Geothermal Technician
E-02E Other Energy, solar and power lines jobs · Start level · O*NET 49-9099.01
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $45,360
- work over
40 h a week - 71%
- load index
from O*NET data - 3.2/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +10.9%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: Geothermal Technicians (49-9099), Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000049909913 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 18,580 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000049909901).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000049909913 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 18,580 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000049909901).
OEWS pay for an 'All Other' group; not specific to this occupation. Pay differences against this figure are not shown.
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Geothermal Technicians, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +10.9% jobs · about 1,960 openings a year (17,800 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- +2.4% jobs · about 21,500 openings a year (221,200 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2020, n = 22 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2020, n = 22 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 84% · irregular 17% · seasonal 0%
Physical load 3.2 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.67, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.79, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.67, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.79, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing3.26
- Walking or running2.91
- Bending or twisting2.8
- Climbing ladders2.52
- Kneeling or crawling2.51
- Keeping balance2.04
Exposure
- Hazardous conditions4.74
- Outdoors, all weather4.67
- Very hot or cold4.3
- Hazardous equipment3.67
- High places3.39
- Protective gear3.15
- Cramped space2.58
Getting in
- License
- Texas: ground-source heat pump work is heating and cooling work licensed by TDLR (A/C program). Well and loop drilling rules (TDLR water well drillers) were not checked.
- Degree
- 0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Experience
- None of related experience is the most common answer (37% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Geothermal Technicians, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 6
- R Stationary Engineer O*NET lists Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91. License gate: not checked yet.
- E Power Plant Operator O*NET lists Power Plant Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89. License: depends on the work.
- E Hydroelectric Plant Operator O*NET lists Hydroelectric Plant Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86. License: depends on the work.
- E Biomass Plant Technician O*NET lists Biomass Plant Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85. License: depends on the work.
What the work is 6 core tasks
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.
- 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.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Troubleshooting
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000049909913, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 49-9099.01 Geothermal Technicians, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
