Online Master's Degrees in Energy

Searching for an affordable & accredited online master’s degree in energy? You’re going to be spoiled for choice! Universities are falling over themselves to offer convenient graduate programs to engineers, scientists, and professionals with a stake in energy industries. Use our practical guide to figure out which online MS or MEng is best for your career goals. Find answers to common FAQs. Or skip ahead to our listings to start making a shortlist.

What Online MS Degrees in Energy Are Available?

Online master’s degrees in energy are everywhere. Whether you wish to qualify for a pay raise, investigate a cutting-edge area of energy research, or simply move into the field, you’re sure to find something in our listings that suits your needs. The options for virtual learners are almost endless.

However—and we say this with gritted teeth—nobody in the academic world appears to have agreed upon standard titles for energy degrees. So it can be confusing knowing which graduate program to select. At the risk of clogging the servers, we’ve gone into a fair amount of detail so you don’t get stuck with a useless qualification. Here’s how to pick your best bets:

• Advancing Your Engineering Career: Investigate the sections on the Online Master’s in Energy Systems or the Online MS in an Engineering Field with an Energy Focus before you make a decision.
• Qualifying for Energy Management & Leadership Positions: Read our advice on the Online Master’s in Energy Systems and the Online Master’s in Energy Management & Business.
• Focusing on Legal Concerns in the Energy Industry: Check out the differences between the LLM and other programs in the section on the Online Master’s in Energy Law.
• Specializing in Renewables: Examine the sections on the Online Master’s in Sustainable & Renewable Energy and niche fields. Just be aware that you can customize a degree in engineering or energy systems with coursework in clean energy.

One final note. A number of programs in our listings are offered in an online, hybrid, OR on-campus form. That means schools will allow you to take some classes online and some in-person. If you live near a strong university, you may want to make time for a few weekend or evening classes.

How to Choose an Online Master’s Degree in Energy

Online Master’s in Energy Systems (MEng or MS)

Do you have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, hard science, or mathematics? Would you like to combine advanced coursework in technical & engineering subjects (e.g. energy storage systems) with studies in energy management, economics, and the environment?  Are you hoping to move into engineering, analyst, consultancy, and/or leadership roles where you can tackle complex energy problems?

Then take a look at the degrees in our listings with the following titles:

• Online MEngr in Energy Systems Engineering
• Online MS or MEng in Energy Engineering
• Online MS in Energy Systems
• Online MS in Energy Policy
• Online MS in Energy

Ignore the variations in names—these interdisciplinary degrees have the same DNA. Although the bulk of your studies may come from the School of Engineering, you’ll spot a number of credits with prefixes from business, management, computer science, and policy research. Better yet, you can often mix & match electives to suit your career aims.

Use the curriculum links in our listings to get a handle on how the university is structuring the online MS or MEng. They’re hellbent on being unique! For instance:

• U-M’s Online MEng in Energy Systems Engineering starts with required courses in energy systems, manufacturing, and materials, before allowing you to select one of 3 concentrations: Energy Generation, Distribution & Usage; Transportation Power; or Sustainable Chemical Conversion.
• UToledo’s Online MS in Engineering: Energy Engineering blends mandatory courses in energy engineering (e.g. alternative energy) and business (e.g. supply chain management) with a specialization in Power Generation & Distribution; Energy Utilization & Management; or Advanced Energy Systems.
• Northeastern’s Online MS in Energy Systems contains an interdisciplinary core (e.g. financial management for engineers, economic decision-making, energy systems fundamentals, etc.) and a whopping 16 semester hours of high-level engineering & technical electives.

These are just a few examples—see our listings for the complete catalog. Most of these online programs are open to BS graduates with a degree in science or mathematics, but check the fine print. You might need to complete additional prerequisites in order to apply.

Online MS in an Engineering Field with an Energy Focus

Would you prefer a graduate degree with a “pure focus” on energy engineering? Concentrate on the online MS degrees in our listings that start with an engineering field followed by a specialization in energy. These degrees are a little less about business & management and more about preparing you to be an expert engineer. For example:

• As a mechanical engineer, you might wish to investigate programs like USC’s Online MS in Mechanical Engineering: Energy Conversion with its ultra-specific topics (e.g. modern alternative energy conversion devices) or Michigan Tech’s Online MS in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) with energy specializations.
• If you have a background in civil engineering, you have the option to specialize in plant components & energy infrastructure projects with UW’s Online MS in Civil Engineering: Energy Infrastructure.
• Or you could build on your electrical engineering expertise by pursuing one of NCSU’s Online Graduate Degrees in Engineering (e.g. MS in Electric Power Systems Engineering, MS in Electrical Engineering: Power Systems, etc.) or a degree such as GW’s Online MS in Electrical Engineering: Electrical Power and Energy.

You don’t have to give up advanced engineering when you study online—there’s something here for everyone.

Online Master’s in Sustainable & Renewable Energy

At the graduate level, greenies get even more choice. To echo market trends, universities are now offering online MS degrees that focus squarely on sustainability and renewable energy. These tend to be interdisciplinary programs with a quirky mix of science, business, engineering, and environmental topics (e.g. Penn State’s Online MPS in Renewable Energy and Sustainability).

It’s easy enough to spot them in our listings, but it’s worth taking a minute to compare the plans of study. For instance:

• Renewable engineers will find plenty to love in UDayton’s Online MS in Renewable and Clean Energy Engineering—it’s crammed with coursework in biofuels, energy efficient buildings, and solar, wind & geothermal energy engineering.
• But aspiring environmental leaders may feel more comfortable with a program such as DU’s Online MS in Environmental Policy and Management: Energy and Sustainability or UConn’s Online Master of Energy & Environmental Management (MEEM). They’ll train you up in environmental law, planning, finance, and more.

Online Master’s in Energy Management & Business

If you’re on this site, you may be weighing an online master’s in energy systems against an online master’s degree in the business of energy. Think about the business side of graduate studies if you are:

• Aiming for energy management & leadership positions in your company
• Interested in creating your own energy start-up
• Requiring in-depth knowledge of the energy sector for your current position in marketing, analytics, sales, or the like
• Eyeing job openings for energy & environmental managers, energy auditors, and similar

Sound like you? Be sure to explore our separate guide to the Online MBA in Energy. It contains a lot more detail on the MBA route. And don’t forget to investigate programs in our listings with “management” and “business” in the title. You’ll see them being offered by:

• Colleges of Engineering who are aiming to help engineers and technical specialists add managerial expertise to their résumé (e.g. GW’s Online MS in Engineering Management, NYIT’s Online MS in Energy Management, etc.).
• AACSB-accredited Schools of Business who are reaching out to energy decision-makers from a wide range of backgrounds (e.g. CU Denver’s Online MS in Global Energy Management,  OU’s Online MS in Energy Management, University of Tulsa’s Online Master of Energy Business, etc.).

There’s no one rule to guide them all, so you’ll need to look at the curriculum links to make sure these programs are relevant. You’ll often encounter core courses in topics such as energy law & policy, power markets, managerial accounting, energy economics, and energy operations management. But you can choose electives that make sense for your situation.

Online Master’s in Energy Law

Energy sources may come & go, but energy industries will always need legal experts. It’s an unwritten law (pardon the pun). Energy law degrees in our listings fall into two broad categories:

• Online LLM programs that are designed for lawyers who already have a JD and want to focus intensely on energy law. Check out  Lewis & Clark’s Online LLM in Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Law, Vermont Law’s Online LLM in Energy Law, and  OU’s Online LLM in Energy and Natural Resources for examples.
• Online graduate degrees with unusual abbreviations like Tulane’s Online MJ in Energy Law, Vermont Law’s Online Master of Energy Regulation and Law (MERL), and OU’s Online MLS in Energy and Natural Resources Law. These are designed for folks who work closely with energy attorneys or need a solid understanding of energy law to make a difference in their work (e.g. policy analysts, regulatory experts, energy consultants, environmental advocates, etc.).

Online Master’s in Energy: Niche Fields

We can’t leave this advice section without highlighting the delightful energy oddballs in our listings. Tucked in amongst the traditional online master’s degrees in energy systems, engineering, and law, you’ll find graduate programs with a hyper-specific area of interest.

We’re talking about degrees such as UH’s Online MS in Finance, which you can customize with electives in courses such as midstream energy finance, electric power markets, and managerial analysis. Or JHU’s Online MS in Energy Policy and Climate, which is designed for aspiring Chief Sustainability Officers and climate change policy analysts.

Online Master’s Degree in Energy: What to Look For

Regional & Program Accreditation

Regional accreditation is an institutional seal of approval. It’s granted to colleges & universities by one of six regional accrediting organizations (e.g. MSCHE, SACSCOC, etc.) in the USA. Attending a regionally accredited school ensures that you’re eligible for good jobs, government funds, and student loans & scholarships. That’s why all of the online graduate programs in our listings are regionally accredited.

