The top online bachelor’s in Sustainable Energy offer flexible and affordable degree programs for individuals interested in sustainability.
What is sustainable energy? Sustainable energy is a form of energy that is able to meet present demands without fear of causing damage to the environment over the course of several years. This type of degree involves studying the environment and looking for ways to produce sustainable forms of energy that will not cause harm to the environment or be depleted in a short period of time. Sustainable and renewable energy sources are what needed to ensure that we have the power we need for many generations to come.
Students who pursue this type of degree have a strong commitment to preserving the environment as well as helping to provide consumers with a valuable energy source that will not be depleted over time. If you are interested in this field, we have compiled a list of the Top Online Bachelor’s in Sustainable Energy degrees for you!
How We Ranked The Best Online Bachelor’s in Sustainable Energy
The Online Schools Guide editors found accredited Bachelor’s in Sustainable Energy offering online or hybrid degree programs. Then we ranked the best schools for sustainability bachelors by cost, student reviews, and salary.
| School | Degree |
|---|---|
| #1. Texas Tech University | BS in Sustainable Energy |
| #2. Everglades University | BS in Alternative and Renewable Energy Management |
| #3. Bismarck State College | BAS in Energy Management |
| #4. Chatham University | Sustainability, B.A./B.S. Online : Sustainable Energy |
| #5. DeVry University | BS in Engineering Technology – Electronics with a Specialization in Renewable Energy |
| #6. Franklin University | BS in Energy Management |
| #7. Excelsior College | Bachelor of Professional Studies in Technology Management w a Concentration in Renewable Energy Technology |
| #8. Penn State University World Campus | BA in Energy and Sustainability Policy |
| #9. Arizona State University | BSE in Electrical Engineering – Electric Power and Energy Systems |
| #10. Southern New Hampshire University | BS in Geoscience |
1. Texas Tech University
| Degree: BS in Sustainable Energy |
Texas Tech University’s (TTU Distance Learning) College of Arts and Sciences and the National Wind Institute offer a program that is among the most innovative online renewable energy degree programs in the country.
This online Bachelor of Science in Wind Energy from Texas Tech University requires students to complete a minimum of 120-semester credits. In addition, this baccalaureate degree in renewable and sustainable energy is offered entirely online, giving students the flexibility they need.
Texas Tech University (Tech) was founded as a college in 1923. The National Wind Institute began after the Lubbock Tornado in 1970 to study wind hazard-related incidents. The online platform and Lubbock campus are home to more than 40,150 students each year. Texas Tech University’s wind programs include state-of-the-art research facilities and multidisciplinary training to tackle modern energy problems.
2. Everglades University
Everglades University offers a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) program with a Major in Alternative and Renewable Energy Management.
The program requires degree candidates to finish a minimum of 123 baccalaureate credit units. Everglades University’s online renewable energy degree program includes classes in business ethics, energy storage, and energy policy, among others. Students typically complete this degree in sustainable energy from Everglades University in about 40 months, depending on transferrable credits, if any.
Everglades University was established in 1999, with its main campus in Boca Raton. The university’s student enrollment nears 1,500 across its multiple campuses across the Sunshine State. Everglades University’s student to faculty ratio is 7 to 1. Everglades University, once known as American Flyers College, was initially established in Fort Lauderdale, with the final move to Boca Raton in 2004.
3. Bismarck State College
| Degree: BAS in Energy Management |
The Bismarck State College online Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Energy Management degree is one of the best online bachelor’s degrees in Sustainable Energy. The program prepares students to enter the workforce qualified for supervisory and managerial positions in the energy industry.
This online renewable energy degree program is the only one of its kind in the nation, taught by industry experts. Core classes for this bachelor’s degree in energy include ethical issues in the energy industry, energy production, and energy economics & finance, to name a few. Bismarck State offers other unique energy programs, including nuclear power, electricity, and renewable.
