Greener Salaries

Green jobs paying off with greener salaries

The green jobs movement is putting more greenbacks in workers' pockets.

Clean-tech jobs offered median wages 20 percent higher across the United States in 2010, according to a report released Sunday from researchers Brookings and Battelle. Such green jobs span industries ranging from solar-panel manufacturers to wind- and ocean-based energy production to electric-vehicle technologies.

The report on positions in 100 U.S. cities highlights a job boom in the sector that now counts 2.7 million jobs. The Brookings Institution figures the industry contributed exported goods and services valued at $53.9 billion in 2009.

The report points to a growing industry of opportunities fueled by public and private backing of cleaner forms of energy that promise environmental benefits.

U.S. clean-tech jobs surged 8.3 percent per year, compared with 4.2 percent per year for other occupations during the 2003-10 period studied. read more>>>