The median pay for Wind Energy Development Managers is $141,900 a year ($68.22/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% through 2035, with about 100,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-9199
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Wind Energy Development Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $141,900a year, or $68.22/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $74KTop 10% $238K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.9%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 100,9001,338,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20251.3M
- Projected 20351.4M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 1.3M Projected 2035 1.4M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's18.3%
- Bachelor's66.9%
- Post-bacc certificate2.6%
- Master's12.3%
Highest education held by wind energy development managers Segment Value Associate's 18.3% Bachelor's 66.9% Post-bacc certificate 2.6% Master's 12.3%
Also advertised as: Business Development Director, Business Development Manager, Development Director, Development Manager, Project Development Leader, Renewable Project Management and Construction Director.
Pay
How much do Wind Energy Development Managers make?
Every wind energy development manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$141,900
Middle half earn $102,880 to $186,300
- 10th
- $74,300
- 25th
- $102,880
- 75th
- $186,300
- 90th
- $238,270
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,300 |
| 25th | $102,880 |
| Median | $141,900 |
| 75th | $186,300 |
| 90th | $238,270 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $141,900
- Median hourly wage
- $68.22/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $153,890
- People employed
- 622,190
Versus all US occupations
At $141,900, Wind Energy Development Managers earn 178% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $90,920 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 13% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $238,270 or more while the bottom 10% earn $74,300, a gap of 3.2×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 92% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $182,950, and still leads at $172,991 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Wind Energy Development Managers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $182,950 | $172,991 | 10,630 |
| 2District of Columbia | $175,720 | $159,889 | 18,570 |
| 3California | $174,560 | $157,659 | 99,580 |
| 4Colorado | $171,140 | $166,071 | 14,060 |
| 5Delaware | $168,060 | $168,383 | 1,280 |
| 6New York | $167,200 | $154,928 | 18,470 |
| 7Virginia | $166,230 | $164,415 | 21,560 |
| 8Rhode Island | $165,900 | $162,202 | 790 |
| 9Washington | $164,160 | $153,402 | 10,490 |
| 10Connecticut | $162,690 | $157,022 | 7,330 |
Job outlook
Is Wind Energy Development Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | +4.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Wind Energy Development Managers to change 4.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 65,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 100,900 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 1,338,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Wind Energy Development Manager
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium 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 wind energy development managers.
- Bachelor's Degree66.9%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18.3%
- Master's Degree12.3%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate2.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 66.9% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 18.3% |
| Master's Degree | 12.3% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 2.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Wind Energy Development Manager do?
Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.
Day-to-day tasks
- Prepare wind project documentation, including diagrams or layouts.
- Create wind energy project plans, including project scope, goals, tasks, resources, schedules, costs, contingencies, or other project information.
- Provide verbal or written project status reports to project teams, management, subcontractors, customers, or owners.
- Supervise the work of subcontractors or consultants to ensure quality and conformance to specifications or budgets.
- Coordinate or direct development, energy assessment, engineering, or construction activities to ensure that wind project needs and objectives are met.
- Manage wind project costs to stay within budget limits.
- Review or evaluate proposals or bids to make recommendations regarding awarding of contracts.
- Update schedules, estimates, forecasts, or budgets for wind projects.
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 day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing 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
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Writing3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Monitoring3.5
- Active Learning3.4
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.5
- Negotiation3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Time Management3.4
- Management of Personnel Resources3.4
- Persuasion3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.5 |
| Negotiation | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.4 |
| Persuasion | 3.3 |
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
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
- Video conferencing 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 Wind Energy Development Manager?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Wind Energy Development Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.7
- Conventional4.8
- Investigative3.9
- Realistic3.4
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.7
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 Wind Energy Development Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Management
- Management
More management careers
Median annual pay, with wind energy development managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Wind Energy Development Manager$141,900
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Wind Energy Development Manager | $141,900 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Wind Energy Development Manager appears on
Questions
Wind Energy Development Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Wind Energy Development Managers make?
Wind Energy Development Managers earn a median of $141,900 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 178% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $68.22/hr. The middle half earn between $102,880 and $186,300. The top 10% earn $238,270 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Wind Energy Development Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Wind Energy Development Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 66.9% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Wind Energy Development Manager a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 100,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Wind Energy Development Manager do?
Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. A core O*NET task: prepare wind project documentation, including diagrams or layouts. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software.
Which states pay Wind Energy Development Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Wind Energy Development Managers are Massachusetts ($182,950), District of Columbia ($175,720), California ($174,560) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Wind Energy Development Manager?
O*NET scores Wind Energy Development Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ 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.