Wind turbine technician salary: what wind turbine technicians actually make
BLS employer-survey wages for 9,980 wind turbine service technicians nationwide, plus the union scale contractors must pay on federal jobs.
What wind turbine service technicians earn: the full range
The middle half of wind turbine service technicians earn between $28.29 and $37.51 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $44.45 ($92,460 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $23.67.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $23.67 – $28.29 | $49,230 – $58,840 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $28.29 – $37.51 | $58,840 – $78,010 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $37.51 – $44.45 | $78,010 – $92,460 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification. Union journeyman scale by county is in the prevailing-wage section below.
Wind turbine technician pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $39.10 | 27% above |
| Kansas | $37.62 | 22% above |
| California | $37.46 | 22% above |
| Indiana | $36.87 | 20% above |
| Washington | $36.48 | 18% above |
| Iowa | $36.00 | 17% above |
| Colorado | $35.94 | 17% above |
| Ohio | $35.52 | 15% above |
| South Dakota | $35.49 | 15% above |
| North Dakota | $32.07 | 4% above |
| North Carolina | $31.91 | 4% above |
| Arizona | $31.89 | 3% above |
| Missouri | $31.36 | 2% above |
| Minnesota | $31.25 | 1% above |
| Wyoming | $30.21 | 2% below |
| Michigan | $30.19 | 2% below |
| Montana | $29.98 | 3% below |
| Texas | $29.79 | 3% below |
| Oregon | $29.72 | 4% below |
| Pennsylvania | $29.25 | 5% below |
| Idaho | $29.24 | 5% below |
| Oklahoma | $28.51 | 8% below |
| Maine | $28.47 | 8% below |
| New Mexico | $27.51 | 11% below |
| Mississippi | $24.06 | 22% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $39.10 | $36.24 | #6 | 390 |
| Kansas | $37.62 | $41.75 | #1 | 330 |
| California | $37.46 | $33.84 | #11 | 400 |
| Indiana | $36.87 | $39.52 | #4 | 140 |
| Washington | $36.48 | $34.09 | #10 | 210 |
| Iowa | $36.00 | $41.00 | #2 | 900 |
| Colorado | $35.94 | $34.86 | #8 | 410 |
| Ohio | $35.52 | $38.28 | #5 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $35.49 | $40.06 | #3 | 180 |
| North Dakota | $32.07 | $36.03 | #7 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $31.91 | $33.84 | #12 | 120 |
| Arizona | $31.89 | $31.67 | #17 | 80 |
| Missouri | $31.36 | $34.54 | #9 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $31.25 | $31.69 | #15 | 450 |
| Wyoming | $30.21 | $32.59 | #13 | 90 |
| Michigan | $30.19 | $31.38 | #18 | 70 |
| Montana | $29.98 | $31.69 | #16 | 40 |
| Texas | $29.79 | $30.68 | #19 | 3,890 |
| Oregon | $29.72 | $28.74 | #24 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $29.25 | $29.97 | #21 | 50 |
| Idaho | $29.24 | $30.62 | #20 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $28.51 | $32.47 | #14 | 340 |
| Maine | $28.47 | $29.35 | #23 | 50 |
| New Mexico | $27.51 | $29.84 | #22 | 330 |
| Mississippi | $24.06 | $27.66 | #25 | 30 |
Wind turbine technician wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $22.10 | $30.99 | 3,200 |
| 2013 | $23.79 | $32.88 | 3,290 |
| 2014 | $23.46 | $31.90 | 3,710 |
| 2015 | $24.55 | $33.35 | 3,950 |
| 2016 | $25.13 | $33.71 | 4,580 |
| 2017 | $25.91 | $34.03 | 4,390 |
| 2018 | $26.14 | $33.51 | 5,580 |
| 2019 | $25.44 | $32.04 | 5,960 |
| 2020 | $27.03 | $33.62 | 5,860 |
| 2021 | $27.05 | $32.14 | 10,100 |
| 2022 | $27.56 | $30.32 | 9,830 |
| 2023 | $29.70 | $31.38 | 9,800 |
| 2024 | $30.09 | $30.88 | 11,220 |
| 2025 | $30.83 | $30.83 | 9,980 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median wind turbine technician wage changed by -7.5% over the last ten years.
Highest-paying metros for wind turbine technicians
| Metro | Median $/hr | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $30.79 | $36.35 | 1,120 |
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects wind turbine service technicians employment to change by +29.5% over 2025-35, with about 1,500 openings a year from growth and people leaving the occupation. Typical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Compare wind turbine technician pay with other trades
See how wind turbine technician pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do wind turbine service technicians make?
The median wind turbine technician earned $30.83 an hour, or $64,120 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 9,980 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $28.29 and $37.51 an hour.
How much do wind turbine technicians make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $23.67 at the 10th percentile to $44.45 at the 90th, with a median of $30.83. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice wind turbine technician make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $23.67 to $28.29 an hour ($49,230 to $58,840 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays wind turbine technicians the most?
New York had the highest median at $39.10 an hour in May 2025, followed by Kansas ($37.62) and California ($37.46). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are wind turbine technician wages going up?
In today's dollars the median wind turbine technician wage changed by -7.5% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $24.55 to $30.83.
Is wind turbine technician a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $64,120 a year, a 90th percentile of $92,460, projected growth of +29.5% and about 1,500 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-9081 (Wind turbine service technicians). Wages exclude overtime and benefits.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, latest year.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national. Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.