Washington – Clean energy jobs paid 25% more than the national median wage in 2019 and were more likely to include health care and retirement benefits, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis of federal occupational wage and benefits data prepared for E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) by BW Research Partnership.
The Clean Jobs, Better Jobs report, the first comprehensive analysis of wages and benefits across the clean energy sector, comes amid the growing national dialogue around clean energy as federal and state leaders look for ways to restart the economy.
The findings underscore the opportunity to advance smart clean energy policies that create higher-wage opportunities, putting Americans back to work quickly rebuilding a cleaner, more resilient and more equitable economy.
Overall, median wages in clean energy are significantly higher than median wages in sectors such as retail, services, recreation and accommodations, especially when it comes to entry-level wages.
Clean energy industries also employed about three times more workers than fossil fuels did in 2019 and, unlike fossil fuel jobs, clean energy jobs are available in every state, regardless of geology or geography.
Before COVID-19, clean energy had been one of the nation’s fastest-growing sectors. At the end of 2019, clean energy employed nearly 3.4 million workers across 99% of U.S. counties, according to E2’s Clean Jobs America report.
View the report at https://e2.org/reports/clean-jobs-better-jobs/.