At the graduate level, you should also be asking if your online master’s degree in energy has any specific program accreditations. For example, you may wish to:

• Ask if your Online MBA or Online Master’s in Energy Management & Business is run by a School of Business with AACSB accreditation.
• Learn if the College of Engineering that offers your Online Masters’s in Energy Systems or Online MS in an Engineering Field with an Energy Focus has ABET accreditation.
• Find out if your online graduate degree in energy has AAPL accreditation. This organization accredits programs in energy management, law, and business.

Program accreditation isn’t the be all & end all of graduate study. But it does show that the school has gone to the extra effort to prove its worth in an independent assessment.

Online Delivery & On-Campus Requirements

Once you’ve landed on a few programs for your shortlist, check the fine print to learn how you’ll access coursework. Every school has their own way of delivering online course content:

• Many schools will stick to asynchronous learning. They’ll record on-campus class lectures for repeat viewings. And they’ll allow you to complete coursework and assignments on your own time.
• But some schools like to include synchronous, real-time elements like live classes and group work sessions that encourage collaboration. These can be optional or mandatory.

You’ll also need to establish if your online master’s degree in energy is 100% online. On occasion, distance learning master’s programs may include campus residencies or immersion weekends (e.g. Tulane’s Online MJ in Energy Law or CU Denver’s Online MS in Global Energy Management ). As we mentioned, some universities may even allow you to create a hybrid model of study.

Program websites can be a bit fuzzy on these details, so ask the program coordinator for clarification. If you’re traveling, you’ll need to budget for time away from work.

Internships & Career-Building

Online graduate programs in energy usually include real-world examples in coursework —it’s a practical necessity. For example, the University of Dayton boasts that project-based experiences with industrial & governmental partners are featured in almost all of their renewable & clean engineering classes.

But you’ll also want to take a look at how the capstone project is structured. This could end up being one of the highlights of your résumé. For example:

• UToledo’s Online MS in Engineering: Energy Engineering contains a final work-related project that can be completed in consultation with your employer.
• UConn’s Online Master of Energy & Environmental Management (MEEM) features a mandatory internship or practicum in the public or private sector.
• U-M’s Online MEng in Energy Systems Engineering culminates in an Integrative Systems + Design (ISD) capstone that can be team-based or individual.

Before you sign on the dotted line, ask for a list of recent MS or MEng capstone projects, internship placements, and companies where alumni now work. It’s the easiest way to determine if the program delivers on its promises of career support.

Energy Research Credentials

Ticking a box for your employer isn’t the only reason to earn an online master’s degree. For the money you’re laying down, you deserve to be excited about opportunities in energy research and development.

Large universities will have their own energy research institutes & initiatives (e.g. Texas A&M’s Energy Institute). But even small Colleges & Schools of Engineering will be diving into fascinating research rabbit holes. UDayton’s School of Engineering even hosts a Women in Clean Energy Conference.

• Use the curriculum links in our listings to find the names of your online professors. Then use the faculty profiles to learn about their research strengths—you may want to collaborate with them on your capstone project ideas.
• Think about where the university is located. Schools in Texas and Oklahoma will often have research stakes in petroleum & gas. Schools in states like Maine, Oregon, or Washington may have environmental strengths.

It can be tricky to match your on-the-ground experiences with energy research work that’s taking place in a university on the other side of the country. But the right professor or capstone topic can blow open doors to new opportunities.

Professional Certification Preparation

While you’re lobbing sensible questions at the program coordinator, ask them if the online master’s program can help you earn any professional certifications. For example, GW’s Online MS in Engineering Management is designed to prepare you for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam.

The baseline qualification for a Professional Engineer (PE) license is a 4-year undergraduate degree from an accredited engineering program, but a graduate degree can be used as the equivalent of one year of experience toward licensure. Check with your state licensing board to make sure an online master’s degree will qualify.

It’s a different story for Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) certification. To qualify, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field + a number of years of work experience in energy engineering or energy management. However, work experience must be full-time paid employment. Internships, graduate research, and additional education are not accepted.

Online Master’s in Energy FAQs

Should I Earn an Online Master’s Degree or Graduate Certificate (or Neither)?

Master’s: An online master’s degree in an energy field can be valuable—but only if you have specific end goals in mind. You may need one to qualify for senior-level energy positions in your company. Or you might wish to do a career correction and shift into a new area of interest (e.g. energy law).

Certificate: If you’re hesitant, an online graduate certificate in energy can be a good way to get your feet wet. It’s not as long or as pricey as a master’s degree. Just make sure your certificate credits can be transferred to a graduate program in the future.

