Wind turbine technician salary in South Dakota
Median $35.49 an hour for 180 wind turbine technicians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2015 and the state's own outlook.
Wind turbine technician pay in South Dakota: the full range
South Dakota ranks 9th of 25 states for median wind turbine technician pay, and 3rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $40.06). 180 wind turbine technicians work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.28 – $29.28 | $46,350 – $60,910 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $29.28 – $37.48 | $60,910 – $77,960 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $37.48 – $38.13 | $77,960 – $79,300 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Wind turbine technician pay by metro in South Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $22.28 | $30.12 | $36.73 | 100 | 15% below |
Wind turbine technician wages in South Dakota over time
Table
| Year | South Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $31.63 | $42.96 | $24.55 | 80 |
| 2016 | $28.79 | $38.62 | $25.13 | — |
| 2017 | $29.65 | $38.94 | $25.91 | 100 |
| 2019 | $22.89 | $28.82 | $25.44 | 200 |
| 2020 | $24.19 | $30.09 | $27.03 | 220 |
| 2021 | $22.88 | $27.18 | $27.05 | 220 |
| 2022 | $29.67 | $32.64 | $27.56 | 140 |
| 2023 | $22.46 | $23.73 | $29.70 | 360 |
| 2024 | $27.78 | $28.51 | $30.09 | 190 |
| 2025 | $35.49 | $35.49 | $30.83 | 180 |
In today's dollars, the median wind turbine technician wage in South Dakota changed by -17.4% over the last ten years of data and by +23.1% since 2019.
Are there more wind turbine technician jobs in South Dakota?
BLS counted 180 wind turbine technicians in South Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. 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 South Dakota
South Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of wind turbine technicians in the state to change by +58.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 230 to 360, with about 40 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +29.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 180 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: South Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in South Dakota?
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Questions this page answers
How much do wind turbine technicians make in South Dakota?
The median wind turbine technician in South Dakota earned $35.49 an hour ($73,820 a year) in May 2025, 15% above the national median of $30.83. The middle half earn $29.28–$37.48; the top 10% earn more than $38.13.
Where does South Dakota rank for wind turbine technician pay?
South Dakota ranks 9th of 25 states for wind turbine technician pay, with a median of $35.49 an hour, and 3rd after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).
What is the union wind turbine technician rate in South Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a wind turbine technician classification for most South Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many wind turbine technicians work in South Dakota?
BLS counted 180 wind turbine technicians in South Dakota in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 6.18; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is wind turbine technician work growing in South Dakota?
South Dakota's labor market agency projects +58.3% growth for wind turbine technicians between 2024 and 2034, from 230 to 360 jobs.
How many wind turbine technician openings a year are there in South Dakota?
South Dakota projects about 40 openings a year for wind turbine technicians over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 1,500 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota 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.
- State projection: South Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.