The college opened in the late 1930s as a public college. Today, it operates as a space-grant school and a member of the North Dakota university system. The student enrollment exceeds 3,750 students each year.
4. Chatham University
| Degree: BA or BS in Sustainability |
Chatham University offers two of the best online bachelor’s degrees in Sustainable Energy. Through the Falk School of Sustainability and Environment, the university has both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Sustainability.
This degree in Sustainable Energy includes coursework in sustainability science, integrative biology, economics in a changing world, and basic agroecology. Both degrees also require a capstone project. This baccalaureate degree offers four academic tracks – sustainable energy and urban systems, natural resources, sustainable business, or a self-designed option.
Chatham University is a private higher education institution founded in the late 1860s as a female-only school. Men began attending classes at Chatham in 2015. The school’s online platform and Pittsburgh campus serve about 2,850 students each year. Chatham University’s campus includes an arboretum of more than 30 acres, open daily to the public at no cost.
5. DeVry University
DeVry University (DeVry) offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Technology – Electronics with a Specialization in Renewable Energy. The DeVry degree can be completed in as few as 36 months.
Students enrolled in DeVry University’s online renewable energy degree program take coursework in maintenance and repair, fundamentals of power & alternative energy sources, and environmental science & social study. Students graduate from DeVry University with a degree in Sustainable Energy to enter the workforce as energy monitoring specialists, renewable energy technologists, and energy analysts, to name a few.
DeVry University is a for-profit school that was established as a training school in 1931. It maintains multiple campuses throughout the country that serve more than 18,050 students each year. Additionally, it operates with six 8-week terms per calendar year, offering business, media, accounting, liberal arts, healthcare, and technology programs.
6. Franklin University
| Degree: BS in Energy Management |
Franklin University (FU) offers a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) program in Energy Management that can be completed 100% online. Franklin University’s degree in Sustainable Energy requires students to finish at least 124 baccalaureate-level credit hours. Most graduates enter the workforce, but some complete a masters in Energy Management online.
Applicants to Franklin University’s online renewable energy degree program can potentially transfer up to 76% of the program’s required credit units. Classes for this energy degree include energy markets and innovation, legal/ethical issues in energy management, energy finance, and energy markets, plus an energy management capstone project, among others.
Franklin University was established in 1902, primarily to serve the needs of adult learners. Currently, the university serves about 6,000 students, mainly through the school’s distance learning platform. However, there there are more than two dozen education centers in the country. In addition, Franklin University is affiliated internationally with schools in Poland, Oman, and North Macedonia.
7. Excelsior College
Excelsior College offers a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Technology Management with an academic concentration in Renewable Energy Technology. The online degree ranks among the Empire State’s best online renewable energy programs.
In addition, Excelsior College’s degree in Sustainable Energy offers credit for job training and military training, if eligible. Excelsior students find rewarding careers working for consulting firms, financial companies, computer companies, and other businesses. Students can potentially transfer up to 113 credit units, with students receiving about 74 credits, on average.
Excelsior College was established in the early 1970s as Regents College by the New York State Board of Regents. Excelsior now operates online exclusively. The school is headquartered in New York’s capital and serves more than 25,000 students each year. Notable alumni of Excelsior College include decorated military members, including the national guard, coast guard, navy, and army, plus a plethora of politicians.
8. Penn State University- World Campus
Penn State World Campus offers two online renewable energy degree programs. PSWC offers both a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) program and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in sustainability.
Both degrees are in Energy and Sustainability Policy (ESP) and are considered among the best online renewable energy degree programs. The Penn State University World Campus’s online degree in Sustainable Energy requires the completion of 120 bachelor’s credit units. In addition, students enrolled in this energy program have the chance to participate in an international study experience.
Penn State University World Campus was launched in the late 1990s and now offers more than 140 academic and certificate programs online. More than 14,550 undergraduate and postgraduate students attend classes offered each year. Penn State University has a long-standing tradition of distance education, offering one of the country’s first correspondence study.
