Solar Energy Engineering Degrees: B.Tech to MS

Last updated: November 2026.

Picking a solar degree starts with one question: do you want to design systems, or install them? This guide lists solar engineering degree programs from five schools. It shows accreditation and fees as each school prints them. It then covers online options, degree types, and pay from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). PV, short for photovoltaic, is the technology in solar panels. This guide does not rank schools, because no independent source ranks solar engineering programs. For short non-degree options, see solar design courses.

Solar Engineering Degree Programs Compared

Every row comes from the school’s own page, read in October 2026. Fees are as printed. They change each year, so confirm them before you apply.

How to read the table:

• Oregon Tech states that its BS in Renewable Energy Engineering is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. “WUE” is the Western Undergraduate Exchange rate. Oregon Tech’s page describes the BS as the first of its kind in North America.
• UNSW says the degree includes 60 days of approved industrial training in Australia or overseas.
• TU Delft charges the statutory rate to students from the EU/EEA, Switzerland and Suriname, . Everyone else pays the institutional rate. The programme has an electrical-energy track and a heating-and-cooling track.
• Freiburg lists the fee as approximately EUR 3,800 per semester. The program page points to the fee statutes (the official fee rules) for exact amounts.
• MIT-WPU is the example here for the search “b tech in solar energy”. Its B.Tech is a broader renewable energy degree, not a solar-only one.

A solar-specific degree is rare. Most students reach solar through an engineering degree. It may be electrical, mechanical or renewable energy engineering. They then pick solar electives (optional courses) or a research group.

Online Solar Engineering Degrees and Courses

Two options in this guide can be studied mostly online. Neither replaces an on-campus ABET-accredited BS if you need that credential.

Of these two, the edX MicroMasters has the lowest listed price. But it is a certificate program of courses, not a degree. For courses that take weeks, not years, see the design courses guide linked above.

Is a Solar Engineering Degree Worth It?

It depends on the work you want. An engineering degree is the normal route into design, grid integration and R&D (research and development). BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the usual entry-level education for electrical and electronics engineers. Installation work does not need that degree. See our guide to how to become a solar designer in 2026 for the non-degree path. See the NABCEP certification guide for credentials that sit beside a degree.

Pay by Occupation (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)

BLS does not publish pay by degree level or by “solar engineer”. The table shows the jobs where a solar engineering graduate or a non-degree installer is most likely to be counted. It compares jobs. It is not a salary forecast for graduates. The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less.

The electrical engineer median is higher than the installer median by USD 67,490 a year (120,630 minus 53,140). The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 8% growth for electrical and electronics engineers from 2025 to 2035. It counts about 297,900 jobs in 2025 (BLS). The OEWS (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics) values are national annual medians across all industries. The electrical engineer figure matches the one printed in the Handbook.

When a Degree Helps and When It Does Not

A degree is the usual route for:

• Design engineering, grid integration and power electronics roles
• Research and development at makers and universities
• Work that needs professional engineer (PE) licensure. Rules differ by US state. Check your state licensing board and ask whether it requires an ABET-accredited degree.

You do not need a degree for residential and small commercial installation work. You also do not need one for design roles at smaller installers, where certifications and experience count. Choose the career first. To design and stamp (sign off) utility-scale plants, take an accredited electrical engineering degree. To run an installation business, certification and field experience get you working sooner.

Types of Solar Engineering Degrees

Solar engineering is rarely its own department. It sits inside four degree families. Picking the family matters more than picking the school.

1. Electrical Engineering with a Solar Focus

This is the usual base for PV cell physics, power electronics (circuits that control electric power), inverters and grid integration. An inverter turns panel output into grid-ready power. Grid integration links solar to the power grid. This path suits designers, grid engineers and inverter R&D. If you search for “electrical engineering solar energy” programs, check the electives and research groups in each department.

Typical coursework: Circuit analysis, semiconductor devices, power systems, power electronics, control systems, plus solar and storage electives.

2. Mechanical Engineering with a Solar Focus

This is the usual base for solar thermal (heat from the sun) and concentrated solar power (mirrors that focus sunlight). It is also the base for module manufacturing, mounting and reliability.

Typical coursework: Thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, materials science, machine design, plus thermal or structural electives.

3. Renewable or Solar Energy Engineering

This is a broader degree across PV, wind, storage and energy systems, as at Oregon Tech and MIT-WPU. It can also be solar-specific, such as UNSW’s. UNSW says its degree covers technology development, manufacturing, system design and life-cycle analysis.

4. Master’s and Doctoral Degrees

An MS or MSc adds depth in one area such as PV technology, storage or grids. TU Delft’s MSc and Freiburg’s M.Sc. in the table above are examples. A PhD is the route into research on cells, materials and modules.

What Solar Software Skills Add

Design tools are where classroom theory meets project work. Common tool types are PV design and simulation, system modeling, CAD (computer drawing) and layout, power systems simulation, and code for analysis. SurgePV is a PV design tool. It has roof modeling, array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield and financial modeling, and proposals. It is priced per user and shown in a guided demo. Its pricing page lists individual and team seats, with no student or academic plan. See the solar design software page for what the product covers.

SurgePV publishes this guide and sells one of the tools mentioned in this section.

Solar Engineering vs Electrical Engineering vs Sustainable Energy: Which Should You Choose?

Choose electrical engineering if you want flexibility across solar, storage, EV charging and the grid. Also choose it if you plan to work on inverters, maximum power point tracking and grid integration. Tracking is how an inverter finds the best output from panels. Choose a renewable or solar energy engineering degree if you are sure about the sector. It puts PV, wind and storage in one program. Choose mechanical engineering if you like thermal solar, mounting or module reliability.

Some students can afford a longer path. They can take an accredited engineering bachelor’s first. Then they can take a master’s in a sustainable energy subject, such as TU Delft’s MSc or Freiburg’s M.Sc. This adds renewable-specific depth to a general engineering base.

Common Mistakes Prospective Students Make

• Choosing by general ranking alone. A school’s general standing in engineering says little about its solar courses. Read the course list and the research groups.
• Ignoring accreditation. Check ABET’s public database for US programs. In other countries, check the national accreditor (the official checking body).
• Comparing sticker fees only. Fees in this guide are per year and change each year. Add living costs and check residency rules. Oregon Tech’s resident and non-resident rates differ by USD 35,467.65 a year for the same degree (54,085.71 minus 18,618.06).
• Treating “renewable energy” as one major. Programs with that name differ in how much solar they teach. MIT-WPU’s B.Tech spreads across solar, wind, hydrogen, e-mobility and smart grids.

Conclusion

In 2026, think of a solar engineering degree as an engineering degree with a solar specialization. A few programs, such as UNSW’s, are solar-specific. Here are three actions for prospective students:

1. Check accreditation on the school’s page and in ABET’s database before you apply.
2. Compare the fees each school prints for your residency, then add living costs.
3. Decide whether you need a degree at all. The how to become a solar designer in 2026 guide covers the certification path.

If you want to see how design software fits a day-to-day role, book a SurgePV demo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a solar engineering degree worth it?

For design, grid and R&D work, an engineering degree is the normal entry point. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor’s degree as the usual entry-level education for electrical engineers. Their median pay was USD 120,630 in May 2025. Solar PV installers had a median of USD 53,140 that year. That route does not need an engineering degree. BLS does not publish pay by degree level, so compare occupations, not degrees.

Which universities offer a solar engineering degree?

Two degrees are solar-specific. One is UNSW’s BE Honours in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy, accredited by Engineers Australia. The other is the University of Freiburg’s part-time M.Sc. Solar Energy Engineering. Two more are broader renewable energy degrees with solar content. One is Oregon Tech’s BS Renewable Energy Engineering, which is ABET-accredited. The other is MIT-WPU’s B.Tech Renewable Energy in Pune, with solar as one track. TU Delft’s MSc Sustainable Energy Technology covers solar PV as part of a wider energy programme.

Is solar engineering ABET accredited?

Some programs are. Oregon Tech states that its BS in Renewable Energy Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Programs outside the US use other accreditors, for example Engineers Australia for UNSW and NVAO for TU Delft. Check any program in ABET’s public database before you apply.

How much does a solar engineering degree cost?

It depends on school and residency. Oregon Tech lists 2026-27 engineering tuition and fees of USD 18,618.06 a year for Klamath Falls residents and USD 54,085.71 for non-residents. TU Delft lists EUR 2,694 a year (statutory rate) or EUR 25,633 (institutional MSc rate) for 2026/2027. MIT-WPU lists INR 3,15,000 a year for its B.Tech. Fees come from each school’s own page and change every year.

Can I get a solar engineering degree online?

Partly. The University of Freiburg’s M.Sc. Solar Energy Engineering is part-time. It has online study plus one week on campus each year, at about EUR 3,800 a semester. TU Delft offers a Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters on edX, listed at USD 1,179 (USD 1,310 before edX’s discount). It is a set of courses, not a degree.

What is the difference between solar engineering and electrical engineering?

Solar engineering is usually a specialization. Electrical engineering with a solar focus covers cell physics, power electronics, inverters and grid integration. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor’s degree as the usual entry-level education for electrical engineers. A solar-specific degree such as UNSW’s covers cells, manufacturing, system design and life-cycle analysis.

Sources: Oregon Tech, UNSW, TU Delft, University of Freiburg, MIT-WPU, edX, ABET and BLS.