As Demand Grows for Electric Cars, So Does the Market for Green Jobs in the EV Industry

Where the jobs are

According to economists Javier Colato and Lindsey Ice from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), EV jobs can typically be found in three sectors: design and development; battery manufacturing; and charging network development and maintenance. In a 10-year forecast of the industry published last year, the economists detailed the kinds of EV jobs out there, the median annual salary, and the level of education needed for the positions. 

Design and development 

Software developers

As computer technology continues to become a bigger component in automobile manufacturing, the industry will need developers to help connect EV batteries to other components in the vehicle—for instance, the charge port and the electric traction motor, which controls the vehicle’s wheels. These components require computer software, which differ from those in typical combustion engines that have a fuel pump or fuel tank. Colato and Ice estimate that the EV industry will need roughly 140,000 new software developers every year until 2031. People landing these jobs would likely need a bachelor’s degree and make around $120,000 a year. 

Electrical engineers

Designing and updating automatic brakes and battery management are just two reasons why the EV industry is in need of electrical engineers. About 7,800 available electrical engineering positions are expected each year. Such engineers would typically earn an annual salary of $100,000 and have a bachelor’s degree. 

Chemical engineers

These engineers work with materials needed in EV batteries (such as lithium or cobalt). They also find ways to more efficiently recharge batteries and recycle them after use. According to the economists, each year, there could be openings for about 2,000 chemical engineering jobs, which generally require a bachelor’s degree and garner an annual salary of $105,000.

Battery manufacturing 

Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers

These workers are responsible for assembling different components of electric motors, such as the temperature, pressure, and electrical current sensing equipment. Each position typically focuses on a certain type of equipment, like circuit boards or brakes. Nearly 33,000 jobs will likely open in this space each year over the next decade, positions that require a high school diploma or GED and pay around $38,000 per year. 

Automotive manufacturing

The number of assembly line workers needed to put together electrical equipment and EV components is expected to grow nearly 3 percent by 2031. The BLS estimates that there will be more than 142,000 of these jobs available each year. Each one requires a high school diploma or GED and pays $36,500 annually. 

Charging network development and maintenance

Urban and regional planners

One thing is certain: The growing number of EV drivers will need more places to fill up, which means we’ll need to rely on a workforce dedicated to expanding the network of chargers. The responsibilities of these planning positions include identifying where to install charging stations so that they’re convenient and close enough together, with equitable access for all drivers. Over the next decade, nearly 4,000 of these jobs could open up annually. Planners require a master’s degree and make $78,000 a year.

Electricians

Not surprisingly, electricians are crucial in getting electricity where it needs to be for EVs to power up. This includes running electrical wires and installing charging stations along roads and highways and in apartment complexes, shopping centers, and garages. Different stations and buildings have different needs, making electricians who have been trained and certified in the practice to be in ever-increasing demand as more and more places offer parking spaces to vehicles that need to charge. The BLS estimates that each year there will be nearly 80,000 openings for such electricians, who will need a high school diploma or GED and likely get paid $60,000 annually. 

Power line installers and repairers

Transmission and distribution lines connect charging stations to the grid, and those who install them may also need to fix and upgrade them. As many as 11,000 of these jobs, which require a high school diploma or GED and pay nearly $83,000 annually, could be created each year.

Construction laborers

These jobs are for those who dig, bore, and backfill to prepare areas for charging stations. The BLS predicts 143,000 openings for this job category each year. Such positions require no formal education and pay about $40,000 a year.