Neither: Have you just completed your bachelor’s degree? Get some industry experience under your belt and talk to experts in your field before you leap into a master’s degree. In many energy jobs, you might do just fine with an accredited BS, internal training, and relevant professional certifications.

What Jobs Can I Apply for with a Master’s Degree in Energy?

It depends on the degree. An Online MS in an Engineering Field with an Energy Focus is perfect for folks who wish to apply for a senior engineering position. A Online Master’s in Energy Management & Business could lead to project management or a job as an energy economist. We’ve outlined potential job titles in each section so you can narrow your field of interest!

Should I Pursue an Online MS or an Online MBA?

An online MBA is a management-focused program with an energy slant. It’s a broad-based business degree for aspiring CEOs, start-up founders, consultants, analysts, and managers. An online MS is more about advancing your current technical & subject-specific expertise. Check out the section on the Online Master’s in Energy Management & Business and skim through our guide to the Online MBA in Energy for more info.

Can an Online Master’s Degree in Energy be STEM-Designated?

Possibly. Students with an F-1 visa who are looking for STEM-designated master’s degrees that qualify for a STEM OPT extension should check with the program coordinator. Programs in engineering and related field qualify as STEM-designated degrees, but energy programs are often interdisciplinary.

Is an Online Master’s Degree in Energy Worth the Price?

It depends. None of the programs in our listings are super-cheap—they’re regionally accredited universities with academic reputations to uphold—so you’ll want to be sure that you’re ready to invest in graduate studies. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Has your employer assured you of a pay rise after you finish your degree?
• Have you researched salary numbers for MS or MEng graduates in your field of energy? Will the bump justify the cost of a degree?
• Does the online degree provide opportunities for you to connect with well-paying companies?
• Have you talked to recent alumni to learn if they’re happy with their jobs?

How Can I Pay for an Online MS in Energy?

Chat with your current employer first. Smart companies are often willing to support continuing education for their employees. If you can prove that coursework will be applicable to your job, they may be thrilled to sponsor your online degree in energy. Especially if you won’t be taking any time off work to do it.

Alternatively, you can investigate usual sources of funding such as graduate loans, scholarships, assistantships, personal savings, tuition waivers, and in-state tuition discounts. Make a time to talk to the program coordinator about your unique situation. They may have ideas for funding routes that you haven’t considered.

Top Online Master’s Degrees in Energy

Best Online Master’s in Energy Programs

“Best” is a slippery term in the world of energy degrees. An MEng in Electrical Engineering from a top-notch university may not be the best choice if you’re trying to qualify for a management position that involves energy law. There are many kinds of online master’s programs in our listings. What’s best for one energy professional may be worthless for another.

You can examine U.S. News & World rankings of the Best Universities for Energy & Fuels and Engineering disciplines to get a sense of the big players. That’s where you’ll see names like the University of Washington, NCSU, and the University of Michigan. Any College of Engineering with ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees is also worth a look.

But we’d urge you to contact recent alumni of the programs on your shortlist. They are the best sources of info on the quality of teaching and the usefulness of the coursework.

Cheapest Online Master’s in Energy Programs

We’ve included tuition links in our listings so you can get an immediate sense of the program cost. The cheapest graduate programs are usually under $30,000 in total, but it’s worth noting that:

• Prices will fluctuate depending on your major. For example, an electrical engineering or energy law degree may be more expensive than an interdisciplinary degree like OCU’s Online MS in Energy Management (under $24,000) or UConn’s Online MEEM (under $25,000).
• Large public & private research universities like JHU (~$45,000-$48,000) are usually going to be more expensive than smaller state & private universities like Clarkson (~$30,000).
• Some online master’s programs in energy offer tuition discounts to residents who live in the state. However, many online master’s programs will charge the same price to everyone.

Keep in mind that you may be able to reduce the cost of an expensive degree if your employer has a corporate partnership with the university. Or you’re able to apply for institutional scholarships. Or you qualify for military discounts. Or 101 other extenuating factors. You have some wiggle room.

Fastest Online Master’s in Energy Programs

The fastest online master’s in energy programs are going to take approximately one year to complete on a full-time basis. However, since most professionals in energy fields are working & studying, the standard timeframe is 2.5+ years on a part-time basis.

If you’re enrolled in a cohort-based online master’s degree, you may not have a choice. CU Denver has an fixed 18-month plan of study; OCU has a 2-year plan of study. These kinds of programs are ideal for folks who like structure and regular interactions with fellow students.