by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 20 U.S. colleges awarded 206 degrees and certificates in Energy Systems Engineering. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 84% of graduates. College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Energy Systems Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Its 12 related occupations pay an average median salary of $92,493 a year.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, energy systems engineering draws strong interest, with 206 degrees awarded annually. 20 colleges award energy systems engineering degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 65.
By level, the 206 awards include 25 bachelor’s degrees, 173 master’s degrees and 1 doctorates.
Women earned 25% of energy systems engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (52 of 206). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (120) and Asian (13), and international students earned 44.
College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Energy Systems Engineering Schools ranking, including 2 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks energy systems engineering schools within 5 states. In all, 20 colleges offer energy systems engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Energy Systems Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common energy systems engineering credential is the master’s degree: 173 of the 206 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to energy systems engineering call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Speaking, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, Mathematics and Design, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an energy systems engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 25 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 173 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to energy systems engineering, at 30.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 30.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.6% |
| Master’s degree | 11.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 7.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| First professional degree | 1.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
12 occupations are related to Energy Systems Engineering, with an average median salary of $92,493; the strongest outlook belongs to Solar Energy Systems Engineers, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Chemical Engineering Professor, Mechanical Engineering Professor, Engineering Fundamentals Instructor and Environmental Engineering Professor.
The occupation related to energy systems engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Nanosystems Engineers | 358,781 | -2.9% |
| Wind Energy Engineers | 353,305 | 12.7% |
| Engineers, All Other | 292,948 | -4.3% |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | 266,797 | 14.5% |
| Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar | 227,778 | 6.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
The highest-paying occupation related to energy systems engineering is Engineers, All Other, with a median salary of $136,628.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Engineers, All Other | $136,628 |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | $116,775 |
| Mechatronics Engineers | $115,569 |
| Microsystems Engineers | $104,558 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Wind Energy Engineers | $98,460 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Photonics Engineers | $84,667 |
Energy Systems Engineering includes 3 concentrations that together award 206 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Energy Systems Engineering, General (191), Energy Systems Engineering, Other (8) and Power Plant Engineering (7). It has 40 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 202,829 degrees a year; the largest are Mechanical Engineering (43,874), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (27,513) and Computer Engineering (21,335). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Energy Systems Engineering, General | 191 |
| Energy Systems Engineering, Other | 8 |
| Power Plant Engineering | 7 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 43,874 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 27,513 |
| Computer Engineering | 21,335 |
| Civil Engineering | 19,856 |
| Engineering, General | 14,789 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 14,592 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,559 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 10,170 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,023 |
| Systems Engineering | 4,489 |
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