Wind turbine technician salary in California
Median $37.46 an hour for 400 wind turbine technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2012 and the state's own outlook.
Wind turbine technician pay in California: the full range
California ranks 3rd of 25 states for median wind turbine technician pay, and 11th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.84). 400 wind turbine technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $28.84 – $31.24 | $59,980 – $64,980 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $31.24 – $48.50 | $64,980 – $100,880 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $48.50 – $54.94 | $100,880 – $114,270 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Wind turbine technician wages in California over time
Table
| Year | California $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $24.04 | $33.71 | $22.10 | 280 |
| 2013 | $22.95 | $31.72 | $23.79 | 520 |
| 2014 | $22.79 | $30.99 | $23.46 | 550 |
| 2015 | $24.02 | $32.63 | $24.55 | 840 |
| 2016 | $23.66 | $31.74 | $25.13 | 670 |
| 2017 | $24.92 | $32.73 | $25.91 | — |
| 2018 | $27.08 | $34.72 | $26.14 | 630 |
| 2019 | $29.32 | $36.92 | $25.44 | 480 |
| 2020 | $28.91 | $35.96 | $27.03 | 610 |
| 2021 | $29.99 | $35.63 | $27.05 | 820 |
| 2022 | $30.17 | $33.19 | $27.56 | 750 |
| 2023 | $35.55 | $37.56 | $29.70 | 330 |
| 2024 | $36.22 | $37.17 | $30.09 | 390 |
| 2025 | $37.46 | $37.46 | $30.83 | 400 |
In today's dollars, the median wind turbine technician wage in California changed by +14.8% over the last ten years of data and by +1.5% since 2019.
Are there more wind turbine technician jobs in California?
BLS counted 400 wind turbine technicians in California in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 28%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for wind turbine technicians in California
No state projection is published for wind turbine technicians in California. Nationally, BLS projects +29.5% growth over 2025-35 with about 1,500 openings a year; the national page has the openings breakdown and every state that does publish a figure.
Is construction work growing in California?
Keep comparing
Wind turbine technician pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in California
More on California
Questions this page answers
How much do wind turbine technicians make in California?
The median wind turbine technician in California earned $37.46 an hour ($77,910 a year) in May 2025, 22% above the national median of $30.83. The middle half earn $31.24–$48.50; the top 10% earn more than $54.94.
Where does California rank for wind turbine technician pay?
California ranks 3rd of 25 states for wind turbine technician pay, with a median of $37.46 an hour, and 11th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).
What is the union wind turbine technician rate in California?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a wind turbine technician classification for most California counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many wind turbine technicians work in California?
BLS counted 400 wind turbine technicians in California in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.34; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 49-9081. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.