One Of America's Fastest-Growing Jobs Pays $64,120 A Year

The modern job market is rife with challenges. Between the frequent layoffs, concerns about AI-driven job displacement and long-term career viability, and, of course, the endless job-hunting tips that just don't work the way they did for Baby Boomers, calling it all "frustrating" would be an understatement. But for those open to a career shift or just starting their working years, one of the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. pays a decent salary and is projected to grow by 30% between 2025 and 2035: wind turbine technician. 

The role is what it sounds like. A wind turbine technician or "windtech" maintains and repairs wind turbines, a.k.a. those large, skinny white structures that stand in fields or offshore and convert wind energy into electricity. While the exact pay of course varies based on the employer, location, specialization, and other factors, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows the median pay is $64,120 a year or $30.83 per hour (as of 2025). This is of course a far cry from the highest-paying jobs in America, but it's still above the nation's median personal income of $46,960 (per a Federal Reserve analysis of 2025 Census data). The pay range can also go much higher.

Windtechs employed in the commercial and industrial machinery repair and maintenance industry had a median annual wage of $70,670, while the highest-paid 10% of wind turbine technicians earned more than $92,460. Furthermore, a 2022 Green Workers Alliance article reported that many skilled windtechs were putting in 50 to 60 hours a week due to staffing shortages, although actual compensation for those additional hours depends on the position and employer.

Wind turbine technicians aren't just one of the fastest-growing occupations, for those wondering. BLS data shows they're the fourth fastest-growing job in the country, just behind data scientists, solar photovoltaic installers, and nurse practitioners in the top slot. The anticipated growth in this field breaks down to an expected 1,500 openings a year, which the BLS attributes to a combination of filling positions left vacant by those moving on to other jobs or retiring and brand new opportunities arising from more wind turbines being built. BLS data also shows there we approximately 11,800 windtech jobs in America in 2025, with employment projected to reach 15,340 by 2035 , an increase of roughly 3,500 positions 

And, for context, the growth in wind power has already been significant. The basic concept of wind power goes back centuries, but large-scale commercial wind development in the U.S. began taking shape in California during the 1980s. From 1990 to 2025, the percentage of the nation's electricity coming from wind turbines went from less than 1% to over 10%. The Global Wind Energy Council, meanwhile, reports that 2,289 new turbines were installed in the U.S. in 2025, providing another indication of the industry's continued expansion.

It's worth noting that the occupation comes with physical risks, as technicians often work with electrical and mechanical equipment at considerable heights, sometimes in confined spaces or challenging weather conditions. However, with the projected job growth, potential career stability, and reasonable pay compared to a lot of other careers, many people may consider the risks worth taking in the years to come.