Sustainability Specialists

13-1199.05 Zone 4 — Considerable Preparation Needed

Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.

Also known as: Building Performance Specialist, Campus Energy Coordinator, Energy Analyst, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Energy and Sustainability Strategic Advisor, Green Consultant, Integrated Solutions Consultant, Renewable Energy Consultant, ...

Annual Salary

$81,270

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$60,820 25th – 75th percentile $110,030
10th percentile $46,230
90th percentile $147,830
U.S. Employment: 1,128,200

Job Outlook

+3%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)

Annual Job Openings 108,200 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Bachelor's degree

What You'd Do

  • Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
  • Research or review regulatory, technical, or market issues related to sustainability.
  • Identify or investigate violations of natural resources, waste management, recycling, or other environmental policies.
  • Identify or create new sustainability indicators.
  • Write grant applications, rebate applications, or project proposals to secure funding for sustainability projects.
  • Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
  • Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
  • Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
  • Develop reports or presentations to communicate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.
  • Create marketing or outreach media, such as brochures or Web sites, to communicate sustainability issues, procedures, or objectives.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Writing 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Monitoring 3.5

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Administration and Management 3.7
Law and Government 3.6
Education and Training 3.5
English Language 3.5
Building and Construction 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.2
Communications and Media 3.1
Engineering and Technology 3.0

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Bachelor's
52.2%
Master's
39.1%
Some College
4.4%
Post-Bacc Cert
4.4%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Autodesk AutoCAD Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D Autodesk Revit Bentley MicroStation Extensible markup language XML Google Analytics JavaScript Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Power BI Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Visio Microsoft Word Oracle Database SAP software Structured query language SQL Tableau

Other Tools

Esri ArcGIS Geographic information system GIS software Inventory management systems Life cycle assessment LCA software

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Written Comprehension 4.0
Written Expression 4.0
Oral Comprehension 3.9
Oral Expression 3.9
Deductive Reasoning 3.8
Inductive Reasoning 3.8
Problem Sensitivity 3.6
Speech Clarity 3.6

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.6
Getting Information 4.6
Developing Objectives and Strategies 4.4
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships 4.4
Analyzing Data or Information 4.3
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.3
Communicating with People Outside the Organization 4.2
Working with Computers 4.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

E-Mail
5.0
Telephone Conversations
4.7
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
4.6
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
4.4
Contact With Others
4.2
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.2
Spend Time Sitting
4.0
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
4.0
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
3.9
Freedom to Make Decisions
3.7
Time Pressure
3.6
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
3.6

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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.