The median pay for Geothermal Technicians is $49,230 a year ($23.67/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.6% through 2035, with about 18,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 49-9099
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Geothermal Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $49,230a year, or $23.67/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $77K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 18,300205,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025205.2K
- Projected 2035210.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 205.2K Projected 2035 210.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school65.8%
- Certificate20.5%
- Some college12.3%
- Associate's1.5%
Highest education held by geothermal technicians Segment Value High school 65.8% Certificate 20.5% Some college 12.3% Associate's 1.5%
Also advertised as: Geothermal Service Technician, I and C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician), I and E Technician (Instrumentation and Electrical Technician), I C and E Technician (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Technician), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Technician), Operations Technician.
Pay
How much do Geothermal Technicians make?
Every geothermal technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$49,230
Middle half earn $42,170 to $61,900
- 10th
- $36,080
- 25th
- $42,170
- 75th
- $61,900
- 90th
- $77,040
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,080 |
| 25th | $42,170 |
| Median | $49,230 |
| 75th | $61,900 |
| 90th | $77,040 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $49,230
- Median hourly wage
- $23.67/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,850
- People employed
- 176,300
Versus all US occupations
At $49,230, Geothermal Technicians earn 3% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,750 a year.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $61,150, this is 19% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,040 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,080, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 20% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $75,360, and still leads at $73,623 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Geothermal Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $75,360 | $73,623 | 100 |
| 2Hawaii | $74,260 | $67,539 | 970 |
| 3Guam | $64,650 | N/A | 50 |
| 4Washington | $63,080 | $58,946 | 3,550 |
| 5Maine | $61,380 | $63,246 | 1,230 |
| 6Minnesota | $60,250 | $61,092 | 2,140 |
| 7Massachusetts | $59,890 | $56,630 | 1,240 |
| 8Rhode Island | $59,890 | $58,555 | 180 |
| 9District of Columbia | $59,320 | $53,976 | 130 |
| 10New York | $56,900 | $52,724 | 5,390 |
Job outlook
Is Geothermal Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Geothermal Technicians | +2.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Geothermal Technicians to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 18,300 openings are projected each year, 8.9% of the 205,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Geothermal Technician
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as geothermal technicians.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)65.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate20.5%
- Some College Courses12.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree1.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 65.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 20.5% |
| Some College Courses | 12.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 1.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Geothermal Technician do?
Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.
Day-to-day tasks
- Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
- Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
- Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
- Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
- Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
- Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
- Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Writing3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Mathematics2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.9
- Troubleshooting3.6
- Operation and Control3.4
- Quality Control Analysis3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.6 |
| Operation and Control | 3.4 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Geographic information system
- Industrial control software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Geothermal Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Geothermal Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.4
- Conventional5.0
- Investigative3.4
- Enterprising1.8
- Social1.7
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Geothermal Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Management
- Production
- Production
- Production
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
More installation, maintenance, and repair careers
Median annual pay, with geothermal technicians highlighted
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
- Millwright$65,700
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic$64,520
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist$61,770
- Medical Equipment Repairer$61,660
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer$61,010
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer$54,890
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic$50,620
- Geothermal Technician$49,230
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 |
| Millwright | $65,700 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist | $61,770 |
| Medical Equipment Repairer | $61,660 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer | $61,010 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairer | $54,890 |
| Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic | $50,620 |
| Geothermal Technician | $49,230 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Geothermal Technician appears on
Questions
Geothermal Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Geothermal Technicians make?
Geothermal Technicians earn a median of $49,230 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 3% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.67/hr. The middle half earn between $42,170 and $61,900. The top 10% earn $77,040 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Geothermal Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Geothermal Technicians. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Geothermal Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 18,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Geothermal Technician do?
Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. A core O*NET task: prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software.
Which states pay Geothermal Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Geothermal Technicians are Alaska ($75,360), Hawaii ($74,260), Guam ($64,650) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Geothermal Technician?
O*NET scores Geothermal Technicians highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.