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Geothermal Technicians in Washington

Considering working as a Geothermal Technicians in Washington? Below are the key facts. All installation, maintenance, and repair workers not listed separately.

What do Geothermal Technicians Make in Washington?

For geothermal technicians working in Washington, wages run about $59,610 per year (or roughly $28.66/hour).Annual wages span from $43,460 at the 10th percentile to $90,250 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$43,460	$20.90
25th percentile	$49,390	$23.74
Median (50th)	$59,610	$28.66
75th percentile	$77,030	$37.04
90th percentile	$90,250	$43.39

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Washington relative to the national average — is 0.90.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, geothermal technicians earn a median of $64,661 per year ($31.09/hour), below the Washington median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 39,927 geothermal technicians nationwide. In Washington alone, approximately 3,810 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 1,810 geothermal technicians.

Top Washington Metros for Geothermal Technicians

These are the Washington metros with the most geothermal technicians in Washington.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	1,470	$57,060
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	1,340	$75,750
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	220	$46,430
Yakima, WA	110	$53,990
Kennewick-Richland, WA	100	$49,360
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	70	$57,870
Bellingham, WA	60	$48,970
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	60	$54,460
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA	30	$51,560

Top States for Geothermal Technicians Employment

The table below shows the states where the most geothermal technicians work.

State	Number Employed
California	27,450
Florida	16,610
Texas	15,690
Georgia	9,140
Michigan	7,160
Illinois	7,110
Louisiana	6,960
Arizona	5,840
New Jersey	5,220
Virginia	5,210
Colorado	4,970
Pennsylvania	4,900
North Carolina	4,880
Tennessee	4,800
Maryland	4,550
Ohio	4,410
Nevada	4,110
New York	3,920
Washington	3,810
Oregon	3,030

Highest-Paying States for Geothermal Technicians

The highest-paying states for geothermal technicians.

State	Annual Median Salary
Alaska	$80,230
Hawaii	$80,180
Mississippi	$61,560
Washington	$59,610
Minnesota	$58,800
Maine	$58,580
Kentucky	$57,430
Rhode Island	$57,200
Connecticut	$56,460
Wisconsin	$54,930

Skills

Top geothermal technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for geothermal technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, geothermal technicians typically:

• Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
• Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
• Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
• Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
• Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
• Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
• Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
• Adjust power production systems to meet load and distribution demands.
• Maintain electrical switchgear, process controls, transmitters, gauges, and control equipment in accordance with geothermal plant procedures.
• Calculate heat loss and heat gain factors for residential properties to determine heating and cooling required by installed geothermal systems.
• Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
• Install and maintain geothermal plant electrical protection equipment.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Precision Systems Maintenance
• Electronics Maintenance & Repair
• Mechanics & Repairers
• Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

Related Careers

Careers similar to geothermal technicians include:

• Geothermal Production Managers
• Biomass Power Plant Managers
• Hydroelectric Production Managers
• Mechanical Engineers
• Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
• Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Also Known As

Corrosion Technician, Design Technician, Distribution Field Technician, Field Distribution Technician, Geothermal Field Technician, Geothermal HVAC Technician (Geothermal Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technician), Geothermal Installer, Geothermal Service Technician, Geothermal System Installer, Geothermal Technician, Ground Source Heat Pump Technician (GSHP Technician), I C and E Technician (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Technician), I and C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician), I and E Technician (Instrumentation and Electrical Technician), Operations Technician.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 49-9099.01