How Much Does a Wind Turbine Technician Make? (2024)
Energy · SOC Code 49-9081 · 2-year apprenticeship
The average wind turbine technician earns $71,538 per year ($34/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $61,800 to $105,370 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $59,930 and top earners making $160,120+.
Yes — top-decile wind turbine technicians clear $100K in 1 of 5 metros
The 90th-percentile wind turbine technician in Los Angeles, CA earns $160,120 per year ($77/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median wind turbine technician pay nationally is $71,538 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Wind Turbine Technician salaries range from $61,800 to $105,370 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Wind Turbine Technician Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $105,370 | $59,930 – $160,120 | $63,476 | A | 60 |
| Denver, CO | $66,220 | $57,370 – $78,420 | $51,734 | B | 220 |
| Dallas, TX | $62,400 | $47,750 – $76,190 | $61,176 | A | 700 |
| Kansas City, MO | $61,900 | $50,830 – $82,550 | $65,851 | A | 0 |
| Houston, TX | $61,800 | $49,760 – $74,930 | $64,375 | A | 1,600 |
About Wind Turbine Technician Pay
Wind Turbine Technicians earn a national median salary of $71,538 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Los Angeles at $105,370 median, while Houston offers the lowest at $61,800.
Becoming a wind turbine technician typically requires a 2-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $59,930, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $160,120 or more. With 45% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a wind turbine technician?
Step-by-step path: 2-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest-paying wind turbine technician jobs are in Los Angeles, CA, where the 90th percentile reaches $160,120 and the median is $105,370. The pay-driving specialties tend to be turbine maintenance and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
For most workers, yes. Wind Turbine Technicians earn a national median of $71,538 (Trade Pay Score grade A), wages have grown 45% over the past 5 years (faster than the all-occupations average), and the BLS counts roughly 2,580 wind turbine technician jobs nationwide. The work is physically demanding and the apprenticeship is real, but the trade clears the bar for living-wage, debt-free career entry.
Wind Turbine Technician work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Wind turbine techs work at extreme heights (200-300+ feet) in remote, windy locations. Travel between turbine sites is common. Work in all weather conditions including wind, cold, and heat. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most wind turbine technicians say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
Wind Turbine Technicians earn a national median of $71,538 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $160,120 in Los Angeles. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
The average wind turbine technician salary is $71,538 per year ($34/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $61,800 to $105,370 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Wind Turbine Technicians earn an average hourly wage of $34/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $29/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $77/hour or more.
Los Angeles offers the highest median pay for wind turbine technicians at $105,370. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of A and 45% wage growth over 5 years, wind turbine technician is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 2,580 jobs nationwide across 5 metro areas.
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.