Understanding climate change and helping companies, cities, and communities cut emissions and adapt: climate science, carbon accounting, green buildings, policy, and climate tech.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Chief Sustainability Officer: Leads a company's strategy to cut its carbon footprint, waste, and environmental impact, reporting to the CEO and board. Typical pay $190k.
Climate Scientist: Studies how and why the climate is changing, using computer models, satellites, ice cores, and ocean data. Typical pay $110k.
Climate Risk Analyst: Calculates how floods, wildfires, heat, and climate rules could hurt banks', insurers', and companies' finances. Typical pay $115k.
Climate Tech Founder: Starts a company building technology to cut emissions, like better batteries, carbon capture, or low-carbon cement. Typical pay $120k.
Climate Data Scientist: Uses big datasets and machine learning to understand climate risks, emissions, and solutions. Typical pay $120k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Carbon Markets Analyst: Buys, sells, and analyzes carbon credits and emissions allowances in markets like California's cap-and-trade program. Typical pay $95k.
Sustainability Manager: Runs projects that cut energy use, waste, and emissions at a company, university, or city. Typical pay $85k.
Carbon Accountant / GHG Analyst: Measures exactly how much greenhouse gas a company emits, from its smokestacks to its suppliers. Typical pay $80k.
Climate Policy Analyst: Researches and designs laws and programs to cut emissions, for governments, think tanks, and advocacy groups. Typical pay $85k.
Green Building Consultant: Helps architects and developers design buildings that use less energy and water and earn certifications like LEED. Typical pay $82k.
Carbon Project Developer / Verifier: Develops or audits projects, like forest protection or methane capture, that generate carbon credits. Typical pay $78k.
Carbon Removal Plant Technician: Operates new facilities that pull CO2 out of the air or smokestacks and lock it underground. Typical pay $70k.
Meteorologist: Forecasts weather for TV, the National Weather Service, airlines, utilities, and farms. Typical pay $95k.
Sustainable Supply Chain Manager: Makes sure a company's products are made without deforestation, forced labor, or excess carbon. Typical pay $107k.
Life Cycle Assessment Analyst: Calculates the full environmental footprint of a product, from raw materials to factory to landfill. Typical pay $80k.
Sustainability Consultant: Advises companies, cities, and schools on cutting emissions, waste, and environmental risks. Typical pay $102k.
Climate Communications Specialist: Explains climate science and solutions to the public through campaigns, media, and social posts. Typical pay $75k.
Starter: fastest way in
Energy Auditor: Tests homes and buildings to find where energy is wasted and recommends fixes. Typical pay $54k.
Weatherization Installer: Seals air leaks and adds insulation to homes, often for low-income families through government programs. Typical pay $44k.
Solar Panel Installer: Installs solar panels on roofs and in solar farms, and connects them to the grid. Typical pay $51k.
Campus Sustainability Coordinator: Runs sustainability programs at a school, university, or hospital: recycling, energy challenges, bike programs, and student engagement. Typical pay $52k.
Environmental Community Organizer: Rallies communities to fight pollution and push for climate action, especially in neighborhoods hit hardest by environmental harm. Typical pay $50k.
Soil Carbon Sampling Technician: Drives a truck with a hydraulic probe across farms and ranches, pulling deep soil cores so labs can measure how much carbon the land is storing. Typical pay $45k.
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.