If you want to design renewable power systems, grid controls, or energy electronics, an online electrical engineering degree for renewable energy careers can be a sound investment—but only if the program fits the work and your schedule. A bachelor’s in electrical engineering is generally the stronger choice for engineering design than a narrower technology degree, but labs, accreditation, and power coursework still decide whether the option holds up.
Key Takeaways
- Electrical engineering fits design work better than installation, sales, or general project management.
- The degree title matters, but the course list must cover the power, controls, and electronics work you want.
- Online delivery does not remove laboratory work, math demands, or possible licensure requirements.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says electrical engineers typically need a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, electrical engineering technology, or a related engineering field. That makes the degree title a real hiring signal, but not the whole test. A technology degree may appear in the same hiring conversation, yet it does not automatically give you the design preparation you are seeking. Your course list must still match the work you want to do.
That distinction matters because online programs can differ substantially in what they expect you to complete remotely and what they require through laboratory work. A program aimed at power systems should show that focus in its coursework, rather than leaving you to infer it from a broad electrical engineering label. Before applying, compare the accreditation status, laboratory delivery, math sequence, and power-focused courses with the design roles you want; otherwise, the degree can look suitable on paper while missing the preparation those roles demand.
Start With the Renewable Energy Job, Not the Label
Renewable energy is not one job. An engineer may work on electric power systems, controls, energy electronics, equipment testing, or the links between electrical hardware and computer systems. A broad electrical engineering bachelor’s can serve several of these goals, but it may leave you responsible for choosing the relevant electives. A degree with a power concentration offers a clearer signal for grid and generation work, especially when its required courses show sustained attention to power systems rather than a single introductory class.
Program titles show the first major fork. Arizona State University offers the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering - Electric Power & Energy Systems, while Lamar University offers the broader Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. ECPI University’s Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology signals a technology route. National University’s Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering joins electrical systems with computing. Those labels can narrow the search, but they do not tell you whether the curriculum matches the work you want. Read the required course sequence and separate core requirements from optional electives; two programs with similar titles can lead to very different preparation.
- For power design: Start with electrical engineering and inspect the power course sequence. Look for the coursework that supports grid and generation work, not merely a renewable-energy reference in the program description.
- For electronics and equipment work: Compare engineering and engineering technology requirements carefully. The distinction can affect the balance between theory, design, testing, and hands-on application.
- For controls or embedded systems: A combined electrical and computer engineering degree may fit, provided it still has enough power content. If your target work involves both hardware and computing, a broader title may be useful; if it does not include the power coursework you need, it is the wrong kind of breadth.
| Program Example | Signal From the Degree Title | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University — Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering - Electric Power & Energy Systems | Electrical engineering with a direct power and energy focus | Laboratory delivery, upper-level power electives, and project requirements |
| Lamar University — Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering | Broad electrical engineering preparation | Depth in power systems, controls, and energy electronics |
| ECPI University — Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology | Applied electronics engineering technology | Whether target jobs accept an engineering technology degree |
| National University — Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering | Electrical engineering combined with computer systems | Balance among power, electronics, controls, and computing |
Cost still deserves a hard look, but compare like with like. Compare total program cost, including mandatory fees, rather than tuition alone. Review the online electrical engineering bachelor’s cost comparison and check whether transfer credit could reduce your remaining degree cost. Also compare what that price buys: laboratory access, the delivery plan for technical courses, and the accreditation that applies to the program. A lower published tuition amount is not automatically the lower-cost option if fewer credits transfer or required technical courses are difficult to complete in the available format.
Do not pay more because a program uses energy language in its marketing. Pay for the courses, laboratory access, accreditation, and delivery plan that support your target work. Before enrolling, map the required courses against the job you want and request a formal prerequisite evaluation if your prior college work is expected to count. That comparison can prevent you from paying for a degree that sounds aligned but leaves the central preparation to electives, extra coursework, or a later credential.
GetEducated's Picks
- American Public University System Bachelor of Engineering / Electrical Engineering
- Arizona State University Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering - Electric Power & Energy Systems
- National University Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Computer Engineering
What Renewable Energy Careers Require From an Online Electrical Engineering Degree
The strongest curriculum match depends on the system you want to help build. Power generation and grid work call for a different course mix than circuit design or embedded controls, so a concentration label is not enough evidence. Read the required course sequence from the first math class through the senior project, and note whether the program builds toward power equipment, control systems, software, or a broader electrical engineering foundation. That sequence tells you more about the training you will actually receive than a career-focused title.
