation
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- Best Paying Jobs in Oilfield Services/Equipment
- Best Paying Jobs In Oil/Gas Transmission
- Best Paying Jobs in Industrial Machinery/Components
1. Solar Project Manager
Median Salary – $110,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 7%
The demand for solar project managers is absolutely red hot right now and with renewable energy the “big push” for the power generation industry over the next few decades these jobs are only going to be more important – and more plentiful – going forward.
As of right now, it’s relatively easy to make six figures as a solar power project manager. You’ll likely need a bachelor’s degree to get started in this field (though some businesses are hiring straight out of high school with some work experience).
Responsibilities for this position include overseeing and managing solar project installations, repairs and upgrades, as well as providing technical support to contractors responsible for maintaining these projects later down the line.
2. Solar Project Developer
Median Salary – $84,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 7%
Solar project developers are amongst the best paid jobs in the power generation career field, especially when it comes to renewable energy positions – a growing field in the power generation industry for sure.
These professionals are responsible for lining up all the permits necessary to begin these projects, securing the land and dealing with the negotiations to move the project forward, figuring out the logistics behind grid connections and so much more.
Great solar project developers have fantastic organizational skills and the ability to juggle a lot of different responsibilities at the same time, even when dealing with tremendous stress and pressure.
The growth opportunities here are incredible, with opportunities to make high six figures for those that have even just a few years (and a couple of successful projects) under their belt.
3. Wind Farm Site Manager
Median Salary – $98,000
Education – High School Diploma
Projected Growth – 8%
While solar gets a tremendous amount of attention (understandably) in the renewable energy world, wind technology is no “second fiddle” – and careers in this area of power generation can be very rewarding, not just from a financial perspective.
Wind farm site managers basically oversee the day-to-day operations of windfarm operations. Responsible for organizing teams to handle the maintenance and repair of windfarm infrastructure, they also work to optimize all plant operations to boost output, improve performance metrics, keep people safe, and run the site more efficiently.
Those looking to break into power generation without a considerable amount of formal education should look hard at these kinds of opportunities. A high school diploma gets you in the door and making nearly 6 figures straight out of the gate.
4. Solar Power Plant Operator
Median Salary – $48,000
Education – High School Diploma with Electrical/Mechanical Skills
Projected Growth – 8%
Another great opportunity for those looking to get into the power generation industry without a lot of formal education are the solar plant operator positions.
Functionally identical in a lot of ways to the windfarm site operator position we just highlighted above, these jobs are considered by many to be even easier since a lot of solar technology pretty much “runs itself” after it has been deployed.
Larger scale operations obviously require a bit of a hands-on approach for maintaining optimum efficiency and power generating output. That’s where these operators come into play.
Maintaining solar technology and machinery, overseeing all site operations, and making sure that industry regulations and safety protocols are followed to the letter, these professionals are usually pretty busy.
5. Solar Energy Software Dev
Median Salary – $73,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 7%
Not all of the jobs in the power generation world are of the blue-collar variety.
Solar energy software developers are responsible for building out the technology that actually runs a lot of solar power generation systems, particularly those that lead heavily into AI and automated systems.
Day-to-day responsibilities for solar energy software developers can differ from one week to the next. They are almost always working on writing new code for new projects, repairing and upgrading software for existing projects, or troubleshooting bugs and other security flaws that may have been discovered after the fact.
This is a bit of a more traditional “9-to-5” kind of job in the power generation world and perfect for those that want to work with their minds rather than their hands and still make a lot of money – and a real difference – the power generation industry.
6. Solar Project Engineer
Median Salary – $76,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 8%
Solar project engineers are an irreplaceable and critical part of every single solar generation operation.
These, after all, are the experts responsible for envisioning solar power generation projects, designing the same projects, and then working closely with contractors and construction professionals to bring solar projects online.
On top of all of that, solar project engineers regularly work hand-in-hand with site operators and managers to knock out upgrades, repairs, and regular maintenance of solar power plants. It’s not uncommon for these kinds of professionals to coordinate with other teams across a solar power site and lend their expertise, either.
7. Solar Energy Industrial Engineer
Median Salary – $79,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree (or Higher)
Projected Growth – 6%
The demand for solar energy has absolutely outpaced all expectations for a number of years now, and it’s projected to grow even more in the years to come.
Not only is the demand growing, though, but the size and scope of these projects are growing as well. This is why industrial engineers are playing such a big part in the industry right now, and make up some of the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation for sure.
The number one responsibility for solar energy industrial engineers is to come up with ways to improve powerplant productivity, to make the most of on-site resources, and to reduce – as much as possible – the cost of generating power from the sun.
8. Environmental Technician
Median Salary – $50,000
Education – High School Diploma
Projected Growth – 5%
Environmental technicians might not be the “sexiest” of the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation, but they are a backbone of this industry and a fantastic place for those just out of school – high school or college – to begin their career while making decent money.
