Geothermal Technicians
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.
- O*NET-SOC code
49-9099.01 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Geothermal Technicians separately. These are the figures for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other (49-9099), its parent occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $36,080 | $42,170 | $49,230 | $61,900 | $77,040 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,440 | $46,610 | 0.60 |
| Alaska | 100 | $75,360 | 0.26 |
| Arizona | 4,010 | $49,990 | 1.09 |
| Arkansas | 1,350 | $45,830 | 0.92 |
| California | 23,630 | $51,230 | 1.14 |
| Colorado | 4,980 | $50,840 | 1.53 |
| Connecticut | 2,490 | $56,110 | 1.30 |
| Delaware | 510 | $48,310 | 0.93 |
| District of Columbia | 130 | $59,320 | 0.17 |
| Florida | 16,340 | $46,290 | 1.45 |
| Georgia | 7,430 | $48,490 | 1.34 |
| Hawaii | 970 | $74,260 | 1.36 |
| Idaho | 990 | $51,680 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | 5,350 | $55,780 | 0.77 |
| Indiana | 1,570 | $48,120 | 0.43 |
| Iowa | 2,050 | $48,680 | 1.16 |
| Kansas | 1,020 | $51,060 | 0.63 |
| Kentucky | 1,110 | $51,310 | 0.49 |
| Louisiana | 7,970 | $50,660 | 3.63 |
| Maine | 1,230 | $61,380 | 1.69 |
| Maryland | 4,200 | $49,950 | 1.34 |
| Massachusetts | 1,240 | $59,890 | 0.30 |
| Michigan | 5,800 | $47,470 | 1.16 |
| Minnesota | 2,140 | $60,250 | 0.64 |
| Mississippi | 910 | $44,370 | 0.69 |
| Missouri | 2,390 | $52,000 | 0.72 |
| Montana | 1,010 | $48,360 | 1.74 |
| Nebraska | 770 | $48,940 | 0.66 |
| Nevada | 4,000 | $50,190 | 2.28 |
| New Hampshire | 460 | $49,030 | 0.60 |
| New Jersey | 3,970 | $49,920 | 0.82 |
| New Mexico | 500 | $50,010 | 0.50 |
| New York | 5,390 | $56,900 | 0.49 |
| North Carolina | 4,650 | $46,780 | 0.83 |
| North Dakota | 790 | $52,040 | 1.62 |
| Ohio | 3,620 | $47,550 | 0.58 |
| Oklahoma | 970 | $49,420 | 0.50 |
| Oregon | 2,650 | $52,230 | 1.19 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,380 | $48,180 | 0.78 |
| Rhode Island | 180 | $59,890 | 0.32 |
| South Carolina | 2,240 | $46,430 | 0.86 |
| South Dakota | 560 | $48,490 | 1.07 |
| Tennessee | 3,730 | $48,200 | 1.00 |
| Texas | 18,580 | $45,360 | 1.16 |
| Utah | 2,750 | $53,110 | 1.40 |
| Vermont | 580 | $51,030 | 1.69 |
| Virginia | 5,580 | $47,910 | 1.20 |
| Washington | 3,550 | $63,080 | 0.88 |
| West Virginia | 570 | $47,850 | 0.71 |
| Wisconsin | 2,360 | $49,100 | 0.71 |
| Wyoming | 100 | $48,260 | 0.31 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 3 | 0.979 |
| 2 | Hydroelectric Plant Technicians | 3 | 0.975 |
| 3 | Biomass Plant Technicians | 1-2 | 0.969 |
| 4 | Ship Engineers | 3 | 0.965 |
| 5 | Gas Plant Operators | 1-2 | 0.964 |
| 6 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 3 | 0.964 |
| 7 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | 3 | 0.964 |
| 8 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 3 | 0.963 |
| 9 | Nuclear Technicians | 3 | 0.958 |
| 10 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | 1-2 | 0.957 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Geothermal Technicians, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biofuels Processing Technicians | Social Perceptiveness | 0.87 | 0.956 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Geothermal Technicians, excluding software Geothermal Technicians already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Computerized maintenance management system CMMS | 9 of 20 | 13.8x |
| Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software | 10 of 20 | 7.4x |
| Operational Data Store ODS software | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
| Programmable logic controller PLC software | 4 of 20 | 8.8x |
| Database software | 5 of 20 | 1.4x |
| Structured query language SQL | 3 of 20 | 0.9x |
| Microsoft Windows | 4 of 20 | 0.8x |
| Web browser software | 7 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Microsoft Access | 5 of 20 | 0.6x |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 9 of 20 | 0.7x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.75 | 3.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Science | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 4.42 | 5.40 |
| English Language | 3.80 | 3.85 |
| Physics | 3.72 | 4.42 |
| Education and Training | 3.65 | 4.17 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.44 | 3.80 |
| Chemistry | 3.32 | 4.14 |
| Design | 3.28 | 4.13 |
| Mathematics | 3.28 | 3.97 |
| Telecommunications | 3.28 | 3.52 |
| Production and Processing | 3.21 | 3.48 |
| Administration and Management | 3.20 | 3.81 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.15 | 4.02 |
| Administrative | 3.07 | 3.15 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.06 | 4.12 |
| Building and Construction | 2.71 | 3.76 |
| Law and Government | 2.63 | 2.76 |
| Communications and Media | 2.42 | 2.41 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.30 | 2.03 |
| Transportation | 2.20 | 2.16 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.13 | 1.89 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.11 | 1.52 |
| Geography | 2.03 | 1.93 |
| Psychology | 1.99 | 1.64 |
| Biology | 1.89 | 1.56 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.82 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.47 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.45 | 1.02 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.30 | 0.82 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.24 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.22 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.20 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.08 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Control Precision | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Selective Attention | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Visualization | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Information Ordering | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Oral Expression | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Written Expression | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reaction Time | 3.00 | 3.25 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.88 | 3.38 |
| Depth Perception | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Number Facility | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Static Strength | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Memorization | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Sound Localization | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 1.12 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.38 | 0.50 |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Autodesk AutoCAD hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- ClimateMaster GeoDesigner
- Distributed control system DCS
- Email software
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Geothermal Properties Measurement Tool
- Thermal Dynamics Ground Loop Design GLD
- WaterFurnace International Ground Loop Design PREMIER
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Geothermal Technicians separately. These are the figures for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other (49-9099), its parent occupation.
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 1,320 | 12.39 | $80,390 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 2,430 | 4.80 | $56,160 |
| Lafayette, LA | 850 | 4.18 | $48,500 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 280 | 3.62 | $52,300 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 410 | 3.58 | $55,940 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 170 | 3.40 | $58,610 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 310 | 3.30 | $48,720 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | 340 | 3.04 | $47,140 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | 590 | 2.99 | $48,190 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 1,130 | 2.93 | $48,030 |