Typical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award
Wind turbine technician
Wind turbine service technicians inspect, maintain, and repair turbines, climbing towers and working with mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems. Jobs cluster in the Plains, Texas, and the upper Midwest.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a wind turbine technician makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$64,120
$30.83 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $58,840
- 75th percentile
- $78,010
- 90th percentile
- $92,460
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 100%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +29.5%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 1,500
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as typical: a one- or two-year wind technology program at a technical college, or manufacturer training for hires with mechanical or electrical backgrounds. Comfort with heights and a driver's license are required.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines. Perform maintenance on wind turbine equipment including resolving electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic malfunctions.
The next step
Wind energy technology certificate or associate's program, plus safety certifications
- Typical cost
- $3,000 to $15,000 depending on the program
- Time to complete
- 1 to 2 years, or employer training
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for wind turbine service technicians by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $39.10 | $81,330 | $73,490 to $94,530 | 390 |
| Kansas | $37.62 | $78,240 | $61,900 to $80,190 | 330 |
| California | $37.46 | $77,910 | $64,980 to $100,880 | 400 |
| Indiana | $36.87 | $76,680 | $63,030 to $78,720 | 140 |
| Washington | $36.48 | $75,880 | $62,180 to $79,330 | 210 |
| Iowa | $36.00 | $74,880 | $58,840 to $80,140 | 900 |
| Colorado | $35.94 | $74,740 | $62,810 to $78,050 | 410 |
| Ohio | $35.52 | $73,880 | $58,620 to $81,190 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $35.49 | $73,820 | $60,910 to $77,960 | 180 |
| North Dakota | $32.07 | $66,700 | $57,410 to $79,400 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $31.91 | $66,380 | $61,040 to $77,950 | 120 |
| Arizona | $31.89 | $66,330 | $61,640 to $79,730 | 80 |
| Missouri | $31.36 | $65,230 | $58,020 to $75,970 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $31.25 | $65,000 | $60,360 to $80,120 | 450 |
| Wyoming | $30.21 | $62,830 | $60,820 to $79,300 | 90 |
| Michigan | $30.19 | $62,800 | $58,460 to $79,770 | 70 |
| Montana | $29.98 | $62,360 | $62,350 to $79,590 | 40 |
| Texas | $29.79 | $61,950 | $57,810 to $72,950 | 3,890 |
| Oregon | $29.72 | $61,820 | $42,630 to $76,740 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $29.25 | $60,830 | $59,760 to $80,500 | 50 |
| Idaho | $29.24 | $60,810 | $58,930 to $77,660 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $28.51 | $59,290 | $49,900 to $70,610 | 340 |
| Maine | $28.47 | $59,220 | $58,800 to $64,590 | 50 |
| New Mexico | $27.51 | $57,230 | $48,760 to $62,020 | 330 |
| Mississippi | $24.06 | $50,040 | $49,300 to $59,870 | 30 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a wind turbine technician?
No. BLS lists "postsecondary nondegree award" as the typical education for entry, and 100% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is wind energy technology certificate or associate's program, plus safety certifications.
How much does a wind turbine technician make?
The median pay was $64,120 a year ($30.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $58,840 and $78,010, and the top 10 percent earned more than $92,460.
How long does it take to become a wind turbine technician?
1 to 2 years, or employer training. The typical cost is $3,000 to $15,000 depending on the program.
Is wind turbine technician work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 29.5% from 2025 to 2035 with about 1,500 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 49-9081.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile