What were the highest-paid climate jobs in 2024?

As COP29 comes to a close, a wrangling group of countries has made gradual progress toward a sustainable future. However, climate solutions cannot be delivered without a workforce. Jobs are crucial in strengthening the global response to the climate crisis. To understand the market for climate-related jobs, Devex reviewed all qualifying positions on our job board. The Devex job board allows employers to share the salary ranges of their job postings to help foster a salary-transparent culture in global development. We analyzed 244 jobs posted by 74 organizations. Where salaries were given for different periods and currencies, we converted them to U.S. dollars per year. The top employers on the list were mostly bilateral agencies and multilateral development banks, including: • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (31 jobs). • World Bank (18 jobs). • International Finance Corporation (14 jobs). • USAID (13 jobs). • International Organization for Migration (11 jobs). • Commonwealth Secretariat (11 jobs). • Asian Development Bank (11 jobs). The International Finance Corporation is a part of the World Bank Group but lists itself as a separate employer on the Devex job board. The climate jobs and salaries shared with us spanned 65 countries, ranging from as low as $7,620 for a program manager role with FCDO based in Ethiopia to as high as $343,600 for a lead climate finance specialist position with the World Bank. The top country locations with shared salary information are the United States, with 76 jobs; the Philippines, with 15 jobs; the United Kingdom, with 14 jobs; and Switzerland, with 12 jobs. As part of our ongoing efforts in salary transparency, here is a list of the 20 employers who offered the highest maximum salary, as advertised on Devex: Which employers paid the best salaries for climate jobs in 2024? 1. World Bank Group Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 1944 The World Bank is a global finance institution that works to help countries boost their economic growth, reduce poverty, and promote sustainable development. The World Bank was previously looking for a lead climate finance specialist, with an annual salary ranging from $184,900 to $343,600 to help scale up and develop innovative climate finance instruments and business models. 2. Global Health Visions Headquarters: Saugerties, New York, United States Year founded: 2008 Global Health Visions is a consulting firm that provides innovative analysis and solutions for organizations working in health and development worldwide. They previously had an opening for a managing director, with an annual salary ranging from $273,750 to $337,625, to support and drive key strategic decisions for the organization’s efforts in climate action and health and development. 3. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters: Mandaluyong City, Philippines Year founded: 1966 ADB is the largest financial institution in Asia that aims to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in its member countries. The institution previously had an opening for a climate change director, with an annual salary ranging from $195,300 to $273,400, for the implementation of ADB’s climate change adaptation agenda and operations. 4. FHI 360 Headquarters: Durham, North Carolina, United States Year founded: 1971 FHI 360 is a global development organization that aims to advance health and well-being through data-driven solutions. They previously had an opening for a senior director, with an annual salary ranging from $180,000 to $225,000, who will spearhead the development of plans and strategies essential for climate crisis action and impact. 5. Global Development Incubator (GDI) Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 2007 GDI is a nonprofit organization that works with social enterprises, foundations, governments, and other partners to address global issues and provide social impact solutions. GDI was previously looking for a director to lead and build the organization’s climate portfolio and focus on carbon mitigation and removal, with an annual salary ranging between $180,000 and $210,000. 6. ClimateWorks Foundation Headquarters: San Francisco, United States Year founded: 2008 ClimateWorks Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to addressing climate change and supporting a sustainable and equitable future. The foundation previously had an opening for a director responsible for developing databases and information related to climate philanthropy. This position’s salary was expected to range between $180,000 and $200,000. 7. PepsiCo Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1965 PepsiCo is a global food and beverage company with a corporate strategy focused on innovation, sustainability, and making a positive impact on the environment. The company was previously looking to hire a senior manager, with an annual salary ranging between $114,700 and $192,100, to support the acceleration of greenhouse gas, or GHG, planning and costing. 8. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 1961 USAID is the United States government agency responsible for development assistance programs and foreign aid operations worldwide. USAID was previously looking for a democratic climate action advisor, with an annual salary ranging from $139,395 to $181,216, to help advance the agency’s climate strategy vision and support actions to confront the climate crisis. 