The median wind turbine technician salary in the U.S. was $64,120 a year, or $30.83 an hour, in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). New technicians usually start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,230, while the top 10% earned more than $92,460.
Below is how pay differs by employer and state, how it has changed in recent years, and why a wind tech’s real take-home pay is often higher than these base-wage figures.
How Much Does a Wind Turbine Technician Make?
| Pay level (May 2025) | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | under $49,230 | under $23.67 |
| Median | $64,120 | $30.83 |
| Highest 10% | over $92,460 | over $44.45 |
Sources: annual figures and the median hourly wage from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; the other hourly figures are our own calculation (annual ÷ 2,080 hours).
For comparison, the median for all U.S. occupations was $50,980 and for installation, maintenance and repair occupations $59,620 in May 2025 (BLS). A wind tech typically enters the field with a certificate or an associate’s degree, so the job pays well relative to the training it takes. Our overview of the wind turbine technician job covers that training step by step.
Pay by Employer
Who you work for matters as much as where. Median wages in May 2025, by industry (BLS):
| Employer type | Median annual wage | Share of wind techs |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial and industrial machinery repair and maintenance (service companies) | $70,670 | 12% |
| Wind electric power generation (wind farm operators) | $65,000 | 42% |
| Power and communication line construction | $63,080 | 15% |
Independent service companies paid the most. Another 15% of wind techs are self-employed, for whom the BLS does not publish a median.
Wind Turbine Technician Salary by State
State figures for this occupation are based on small samples, and BLS does not publish them for every state. Examples from the 2025 BLS wage data, as shown by the Department of Labor’s O*NET OnLine:
| State | Lowest 10% | Median | Highest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $60,730 | $66,380 | $98,410 |
| Michigan | $51,260 | $62,800 | $92,460 |
| Oklahoma | $45,270 | $59,290 | $74,080 |
| United States | $49,230 | $64,120 | $92,460 |
Sources: ONET OnLine for North Carolina, Michigan and Oklahoma, wages for occupation 49-9081 (BLS 2025 wage data). To check another state, use the state menu on the same ONET page.
The most complete state ranking we could access is from the May 2023 BLS survey. It shows that the most jobs and the highest pay are in different places:
| Most wind tech jobs (May 2023) | Employment | Mean wage | Highest-paying states (May 2023) | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,570 | $61,780 | California | $94,320 |
| Iowa | 710 | $63,380 | Kentucky | $82,470 |
| Oklahoma | 550 | $60,570 | Pennsylvania | $77,090 |
| Colorado | 450 | $65,530 | New Jersey | $73,780 |
| Kansas | 380 | $63,440 | North Carolina | $72,400 |
The top-paying states have only 30 to 330 wind techs each, so a single employer can move the average. If you want the widest choice of jobs, the wind belt of Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas is where the work is, at wages close to the national median.
How Wind Tech Pay Has Changed
The national median rose from $57,320 in May 2022 to $61,770 in May 2023 and $64,120 in May 2025, an increase of about 12% in three years (our own calculation from BLS data). Demand also supports pay: the BLS projects 30% job growth from 2025 to 2035, far faster than the 3% average for all occupations.
BLS wage surveys count base pay, hazard pay and production bonuses, but they exclude overtime, on-call pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses and lodging or meal payments, according to the BLS definition of pay. Wind techs who travel between sites or work long shifts often earn more than the published figures, so compare job offers on total pay, not just the hourly rate.
What It Means for You
If you are weighing the career, expect a starting wage closer to the bottom of the range than to the median, and growth toward the national median as you gain experience. The levers you control are the employer type (service companies pay more), the state you work in and willingness to travel, which brings overtime and travel payments that BLS figures leave out. For the wider industry picture, see our guide to wind energy pros and cons.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a wind turbine technician make an hour?
The median hourly wage was $30.83 in May 2025, according to the BLS. Based on the annual figures, the lowest 10% earned under about $23.67 an hour and the top 10% over about $44.45.
Where do wind turbine technicians make the most money?
In the May 2023 BLS survey, California had the highest mean wage for wind techs ($94,320), followed by Kentucky and Pennsylvania. These states have few technicians; Texas has by far the most jobs, at wages near the national level.
Do wind turbine technicians make six figures?
Rarely in base pay alone. The top 10% earned more than $92,460 in May 2025, so a six-figure base wage is above the 90th percentile. BLS figures exclude overtime and travel payments, which can raise total earnings, but there is no official data on how much.
Is wind turbine technician a good career for pay?
The median of $64,120 is above the $50,980 median for all occupations, and the job usually requires a certificate or associate’s degree rather than a bachelor’s degree. The BLS expects 30% growth in jobs from 2025 to 2035.
