The energy industry is a broad category that includes oil, gas, solar, wind, and nuclear power. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for all occupations in the energy industry was $77,530 in 2016. The top 10 percent of earners made more than $139,880 while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $37,560.
Oil and gas extraction workers had a median annual wage of $92,040 in 2016 while employees in coal mining earned a median wage of $78,620. Solar photovoltaic installers had a median wage of $39,240 while those who worked in support activities for oil and gas operations earned a median wage of $53,990.
Wind turbine service technicians had a median annual wage of $54,370 in 2016 while nuclear power reactor operators earned a median wage of $93,370. The highest-paid occupation in the energy industry was petroleum engineers with a median annual wage of $132,280.
Overall, the energy industry pays relatively well compared to other industries. Workers in oil and gas extraction tend to earn some of the highest wages while those employed in solar power earn some of the lowest wages. However, it should be noted that there is considerable variation within each sub-sector of the energy industry so not all jobs will pay equally well.