9. World Resources Institute (WRI) Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 1982 WRI is a global organization that aims to provide data and research solutions to the world’s environmental challenges including climate change, deforestation, and food security. The institute previously had an opening for a director who will help embed behavioral science in their Global Climate, Economics and Finance (CEF) program. The position’s annual salary was expected to range between $138,000 and $166,000. 10. MetLife Foundation Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1976 The MetLife Foundation is a corporate organization that focuses on inclusive economic mobility by serving underserved and low-income communities around the world. The foundation previously had an opening for a climate risk director position, with an annual salary ranging from $123,800 to $165,000, for the design and implementation of enterprise analysis and assessments of climate risks, particularly focused on investments. 11. Chemonics International Inc. Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 1975 Chemonics International is a development consulting firm that aims to provide innovative solutions to global challenges in food security, climate change, education, and many more. They previously had an opening for a senior program director to support the operations and implementation of activities of the USAID-funded Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA). This position’s annual salary was expected to be between $128,560 and $160,700. 12. International Rescue Committee (IRC) Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1933 The International Rescue Committee is a humanitarian organization dedicated to providing emergency relief and long-term support to people affected by conflicts and disasters worldwide. They were previously hiring for a global practice lead, with an annual salary ranging from $130,000 to $160,000, to help address climate change in health programming and lead the development of innovative WASH solutions. 13. International Organization for Migration (IOM) Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Year founded: 1951 The International Organization for Migration is the United Nations’ leading organization for promoting humane and orderly migration. IOM was previously looking to hire a chief to help establish and lead its Climate Mobility Innovation Lab (CMIL) unit. The annual salary for this position was between $118,901 and $148,790. 14. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1946 UNICEF is the United Nations’ leading agency dedicated to protecting the rights of every child and reaching the most vulnerable children and adolescents worldwide. UNICEF previously had an opening for a chief to help generate sustainable funding and advocacy support for its work on climate and climate-focused private sector partnerships. The position had an annual salary range of $118,901 to $148,790. 15. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1948 The U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs is the key division of the United Nations that provides intergovernmental support, data analysis, and capacity-building assistance for economic and social issues. The department was previously looking to hire an inter-regional adviser, with an annual salary ranging from $118,901 to $148,790, to ensure the integration of concepts of sustainable energy and climate change into national development strategies. 16. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters: Rome, Italy Year founded: 1945 FAO is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of food security and sustainable agricultural development around the world. FAO previously had an opening for a senior technical officer, with an annual salary ranging from $115,949 to $145,170, to focus on the use of agrifood interventions to address climate, biodiversity, and environmental challenges. 17. Global Alliance for the Future of Food Year founded: 2012 The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is an alliance of philanthropic foundations that work to ensure food systems transformation that is resilient, equitable, healthy, and interconnected. The alliance was previously looking to hire a director of climate and nature, with an annual salary of $125,000, responsible for implementing a “climate-through-all” strategy and engaging on issues such as climate-food-energy nexus, biodiversity, and food security. 18. Climate Analytics Headquarters: Berlin, Germany Year founded: 2008 Climate Analytics is a global institute specializing in climate science and policy analysis to support countries with national planning and international climate negotiations. Climate Analytics previously had an opening for a head of climate policy to develop the institute’s policy work globally. The climate policy head role had an annual salary ranging from $108,129.42 to $119,212.72. 19. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Headquarters: New York, United States Year founded: 1967 EDF is a nonprofit organization that delivers data-driven strategies to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges such as climate pollution and environmental degradation. EDF previously had an opening for a senior manager who will play a critical role in overseeing and implementing the Climate Resilient Water Systems (CRWS) strategy. The position had an annual salary range of $109,000 to $116,000. 20. Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) Headquarters: London, United Kingdom Year founded: 2002 CIFF is a philanthropic organization dedicated to transforming and improving the lives of children and adolescents by focusing on health, climate change, and child protection. CIFF was previously looking to hire a senior manager, with an annual salary of $101,452.80, to accelerate climate actions, facilitate investments, and promote climate diplomacy on an international scale.