State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Energy Auditor Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Energy Auditors is $74,690 a year ($35.91/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 0.8% through 2034, with about 14,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 47-4011Construction and ExtractionLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $74,690
- Projected growth
- -0.8%
- Openings a year
- 14,800
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Building Performance Consultant, Building Science and Energy Specialist, Building Scientist, Energy Advisor, Energy and Building Systems Specialist, Energy Auditor.
How much do Energy Auditors make?
10th percentile$47,140
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$58,860
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$74,690
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$94,710
Upper quartile
90th percentile$114,200
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $74,690 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $35.91/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $77,730 |
| People employed | 146,720 |
Versus all US occupations
At $74,690, Energy Auditors earn 47% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $23,710 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $57,430, this is 30% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $114,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,140, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 59% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $102,410, and still leads at $100,050 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Energy Auditors the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102,410 | $100,050 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | $91,483 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | $95,232 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | $89,840 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | $89,910 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | $78,434 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | $81,762 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | $78,671 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | $75,144 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | $77,582 | 3,700 |
Is Energy Auditor a growing career?
Energy Auditors-0.8%
All US occupations3.1%
-0.8% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Declining
BLS projects employment of Energy Auditors to change -0.8% over 2024–2034, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.1%. That is 1,200 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 14,800 openings are projected each year, 10.0% of the 147,600 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The increasing use of remote inspections is projected to reduce the need for inspectors in state and local government. However, continued public interest in safety and the desire to improve the quality of construction is expected to support some demand for inspectors.
How to become an Energy Auditor
Construction and building inspectors usually need a high school diploma and work experience in a construction trade to enter the occupation. They typically learn on the job to attain competency. Many states and localities require some type of license or certification.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | 5 years or more |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as energy auditors.
- High School Diploma34.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate31.0%
- Bachelor's Degree20.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma6.9%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)3.5%
What does an Energy Auditor do?
Conduct energy audits of buildings, building systems, or process systems. May also conduct investment grade audits of buildings or systems.
Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications.
Day-to-day tasks
- Identify and prioritize energy-saving measures.
- Prepare audit reports containing energy analysis results or recommendations for energy cost savings.
- Calculate potential for energy savings.
- Inspect or evaluate building envelopes, mechanical systems, electrical systems, or process systems to determine the energy consumption of each system.
- Analyze technical feasibility of energy-saving measures, using knowledge of engineering, energy production, energy use, construction, maintenance, system operation, or process systems.
- Recommend energy-efficient technologies or alternate energy sources.
- Measure energy usage with devices such as data loggers, universal data recorders, light meters, sling psychrometers, psychrometric charts, flue gas analyzers, amp probes, watt meters, volt meters, thermometers, or utility meters.
- Identify opportunities to improve the operation, maintenance, or energy efficiency of building or process systems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where energy auditors work
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 36% |
|---|---|
| Engineering services | 19% |
| Construction | 9% |
| Self-employed workers | 5% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Mathematics3.4/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3/5
- Systems Analysis3.1/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Persuasion3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Operations Monitoring3.0/5
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Energy Auditor?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.5
Investigativeprimary4.2
Artistic1.0
Social1.9
Enterprising3.3
Conventionalprimary5.9
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Energy Auditor: frequently asked questions
How much do Energy Auditors make?
Energy Auditors earn a median of $74,690 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 47% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $35.91/hr. The middle half earn between $58,860 and $94,710. The top 10% earn $114,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Energy Auditor?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Energy Auditors. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 34.5% hold high school diploma.
Is Energy Auditor a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.8% over 2024–2034, a loss of 1,200 jobs (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 14,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Energy Auditor do?
Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications. A core O*NET task: identify and prioritize energy-saving measures. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Customer relationship management CRM software.
Which states pay Energy Auditors the most?
The highest state medians for Energy Auditors are Alaska ($102,410), California ($101,290), Connecticut ($98,670) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Energy Auditor?
O*NET scores Energy Auditors highest on the Conventional, Realistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.