Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 15.17. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 326 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 167 | 711 | $45,889 | $55,796 | $9,500 2 programs |
| Associate's degree | 124 | 311 | $55,703 | $67,276 | $18,167 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 17 | 189 | $77,937 | $85,557 | $27,150 4 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 9 | 44 | $98,638 | $117,106 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 8 | 30 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho State University ID · Public · 19 graduates measured | $58,912 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Cleveland State Community College TN · Public · 16 graduates measured | $36,179 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Escuela Tecnica de Electricidad PR · Private, for-profit · 29 graduates measured | $24,677 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho State University ID · Public · 17 graduates measured | $72,956 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Southeast Community College Area NE · Public · 24 graduates measured | $65,699 | $114,693 | Data unavailable |
| Refrigeration School Inc AZ · Private, for-profit · 50 graduates measured | $50,883 | $70,194 | $18,167 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior University NY · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $105,184 | $116,151 | $27,300 |
| Maine Maritime Academy ME · Public · 24 graduates measured | $89,267 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| Ferris State University MI · Public · 43 graduates measured | $77,109 | $88,670 | $16,469 |
| Illinois State University IL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $58,625 | $76,731 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Institute of Technology NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $121,350 | $133,298 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | $78,350 | +2.8% | Associate's degree |
| Commercial and industrial designers | $83,910 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | $53,140 | +36.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay | $103,020 | +9.7% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Wind turbine service technicians | $64,120 | +29.5% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Power plant operators | $102,040 | -5.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (7)
- 15.1701 Energy Systems Technology/Technician
- 15.1702 Power Plant Technology/Technician
- 15.1703 Solar Energy Technology/Technician
- 15.1704 Wind Energy Technology/Technician
- 15.1705 Hydroelectric Energy Technology/Technician
- 15.1706 Geothermal Energy Technology/Technician
- 15.1799 Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians, Other