Geothermal Energy Industry Workers

The Association of Energy Engineers conducted a survey of its members in 2024. Nearly 44 percent of respondents reported salaries that ranged from $100,000 to $200,000. About 8 percent earned from $40,000 to $60,000 per year, 7 percent averaged $60,000 to $75,000.

The U.S. Department of Labor does not provide comprehensive salary information for geothermal energy industry workers. It does provide salary ranges (all statistics are from May 2023) for engineers, technicians, power plant operators, environmental scientists, and other workers in all industries. It reports that engineers earned the following salary ranges by specialty:

• civil, $63,220 to $150,640
• electrical, $69,320 to $172,050
• electronics, $76,700 to $179,690
• mechanical, $64,560 to $157,470
• mining and geological, $55,150 to $160,820

Electrical and electronics engineering technicians earned salaries that ranged from less than $46,420 to $105,320 or more; civil engineering technicians, $39,120 to $91,010; and mechanical engineering technicians, $44,110 to $96,740.

Power plant operators earned salaries that ranged from less than $59,010 to $132,540 or more.

Environmental scientists earned median annual salaries of $78,980. Ten percent of workers earned less than $48,580, and 10 percent earned $133,660 or more.

Hydrologists had median annual earnings of $88,770. Salaries ranged from less than $57,120 to $141,790 or more.

Trades workers earned the following mean annual salaries by specialty: electricians, $61,590; plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, $61,550; roofers, $50,030; structural iron and steel workers, $62,760; and welders, $48,940.

Support workers in the geothermal energy industry earn a wide range of salaries, from starting salaries of $20,000 for clerical workers, to $200,000 or more for lawyers and top executives.

Benefits for full-time workers include vacation and sick time, health (and sometimes dental) insurance, and pension or 401(k) plans. Self-employed workers must provide their own benefits.