High-Paying Green Jobs: What are they and how to get one With President Obama advocating for more green jobs, now is the time to take advantage of this latest job trend. Find out if there's a new and high-paying green job for you.
by Sandy BloomWhen President Barack Obama was on the campaign trail, he promised to create five million new green jobs in the next two decades. For most of us, we knew these jobs had something to do with the saving the environment and the ”go green” trend.
But what exactly qualifies as a green job (also known as green-collar job) and how do you get one?
According to one expert, a green energy job can be any work that helps put America on the path to clean, more energy efficient future. However, Phil Angelides, chair of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of business, labor, and environmental groups championing green employment, gave Time Magazine a more specific definition.
"It has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family,” Angelides said. “It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment."
Many are pushing the federal government for a green jobs bill as a way to boost the economy, reduce unemployment, and help the earth.
According to one report by RAND Corporation and the University of Tennessee, if 25 percent of all American energy were produced by renewable sources by 2025, that would create at least 5 million new green jobs. Essentially, it’s a win-win situation that wouldn’t hurt people to be a part of.
In the coming years, we can expect to hear more about new green jobs, and colleges and universities will be offering even more coursework, including online degree work, to help move us in this direction.
Below are some diverse examples of the best green jobs and the degree level you would need to have achieved to land one of these gigs of the future:
| Green Job | Job Description | Degree Level Needed | Median Salary |
| Architectural Drafter | Prepare Architectural designs and plans for green buildings | Postsecondary Vocational Degree | $44,490 |
| Civil Engineer | Perform engineering duties in the design, planning and overseeing of green construction | Bachelor’s Degree (Find bachelor's degrees in civil engineering) |
$74,600 |
| Computer Software Engineers/System Software | Research, design, develop and test operating systems | Bachelor’s Degree | $92,430 |
| Energy Auditors | Conduct energy audits of buildings, building systems and process systems | Bachelor’s Degree | $59,920 |
| Green Marketers | Create and implement methods to market green products and services | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (Find bachelor's degrees in marketing) |
$80,220 |
| Transportation Planners | Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects | Master's Degree | $68,720 |
| Water Resource Specialist | Design and implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher | $112,800 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | Study the behavior, origins, diseases, genetics and life processes of animals and wildlife | Bachelor’s Degree | $55,290 |
| Landscape Architect | Plan and design land areas for parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial and residential sites | Bachelor’s Degree (Find bachelor's degrees in architecture) |
$58,960 |
| Energy Broker | Purchase and sell energy for customers (energy trading) | Work experience in related occupation | $49,430 |
For more information:
Green Jobs Information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