9. Arizona State University
| Degree: Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in Electric Power and Energy Systems |
Arizona State University (ASU Online) offers an Online Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) in Electrical Engineering with an academic emphasis in Electric Power and Energy Systems, that is available with multiple start dates each year.
Students enrolled in Arizona State University’s degree in Sustainable Energy must complete 120-semester units across forty classes. Classes for ASU’s online renewable energy degree program include digital design fundamentals, introduction to engineering, energy systems, and power electronics, and a senior design lab, to name a few.
ASU is a research school founded in 1885 as a teacher’s training school when Arizona was still a territory. The university is organized into seventeen colleges and schools to serve one of the largest student enrollments in the nation – reaching 150,000. In addition, Arizona State University Online offers more than 150 academic and diploma programs ranking the school among the top four for online baccalaureate degrees in the nation. ASU bachelors of science sustainability is a degree than can advance your career and earning potential.
10. Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (Southern NH) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Geoscience that requires the completion of 120 bachelor’s credit units, of which 90 credits may be transferred, if eligible.
This degree in Sustainable Energy offers two academic tracks – data analytics in science and natural resources & conservation. Classes for Southern New Hampshire University’s online renewable energy degree program include geosciences methodologies, atmospheric science, leadership and ethics in the geosciences, and geoscientific research methods, plus a capstone project. Graduates with a BS in Geoscience can find careers in geothermal geoscience or work in other sustainable energy fields.
Southern New Hampshire University was founded as an accounting & secretarial training school in 1921. The university experienced explosive growth in the recent past due to its thriving online training platform. More than 90,000 students attend classes offered by Southern New Hampshire University each year. Southern New Hampshire University is organized into seven schools/colleges offering programs in technology, engineering, continuing education, arts/sciences, international engagement, education, and business.
Is a Bachelor’s Degree In Sustainable Energy Worth It?
An online degree in renewable energy will give you all of the training you need to find a job working with energy sources that will be around for a very long time. Earning a Bachelor’s degree in sustainable energy is well worth the cost in both time and money when you consider the impact you will have on the world around you. Renewable energy sources are all around us. With this type of degree, graduates will be able to help develop them into powerful fuels for the future. Working with renewable forms of energy also means job security for many years to come.
Earning a renewable energy degree online can open many doors to graduates who choose this type of career. The value of your degree is measured by the effort you put into it. With an online degree, you have the option to move forward with school while you are still working. This makes gaining valuable experience you will need easier if you plan to move forward in your career.
Enrolling in an online degree program also allows you to change career paths. If earning your degree allows you to pursue the job of your dreams, it is definitely worth the time and effort you put into it. Completing an undergraduate degree qualifies students to earn a masters of sustainable energy online.
What Can You Do With A Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Energy?
Graduates can explore several career options with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable energy. Green engineering, sustainable farming, and green agriculture are all career options with positive futures. Working with farmers and agricultural operations allows graduates to create sustainable farming methods and practices that will protect the environment and improve productivity. The goal is to continue to maintain the highest level of productivity without minimizing quality or damaging components in the environment.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in renewable or sustainable energy can also work as electricians, mechanics, and environmental consultants. Building contractors interested in including sustainable energy sources in their projects will often look to electricians with a background in sustainable energy sources. This allows them to develop structures that can be maintained without causing harm to the environment or depleting valuable natural resources.
Your Career in Sustainable Energy
Sustainable energy is not a new concept, but the technology associated with developing it is groundbreaking. With a degree in sustainable energy, students can help create new processes and techniques that will use resources more efficiently, making them last longer and causing less environmental harm.
Renewable and sustainable energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy. The mission of the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is to transition America to net-zero emissions by 2050. A clean energy economy benefits all Americans. With a master’s in sustainable energy online degree, you can have a good-paying job in many areas of energy development and help sustain our environment.
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