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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
How much should a Wind Turbine Technician expect to earn? If you're going by the national average of $66,342, you're missing the plot. The real answer depends on where you work, how long you've been at it, and what the local market can bear. Across 288 tracked cities, we found a $46,439 range from entry to senior-level pay — and a geographic spread that's equally dramatic.
Wind Turbine Technician falls within the Skilled Trades sector, specifically in Installation & Maintenance. The typical education path involves Postsecondary certificate. The career outlook? Very high demand. Work style is field — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. In the right market, this is a six-figure career path.
$73,530 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Wind Turbine Technician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $120,840 — $73,530 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($47,310). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Wind Turbine Technicians average $47,766, the median sits at $66,342, and senior earners pull in $94,205. That $46,439 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $14,025 below the national median household income of $80,367 — which tells you location and cost of living are critical factors in making this salary work.
Entry-level numbers tell a different story: The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $112,860 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $47,690. That $65,170 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
A Wind Turbine Technician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $120,840 — $73,530 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($47,310). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Wind Turbine Technician is $47,766, while senior-level (P90) earners average $94,205. That $46,439 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $47,766 | $66,342 | $94,205 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £26,254 | £36,464 | £51,779 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$40,183 | CA$55,810 | CA$79,250 |
| Australia | 13 | A$49,114 | A$68,213 | A$96,863 |
| Sweden | 24 | 275,437 kr | 382,551 kr | 543,222 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $57,651 | $80,071 | $113,701 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $55,712 | $77,378 | $109,876 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $55,404 | $76,950 | $109,269 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $51,300 | $71,250 | $101,175 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $50,684 | $70,395 | $99,961 |
| Washington | 8 | $49,710 | $69,041 | $98,039 |
| New York | 5 | $46,785 | $64,980 | $92,271 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $46,786 | $64,980 | $92,272 |
| Florida | 22 | $46,431 | $64,488 | $91,573 |
| Colorado | 11 | $45,629 | $63,374 | $89,991 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $45,554 | $63,270 | $89,843 |
| Nevada | 5 | $45,472 | $63,156 | $89,681 |
| Arizona | 12 | $45,247 | $62,843 | $89,236 |
| Oregon | 5 | $45,144 | $62,700 | $89,034 |
| Idaho | 3 | $45,007 | $62,510 | $88,764 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $44,652 | $62,016 | $88,063 |
| Utah | 4 | $44,528 | $61,845 | $87,820 |
| Virginia | 7 | $43,795 | $60,827 | $86,374 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $43,229 | $60,040 | $85,257 |
| Alaska | 1 | $43,092 | $59,850 | $84,987 |
| Illinois | 5 | $42,599 | $59,166 | $84,016 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $41,542 | $57,697 | $81,929 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $41,040 | $57,000 | $80,940 |
| Montana | 1 | $41,040 | $57,000 | $80,940 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $40,903 | $56,810 | $80,670 |
| Texas | 40 | $40,701 | $56,530 | $80,272 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $40,630 | $56,430 | $80,131 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $40,425 | $56,145 | $79,726 |
| Georgia | 6 | $40,288 | $55,955 | $79,456 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $40,219 | $55,860 | $79,321 |
| Kansas | 4 | $40,014 | $55,575 | $78,917 |
| Michigan | 6 | $39,877 | $55,385 | $78,647 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $39,399 | $54,720 | $77,703 |
| Maryland | 1 | $39,398 | $54,720 | $77,702 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $38,988 | $54,150 | $76,893 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $38,988 | $54,150 | $76,893 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $37,962 | $52,725 | $74,870 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $37,757 | $52,440 | $74,465 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $37,244 | $51,728 | $73,453 |
| Missouri | 4 | $37,244 | $51,728 | $73,453 |
| Alabama | 5 | $37,100 | $51,528 | $73,170 |
| Indiana | 3 | $36,526 | $50,730 | $72,037 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $36,526 | $50,730 | $72,037 |
| Iowa | 2 | $36,115 | $50,160 | $71,227 |
| Ohio | 6 | $36,047 | $50,065 | $71,093 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $34,474 | $47,880 | $67,990 |
At the state level, California leads with an average Wind Turbine Technician median of $80,071 across 61 cities, followed by Massachusetts ($77,378) and Hawaii ($76,950). The city-level data complicates the national narrative. The lowest-paying states — Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa — offer medians between $47,880 and $50,160. But state averages mask city-level variation that's often just as large.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($120,840 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $57,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $120,840 | 212 | $57,000 | $73,480 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $112,860 | 198 | $57,000 | $69,087 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $104,880 | 184 | $57,000 | $64,694 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $103,170 | 181 | $57,000 | $63,753 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $101,460 | 178 | $57,000 | $62,811 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $100,890 | 177 | $57,000 | $62,497 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $100,890 | 177 | $57,000 | $62,497 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $98,610 | 173 | $57,000 | $61,204 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $98,610 | 173 | $57,000 | $61,204 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $96,330 | 169 | $57,000 | $59,903 |
Career economics for Wind Turbine Technicians: entry level averages $47,766, mid-career hits $66,342, and experienced professionals reach $94,205. That's a 2.0× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires Postsecondary certificate, and the work is field. The outlook: very high demand. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The weighted national median salary for Wind Turbine Technicians is $66,342 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $47,766, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $94,205.
The highest-paying city for Wind Turbine Technicians is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $120,840. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($120,840), Santa Clara ($112,860), Irvine ($104,880). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Wind Turbine Technician salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $47,310. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Wind Turbine Technicians (10th percentile) average $47,766 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $87,005. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Wind Turbine Technicians average $94,205 nationally — $46,439 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Wind Turbine Technicians can earn up to $171,593.
The top-paying states for Wind Turbine Technicians are California ($80,071 median), Massachusetts ($77,378 median), Hawaii ($76,950 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Wind Turbine Technician involves Postsecondary certificate. The field is in the Skilled Trades sector (Installation & Maintenance), and the career outlook is very high demand. Work style is typically field.
With a national median of $66,342 and representation across 288 metro areas, Wind Turbine Technician offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $46,439 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: very high demand.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.