Solar Energy Systems Engineers build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and coordination skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Energy Auditors (79%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy Auditors | 79% | $74,690Pay for the broader BLS group “Construction and Building Inspectors” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | Materials Scientists | 77% | $117,790 | — | None |
| 3 | Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 76% | $171,270Pay for the broader BLS group “Architectural and Engineering Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Water Resource Specialists | 76% | $167,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 75% | $64,950 | — | None |
| 6 | Geodetic Surveyors | 75% | $75,440Pay for the broader BLS group “Surveyors” | Not compared | None |
| 7 | Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 75% | $59,920 | — | None |
| 8 | Surveyors | 74% | $75,440 | — | None |
| 9 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 73% | $74,510 | — | None |
| 10 | Hydrologists | 73% | $96,600 | — | None |
Compared with Solar Energy Systems Engineers, median —. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as solar energy systems engineers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
79% skill match · $74,690 (broader BLS group)
Installation · Systems Analysis · Operation and Control
77% skill match · $117,790
Operations Analysis · Systems Analysis
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
76% skill match · $171,270 (broader BLS group)
Systems Analysis · Management of Personnel Resources · Systems Evaluation
No work-context factor stands out as unusually hard in O*NET data.
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Energy Auditors (79% skill match, median $74,690), Materials Scientists (77% skill match, median $117,790) and Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers (76% skill match, median $171,270), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
None of the 25 closest matches pays more than solar energy systems engineers at the national median (BLS May 2025). Higher-paying moves usually need more training.
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.