How Much Do Wind Turbine Technicians Make?
Wind Turbine Technicians inspect, maintain, and repair wind turbines, often climbing towers hundreds of feet tall. Official pay data from the BLS May 2025 wage survey.
The median wind turbine technician salary is $64,120 per year — 26% above the $50,980 median for all U.S. occupations. About 9,980 people work in this trade nationwide.
Pay by percentile
| Percentile | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,230 | Entry level / lowest-paid areas |
| 25th | $58,840 | Early career |
| 50th — median | $64,120 | The typical worker |
| 75th | $78,010 | Experienced |
| 90th | $92,460 | Top earners / highest-paid areas |
Wind Turbine Technician salary by state
Median annual wage by state, highest first. 26 states are not published by BLS for this occupation (small samples).
| # | State | Median wage | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $81,330 | +27% |
| 2 | Kansas | $78,240 | +22% |
| 3 | California | $77,910 | +22% |
| 4 | Indiana | $76,680 | +20% |
| 5 | Washington | $75,880 | +18% |
| 6 | Iowa | $74,880 | +17% |
| 7 | Colorado | $74,740 | +17% |
| 8 | Ohio | $73,880 | +15% |
| 9 | South Dakota | $73,820 | +15% |
| 10 | North Dakota | $66,700 | +4% |
| 11 | North Carolina | $66,380 | +4% |
| 12 | Arizona | $66,330 | +3% |
| 13 | Missouri | $65,230 | +2% |
| 14 | Minnesota | $65,000 | +1% |
| 15 | Wyoming | $62,830 | -2% |
| 16 | Michigan | $62,800 | -2% |
| 17 | Montana | $62,360 | -3% |
| 18 | Texas | $61,950 | -3% |
| 19 | Oregon | $61,820 | -4% |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $60,830 | -5% |
| 21 | Idaho | $60,810 | -5% |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $59,290 | -8% |
| 23 | Maine | $59,220 | -8% |
| 24 | New Mexico | $57,230 | -11% |
| 25 | Mississippi | $50,040 | -22% |
Lifetime earnings potential
At today's median wage, here is what a career as a wind turbine technician adds up to (in constant 2025 dollars, before raises or promotions — a conservative floor, not a projection):
| Career length | At the median ($64,120/yr) | In the top 10% ($92,460/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $641,200 | $924,600 |
| 20 years | $1,282,400 | $1,849,200 |
| 30 years | $1,923,600 | $2,773,800 |
Reaching the top 10% instead of the median is worth $850,200 over a 30-year career — usually the gap between entry-level work and specialization, licenses, or high-paying states. Compare this trade against any other with the trade comparison tool.
Frequently asked questions
- How much do wind turbine technicians make?
- The median annual wage for wind turbine service technicians is $64,120 (BLS OES, May 2025). The middle 50% earn between $58,840 and $78,010.
- What do the top wind turbine technicians earn?
- The top 10% of wind turbine technicians earn $92,460 or more per year, while the bottom 10% earn $49,230 or less.
- Which state pays wind turbine technicians the most?
- New York has the highest published median at $81,330, followed by Kansas ($78,240) and California ($77,910).