Wind Energy Engineers
SOC code 17-2199 · O*NET-SOC 17-2199.10 · Considerable preparation needed · Science and engineering
Wind Energy Engineers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$122,930
a year
Hourly
$59.10
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$125,330
$60.26 per hour
Middle 50%
$90,970 – $158,090
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$66,810 – $189,950
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
154,070
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Engineers, All Other”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $66,810
- $32.12/hr
- 25th percentile
- $90,970
- $43.73/hr
- Median percentile
- $122,930
- $59.10/hr
- 75th percentile
- $158,090
- $76.01/hr
- 90th percentile
- $189,950
- $91.32/hr
What does a wind energy engineer do?
Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Create or maintain wind farm layouts, schematics, or other visual documentation for wind farms.
- Provide engineering technical support to designers of prototype wind turbines.
- Recommend process or infrastructure changes to improve wind turbine performance, reduce operational costs, or comply with regulations.
- Investigate experimental wind turbines or wind turbine technologies for properties such as aerodynamics, production, noise, and load.
- Create models to optimize the layout of wind farm access roads, crane pads, crane paths, collection systems, substations, switchyards, or transmission lines.
- Develop active control algorithms, electronics, software, electromechanical, or electrohydraulic systems for wind turbines.
- Develop specifications for wind technology components, such as gearboxes, blades, generators, frequency converters, or pad transformers.
- Test wind turbine components, using mechanical or electronic testing equipment.
How to become a wind energy engineer
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 70% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree70%
- Master's Degree14%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate6%
- Some College Courses4%
Common questions
How much does a wind energy engineer earn?
The national median is $122,930 a year. The full range runs from $66,810 at the 10th percentile to $189,950 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a wind energy engineer without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
- Active Listening3.4/5
- Writing3.4/5
- Speaking3.4/5
- Science3.3/5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.8/5
- Mathematics4.4/5
- Design4.4/5
- Physics4.2/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Computers and Electronics4.0/5
- Administration and Management3.6/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4/5
Transferable strengths: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis.