Also called: Ratepayer Advocate, People's Counsel Analyst
Works for a state office that argues for everyday customers when power, gas and water companies ask regulators to raise their prices.
The electric company wants a 12 percent rate increase, so you dig through thousands of pages of its spending to find costs customers shouldn't pay. You write testimony arguing the raise should be smaller and get cross-examined by the company's lawyers at a hearing. Your work could save families millions.
Estimated from state government postings; attorneys earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in economics, accounting or engineering; some advocates are attorneys.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Economics, Accounting, Public Policy, Engineering.
Growing about average. Every state has some form of utility consumer advocate; rising bills keep them busy.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI can scan rate filings, but finding weak spots, writing testimony and arguing at hearings stays human.
Classes: AP Economics, Government, Debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 13-1199.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.