What Educational Background Do You Need For Auditor Jobs?
In most cases, if you want to become an energy auditor, you're going to need to have at least a bachelor's degree in engineering, from a four-year program. In other situations, you may need to have graduate work or even a graduate degree as well.
In some cases, energy auditor jobs require that you have business management experience in addition to the engineering background usually required. If you're looking for a particular company's requirements during a job search, you can go in and read the job description for that particular energy auditor position to determine just what's needed to get that particular job.
Education, Experience, Or Both?
If you want to become an energy auditor, you usually do have to have at least a four-year degree in engineering, and usually, you'll need to have some experience in an adjunct role "on the job" as well. In other words, you'll work under an experienced energy auditor who mentors and trains you in a sort of apprenticeship role before you apply for a job as energy auditor yourself. This not only gives you the educational experience you must have to be an energy auditor, but will give you on-the-job experience that will be invaluable as well.
As an adjunct to another energy auditor, you get to know what on-the-job duties involve in a much more practical way than simply having to "walk on the job" uneducated in practical respects. In some cases, a lack of educational credentials may be somewhat overlooked in favor of practical on-the-job experience such as an adjunct role under another energy auditor may provide. Similarly, more formal education usually decreases the amount of practical experience required for a particular energy auditor job. In addition, because many engineering degrees require some on-the-job experience through field or work-study, this negates some of the need for the practical on-the-job experience fulfilling an adjunctive role first may provide.
Energy auditors must also usually be certified, depending on where they work, in order to gain employment in this area. Specific requirements vary from one jurisdiction to another.
What do Energy Auditors do on the Job?
Energy auditors work for companies like those that sell home energy improvements. They may also independently work for themselves, such that they will come out and evaluate your home's energy usage and then show you ways to cut back on your consumption, including specific steps like increasing insulation in the home, improving air quality and filtration without increasing "drafts" in houses, and so on.
What do Energy Auditors Make?
A full energy auditor (one who is not in the role of apprenticeship or an adjunct position) with mid-level experience makes about $83,000 a year on average. Salary varies based upon the area of the country a particular job is in and the type of job involved. Many energy auditor positions will specify salary when you do a job search, and will likely reflect the average as well.
