Wind Energy Operations Managers: Career Overview
Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Wind Energy Operations Managers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of wind energy operations managers include:
- Supervise employees or subcontractors to ensure quality of work or adherence to safety regulations or policies.
- Train or coordinate the training of employees in operations, safety, environmental issues, or technical issues.
- Track and maintain records for wind operations, such as site performance, downtime events, parts usage, or substation events.
- Oversee the maintenance of wind field equipment or structures, such as towers, transformers, electrical collector systems, roadways, or other site assets.
- Prepare wind field operational budgets.
- Develop relationships and communicate with customers, site managers, developers, land owners, authorities, utility representatives, or residents.
- Maintain operations records, such as work orders, site inspection forms, or other documentation.
- Recruit or select wind operations employees, contractors, or subcontractors.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful wind energy operations managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Wind Energy Operations Managers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Clean Energy Site Manager
- Energy Environmental Manager
- Energy Operations Manager
- Energy Quality Control Manager (Energy QC Manager)
- Energy Services Manager
- Offshore Energy Environmental Manager
- Offshore Wind Operations Manager
- Renewable Energy Development Manager
How Many Wind Energy Operations Managers Are There?
The U.S. employs around 122,525 wind energy operations managers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +5.2% over the projection horizon.
Wind Energy Operations Managers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $122,567 |
| Hourly median | $58.93 |
| 10th percentile | $85,532 |
| 25th percentile | $104,050 |
| 75th percentile | $141,084 |
| 90th percentile | $159,602 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $172,380 |
| District of Columbia | $171,910 |
| California | $170,740 |
| Delaware | $170,310 |
| Washington | $165,080 |
| Colorado | $164,010 |
| New Jersey | $163,630 |
| Virginia | $162,610 |
| New York | $161,360 |
| Minnesota | $158,680 |
| Connecticut | $149,690 |
| Maryland | $148,680 |
| Rhode Island | $147,240 |
| New Hampshire | $142,650 |
| Illinois | $134,810 |
| Texas | $133,070 |
| Michigan | $133,040 |
| Arizona | $132,040 |
| North Carolina | $131,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $129,170 |
| Iowa | $127,680 |
| New Mexico | $127,060 |
| Ohio | $126,600 |
| West Virginia | $126,250 |
| Oklahoma | $124,800 |
| Oregon | $124,190 |
| Maine | $123,950 |
| Vermont | $123,930 |
| Alaska | $123,160 |
| Kentucky | $123,010 |
| Hawaii | $122,520 |
| Georgia | $120,810 |
| South Carolina | $120,640 |
| Kansas | $118,310 |
| North Dakota | $118,010 |
| Wyoming | $117,060 |
| Missouri | $117,050 |
| Alabama | $116,830 |
| Nebraska | $114,050 |
| South Dakota | $111,630 |
| Idaho | $107,800 |
| Montana | $105,840 |
| Wisconsin | $105,690 |
| Florida | $102,670 |
| Louisiana | $100,890 |
| Nevada | $99,590 |
| Mississippi | $97,780 |
| Guam | $97,210 |
| Virgin Islands | $92,270 |
| Tennessee | $88,110 |
| Arkansas | $84,610 |
| Indiana | $79,080 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,740 |
Where Wind Energy Operations Managers Earn the Most
Earnings for wind energy operations managers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $160,982 | 22.6% | 1.34 |
| New England | $156,233 | 3.9% | 0.83 |
| Middle Atlantic | $153,807 | 17.6% | 2.07 |
| Southwest | $132,453 | 11.2% | 0.90 |
| Plains States | $126,095 | 4.1% | 0.64 |
| Southeast | $116,490 | 29.4% | 1.35 |
| Rocky Mountains | $112,945 | 3.8% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $112,898 | 6.4% | 0.72 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Wind Energy Operations Managers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $215,120 | 13,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $203,030 | 22,980 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | ME | $190,070 | 100 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $175,070 | 400 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $174,840 | 9,240 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $173,490 | 1,080 |
| Binghamton, NY | NY | $171,190 | 190 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $168,750 | 7,580 |
Top Industries Employing Wind Energy Operations Managers
Most wind energy operations managers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 94,490 | $164,060 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 50,980 | $163,830 |
| Manufacturing | 46,390 | $160,640 |
| Finance and Insurance | 44,890 | $162,780 |
| Information | 38,680 | $167,740 |
| Educational Services | 32,840 | $102,450 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 32,500 | $109,990 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 31,360 | $108,810 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for wind energy operations managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level wind energy operations managers positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Geothermal Production Managers (Primary-Short)
- Biofuels Production Managers (Primary-Long)
- Biomass Power Plant Managers (Primary-Long)
- Hydroelectric Production Managers (Primary-Short)
- Construction Managers (Supplemental)
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers (Supplemental)
- Wind Energy Development Managers (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future wind energy operations managers typically earn programs in:
Social Sciences
40 programs across 14 majors
- Economics
- Political Science & Government
- Sociology
- General Social Sciences
- International Relations & Security
- Anthropology
- Criminology
- Geography & Cartography
- Other Social Sciences
- Urban Studies
- Sociology & Anthropology
- Archeology
- Demography & Population Studies
- Geography and Anthropology
Psychology
28 programs across 4 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
15 programs across 5 majors
- Business Administration & Management
- Business & Commerce
- Entrepreneurial Studies
- Hospitality Management
- Telecommunications Management
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
12 programs across 10 majors
- Systems Theory
- History and Language/Literature
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies
- Economics and Computer Science
- History and Political Science
- Historic Preservation
- Geoarcheaology
- Linguistics and Anthropology
- Economics and Foreign Language/Literature
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
9 programs across 4 majors
History
9 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9199.09 (Managers, All Other).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.