For a power-focused goal, inspect the curriculum for these subjects:
- Electric circuits and electronics
- Power systems and electric machines
- Signals, controls, and digital systems
- Programming or computer engineering
- Laboratory courses and a senior design project
The tradeoff is specialization versus coverage. A program with power systems and electric machines is more directly aligned with generation and grid work, while a program that leans toward programming, digital systems, or controls may fit automation and embedded applications better. Laboratory courses and the senior design project also deserve close attention: they show whether the curriculum includes applied work alongside online lectures and assessments. If those requirements are described vaguely, the program may be harder to compare with a curriculum that lists its sequence clearly.
Accreditation is a separate test. ABET says it accredits programs rather than entire schools, and eligible programs in the United States must sit within accredited, degree-granting schools. ABET also evaluates online and campus programs under the same criteria. Its definition of “100% online” means every graduation requirement can be completed online, which gives you a useful way to evaluate whether the advertised delivery format covers the laboratories and senior project as well as the academic courses.
That distinction matters because a school can hold institutional accreditation while a specific engineering program lacks ABET accreditation. Check the exact program title and delivery format in ABET’s records rather than assuming the school’s accreditation applies to every degree it offers. GetEducated’s guide to ABET-accredited online engineering programs explains how to run that check, while the electrical engineering skills and specializations guide can help you read the curriculum in more detail.
Test the Online Format Against the Actual Degree Plan
The degree plan matters more than the delivery label. Arizona State University’s Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering - General requires 120 credit hours and is structured for completion over four years, according to the university. That plan includes a full engineering sequence, so part-time enrollment can extend the calendar even when it makes each term more manageable. A lighter course load may protect your work schedule, but it can also spread prerequisite courses across more terms, delaying the classes that depend on them.
Transfer rules may change the plan before you take a single online class. Arizona State University says transfer applicants with 24 or more transferable credits earned after high school need a minimum 2.50 cumulative transfer GPA. Its published requirements do not list work experience. Prior college credit may shorten the route, but a transcript evaluation is the deciding step: a course may transfer to the university without satisfying the specific math, science, or engineering requirement you need for the major.
That distinction affects both time and cost. If a transferred course counts only as general credit, you may still need the required course in the engineering sequence. Request a formal prerequisite evaluation that identifies which credits apply to the major, rather than relying on a general transfer estimate.
Before enrolling, ask for written answers to questions that affect your work schedule:
- Are lectures recorded, scheduled live, or offered in both forms?
- How does the program deliver circuit and electronics laboratories?
- Must students visit campus or another approved site?
- Are exams monitored at set times?
- When are design teams expected to meet?
- Which transferred math and science courses apply to the major?
These details separate a genuinely workable online plan from a degree that is online only for its lectures. A live exam, a required site visit, or a laboratory with limited scheduling can create a conflict that does not appear in the course title. A school should be able to show how each required laboratory, exam, and project works at a distance. Compare those requirements with your actual availability before you judge flexibility from the word “online.”
Find Your Online Engineering Degree
Narrow 19 accredited online Engineering degree programs to find the perfect fit.
Arizona State University
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering - Electric Power & Energy Systems
Daytona State College
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology / Electrical Engineering Technology
Use Career Data and Licensure Rules as a Final Check
The labor market supports the broader electrical engineering route, but it does not promise a renewable energy job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that electrical engineers had a median annual wage of $111,910 in May 2024. It projects employment of electrical and electronics engineers to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, with about 17,500 openings each year. Those figures describe the larger occupation, not renewable energy positions alone, so they support the engineering foundation without guaranteeing a particular industry or job title.
O*NET places electrical engineers in Job Zone Four, where most roles require a four-year bachelor’s degree. That supports earning the full engineering degree if your goal is design responsibility rather than only technician work. The distinction matters: a program built around engineering theory and design may serve a future power-systems or controls role, while a narrower technical route may be more appropriate for installation or maintenance. You can also compare the field with other engineering career and pay options before committing to the major.
