Find a Job You Really Want In
As the labor market evolves, discussions about traditional coal and manufacturing jobs continue, but it’s crucial to turn our attention to the growing sector of green jobs. The future of work is increasingly focused on sustainability and the environment, making green jobs a vital part of the economic landscape.
A recent report from the International Labour Organization highlights that around 1.2 billion jobs globally rely on a stable and healthy environment. By implementing the policies necessary to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals, an estimated 18 million new jobs worldwide could be created by 2030.
In the United States, green jobs are on the rise, with solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians now considered among the fastest-growing occupations in the country.
This leads us to an important question: where can you find the most green jobs in the U.S.?
States with the Most Available Green Jobs
States with the Most Available Green Jobs Per Capita
- Iowa
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Alabama
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Illinois
Summary of Findings
- The states with the highest number of green jobs per capita are often southern or rural, such as Alabama and Arkansas, as well as scenic states like Colorado and Alaska.
- Iowa leads in green jobs available per capita, largely due to its significant agricultural output, including corn and eggs.
- California boasts the highest overall number of green jobs, supported by its legislation mandating solar panels for all new homes.
- New York has the lowest number of green jobs per capita; however, this is attributed to its large population.
- Wyoming ranks lowest in total green job availability.
How We Did It
We analyzed job postings on our website, Zippia, searching for four key terms: environmental, solar, wind, and biofuel. This allowed us to determine the distribution of green jobs across various states.
After compiling the data, we calculated the per capita availability by dividing the total number of green jobs in each state by its population.
The chart below reflects the most common job titles related to these keywords found in our dataset.
More Info
Key Takeaways
- Sales roles dominate the list, particularly in environmental services, installation, and consulting.
- Job titles such as maintenance technicians and mechanics frequently appear in the green job sector.
- Engineering positions are also prevalent among the most common job titles.
- Higher-paying roles typically require advanced education and specialized training.
Author
McLeod Brown is a former writer and researcher for the Zippia Career Advice blog. His work at Zippia focused on understanding the relationship between colleges, debt, and jobs. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a BA in Business Administrator, he is now pursuing a masters of science in analytics from the Institute of Advanced Analytics.