The overwhelming majority of environmental technicians in the power generation world look for more modern solutions companies can leverage to combat environmental pollution and minimize their environmental footprint.
On top of all of that, environmental technicians work with other professionals throughout the industry to make sure that environmental need are treated fairly and with the respect they deserve without having outsized negative impacts on the effectiveness of the power generation operation as well.
9. Solar Panel Installer
Median Salary – $55,000
Education – High School Diploma
Projected Growth – 8%
Another of the better power generation careers for those with a high school education to look into, solar panel installers can start these jobs with very little formal training or education and start making more than $50,000 a year right out of the bat (with lots of opportunity to make much more than that later down the line).
These jobs are about as in demand as they come these days, too.
Solar panel installers aren’t just working to bring homes online with solar technology anymore, either. They’re working with big businesses. They working with local organizations like schools and county government. They are working with anyone serious about “going solar” – and they have the tools, skills, and experience necessary to bring these projects online.
10. Solar Power Sales
Median Salary – $82,000
Education – High School Diploma
Projected Growth – 10%
Solar energy products can only start after they have been “agreement” by clients, and that’s where solar project sales representatives come into play.
One of the fastest growing career fields not just in the power generation industry but in sales as well, there’s an almost unlimited amount of opportunity in the solar sails world right now.
Homeowners want to build solar projects. Small businesses want to build solar projects. Local organizations, state organizations, huge businesses, and the federal government want to build solar projects – and solar salespeople make all of that happen.
Best of all, anyone with people skills, good organizational skills, great communication skills, and a commitment to sales can hit the ground running in this career and make an almost foolish amount of money right away. Commissions on solar projects can be gigantic!
11. Wind Turbine Tech
Median Salary – $55,000
Education – Technician Certification
Projected Growth – 8%
Getting certified as a wind turbine technician isn’t the most challenging thing in the world. It’s something that can be done in just a couple of months for next to no real investment whatsoever, and you only need a high school diploma to get started (though an associate’s degree doesn’t hurt, either).
Wind turbine techs are the experts responsible for operating wind turbines, maintaining wind turbine system, and repairing or upgrading wind turbine technology as necessary.
12. Wind Tech Engineer
Median Salary – $103,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 6%
Wind technology engineers spend the bulk of their time developing new wind farm projects, looking for ways to capitalize on the power of wind to produce clean and efficient power.
These are the professionals that identify the kind of equipment necessary to deploy on a site to site basis, how to organize the turbines to produce the most efficient windfarm possible, and to track the progress of each windfarm to find new ways to boost its output and efficiency.
13. Renewable Energy Consultant
Median Salary – $68,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree (or Higher)
Projected Growth – 5%
Renewable energy consultants enjoy a very specialized skill set, are paid quite well, and are responsible for conducting energy surveys to help their clients figure out the best renewable energy sources for their needs going forward.
Communication skills are critical, sales skills are helpful, and a thorough understanding of renewable energy and how it’s best deployed will help make these professionals very, very successful.
14. Energy Company Civil Engineer
Median Salary – $87,000
Education – Bachelor’s Degree
Projected Growth – 5%
Any major energy project is going to require a small army of civil engineers to work on it from conception, figuring out the best way to lay out the new project, the best way to construct the project, and how to make sure that construction goes as smoothly and as safely as possible.
These kinds of civil engineers also often work on these projects after they’ve been built, looking for ways to audit the systems, improve the systems, and optimize the output.
15. Financial Analyst
Median Salary – $86,000
Education – Degree in Finance (Bachelor’s or Master’s)
Projected Growth – 6%
Charged with collecting, analyzing, monitoring, and closely studying the financial data and information of power generation companies, financial analysts are always in demand – and always enjoy fantastic salary and benefits packages.
A degree in finance is a huge help for those just looking to break in.
Closing Thoughts
When you get right down to it, the opportunities available across the top 15 best paying jobs in power generation are almost unlimited.
Human beings are always going to have a sky high demand for inexpensive, reliable, and consistent power sources. That means this industry is always going to be “big business” – and they are always going to be hiring to fill roles and positions in their companies.
FAQs
Which of the renewable energy options has the highest growth rate right now?
Though all renewable energy sectors are seeing a tremendous amount of growth right now, nothing comes close to the growth rate of solar. If you’re looking to get in on the ground floor of one of the biggest, fastest growing power generation industries solar is where you want to look.
What are the skills necessary to succeed in power generation?
For starters, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the “lay of the land” as far as power generation and power generation technology is concerned.
Secondly, good communication skills are a must. Great personal organization and leadership qualities are always beneficial, too.
Finally, it never hurts to have a lot of success working under pressure, working against tight deadlines, or having a real close attention to detail.
Do you need a lot of formal education to get in the power generation industry?
While there certainly are some career fields in this industry that require a formal education – sometimes not just a bachelor’s degree, either, but more advanced degrees – there are lots of opportunities for those with a high school diploma (or equivalent) to make great money and a great career.