Licensure may matter for work that affects public systems or for roles with formal engineering responsibility. NCEES says the usual United States route combines education, experience, and exams, with engineers commonly taking the FE and PE exams. Rules vary by jurisdiction and job, so the same online degree can have different practical value depending on where you plan to work and whether your target position expects a licensed engineer.
ABET warns that graduates of non-ABET engineering programs may need an additional 4–8 years of work experience for licensure, depending on the jurisdiction. That difference can turn an apparently flexible online option into a longer professional path. If professional engineering licensure might enter your career plan, check the program’s accreditation before enrollment, request the school’s explanation of how the curriculum supports the licensing route, and review the rules where you expect to work.
- This degree may fit: You want engineering design work tied to power, controls, electronics, or grid systems, and you are prepared to evaluate the program against the licensing requirements that may apply to those roles.
- Compare alternatives: Your goal centers on installation, maintenance, policy, sales, construction, or project management. A full engineering degree may still be useful, but it may not be the most direct route for work that does not require engineering design responsibility.
- Pause before applying: The school cannot explain laboratories, accreditation, transfer credit, or required meeting times in writing. Those details affect whether the program is workable and whether it supports the career path you are considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is electrical engineering a good degree for solar energy careers?
It can be, especially for work involving power conversion, controls, grid connections, testing, or electrical system design. Check the curriculum for power and electronics depth rather than relying on a renewable energy label. A program may use renewable energy in its title while offering limited preparation for the electrical work those jobs demand, so the course list matters more than the branding.
Is electrical engineering a good degree for wind energy careers?
It can support work on generators, controls, power systems, and grid connections. Mechanical engineering may fit turbine structures and moving parts better, so match the degree to the part of the system you want to design. The distinction is practical: electrical engineering centers on how energy is converted, controlled, and distributed, while mechanical engineering may better cover the physical equipment that moves or supports that system.
Should I study electrical engineering or engineering technology?
Favor electrical engineering for design-heavy roles and a possible professional engineering route. Engineering technology may fit applied electronics, testing, operations, or equipment support. Read job postings from your target employers before deciding, because the same renewable energy employer may recruit engineers for system design and technologists for field or equipment work. The degree title alone does not tell you which duties you will be prepared to perform.
Does an online electrical engineering program need ABET accreditation?
Not every job requires it, but accreditation can affect employer screening, graduate study, and licensure. Verify the exact online program rather than assuming the school’s general accreditation covers the degree. This distinction matters if you may need a professional engineering path later: a school can be accredited overall while the specific program has a different status, and that difference may not appear in the program’s marketing copy.
Can electrical engineering laboratories be completed online?
Some programs deliver all graduation requirements at a distance, while others may use mailed equipment, local arrangements, or campus sessions. Get the laboratory plan for every required course before you enroll. A lab that requires scheduled campus attendance or a separate local arrangement can change the program’s real cost and feasibility, particularly if you live far from the school or cannot make fixed sessions.
Which courses matter most for renewable energy work?
Power systems, electric machines, circuits, electronics, controls, signals, and programming are useful subjects to seek. The best mix depends on whether you want grid, generation, storage, controls, or equipment work. Compare electives as well as required courses: two degrees may share the same broad title but lead to different preparation if one emphasizes power systems and another leans toward electronics or programming.
Do renewable energy engineers need a PE license?
Many roles do not require a license, but some positions involving public systems or formal engineering approval may. Check job postings and the engineering board rules in the jurisdiction where you plan to work. Do this before treating licensure as a benefit of the degree, because the relevant requirements can depend on the work itself, the employer, and where you intend to practice.
Can I earn this degree while working full time?
Possibly, but the degree’s math, laboratories, team projects, and fixed exam times can limit flexibility. Ask how many courses the school recommends per term and how part-time enrollment changes the graduation plan. A program that looks flexible on paper may still require several activities to happen on a set schedule, and extending the sequence can affect how long you remain enrolled before completing the degree.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Program credit and completion details
- Transfer admission requirements
- ABET program eligibility requirements
- ABET online program information
- ABET licensure and accreditation guidance
- NCEES engineering exam information
- O*NET electrical engineer job zone