Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Solar Photovoltaic Installers (SOC 47-2231) earn a median $53,140 a year ($25.55 an hour) in the United States, with 31,350 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What solar photovoltaic installers do
Solar photovoltaic installers assemble, install and maintain solar PV systems on roofs or other structures, in compliance with a site assessment and schematics. They identify installation locations with the proper orientation, area, solar access and structural integrity for the arrays, then assemble solar modules, panels or support structures as specified, which can include measuring, cutting, assembling and bolting structural framing. Interconnect wiring for the module array is installed with measures to disable the arrays during installation, weather sealing is applied to the array, building or support mechanisms, and required labels go on system components and hardware. Installers check the electrical installation for proper wiring, polarity, grounding and the integrity of terminations, identify electrical, environmental and safety hazards, and may perform minor electrical work such as current checks. Solar PV electricians are included in Electricians (47-2111) and solar thermal installers in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152), so neither is counted here.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate, meaning training completed after high school but short of a degree.
Also called: Electro-Mechanical Solar Technician (Electro-Mechanical Solar Tech), Installation Technician (Installation Tech), Installer, Journeyman Electrician PV Installer (Journeyman Electrician Photovoltaic Installer), PV Fabrication and Testing Technician (Photovoltaic Fabrication and Testing Technician).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.00 | $22.45 | $25.55 | $30.23 | $38.45 | $27.84 | 31,350 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $46,700 | $53,140 | $62,870 | $79,970 | $57,900 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where solar photovoltaic installers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.89 | $29.40 | $37.96 | $49.06 | $49.06 | $37.83 | 1,880 | 0.44 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $47,600 | $61,150 | $78,950 | $102,050 | $102,050 | $78,690 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $22.83 | $26.41 | $33.83 | $38.97 | $50.58 | $35.10 | 420 | 0.66 | 3.29 |
| Annual | $47,480 | $54,920 | $70,370 | $81,050 | $105,200 | $73,000 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $24.60 | $26.88 | $32.60 | $40.24 | $42.89 | $34.05 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $51,170 | $55,910 | $67,810 | $83,690 | $89,200 | $70,830 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $26.02 | $29.03 | $31.88 | $42.00 | $42.00 | $34.32 | 360 | 0.18 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $54,110 | $60,380 | $66,320 | $87,370 | $87,370 | $71,390 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $23.21 | $24.62 | $30.00 | $31.74 | $33.73 | $28.37 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.06 |
| Annual | $48,270 | $51,200 | $62,400 | $66,030 | $70,150 | $59,010 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.63 | $24.10 | $29.14 | $34.94 | $40.27 | $30.42 | 6,830 | 0.38 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $47,070 | $50,140 | $60,600 | $72,660 | $83,770 | $63,280 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.11 | $19.36 | $23.19 | $28.47 | $35.43 | $25.24 | 5,270 | 0.37 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $37,660 | $40,260 | $48,240 | $59,220 | $73,690 | $52,500 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.37 | $22.20 | $24.30 | $27.00 | $36.80 | $26.34 | 2,980 | 0.30 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $44,450 | $46,180 | $50,550 | $56,160 | $76,550 | $54,780 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.89 | $29.40 | $37.96 | $49.06 | $49.06 | $37.83 | 1,880 | 0.44 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $47,600 | $61,150 | $78,950 | $102,050 | $102,050 | $78,690 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $18.64 | $21.78 | $24.60 | $29.09 | $37.88 | $26.05 | 1,280 | 0.39 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $38,770 | $45,300 | $51,160 | $60,500 | $78,780 | $54,170 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $25.00 | $29.40 | $37.67 | $40.00 | $48.91 | $37.05 | 40 | 0.56 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $52,000 | $61,160 | $78,360 | $83,200 | $101,740 | $77,060 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.46 | $28.37 | $34.69 | $37.01 | $46.68 | $34.84 | 710 | 0.30 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $55,040 | $59,010 | $72,150 | $76,990 | $97,100 | $72,470 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $25.17 | $27.86 | $34.44 | $36.90 | $47.80 | $34.74 | 280 | 0.25 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $52,340 | $57,960 | $71,630 | $76,750 | $99,420 | $72,270 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.89 | $27.00 | $33.72 | $49.06 | $49.06 | $35.95 | 2,190 | 0.23 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $47,600 | $56,160 | $70,130 | $102,050 | $102,050 | $74,770 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $22.83 | $26.41 | $33.63 | $38.47 | $47.14 | $34.36 | 330 | 0.75 | 3.72 |
| Annual | $47,480 | $54,920 | $69,940 | $80,010 | $98,040 | $71,460 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.89 | $27.00 | $33.72 | $49.06 | $49.06 | $35.95 | 2,190 | 0.23 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $47,600 | $56,160 | $70,130 | $102,050 | $102,050 | $74,770 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.63 | $23.48 | $28.65 | $34.66 | $41.03 | $29.57 | 1,930 | 0.31 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $47,070 | $48,840 | $59,600 | $72,100 | $85,340 | $61,500 | ||||
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | Hourly | $11.16 | $11.16 | $12.91 | $13.33 | $14.09 | $12.88 | 1,700 | 2.47 | 12.23 |
| Annual | $23,210 | $23,210 | $26,860 | $27,720 | $29,300 | $26,790 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.90 | $20.97 | $22.63 | $28.83 | $35.58 | $25.44 | 1,620 | 0.49 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $43,610 | $47,060 | $59,960 | $74,000 | $52,900 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.49 | $19.08 | $23.25 | $28.05 | $30.23 | $23.72 | 1,570 | 0.39 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $38,470 | $39,680 | $48,350 | $58,350 | $62,870 | $49,330 | ||||
Top industries employing solar photovoltaic installers
Building Equipment Contractors employ 48.7% of solar photovoltaic installers nationally (15,260 jobs) at a median $58,310 a year ($28.03 an hour), followed by Employment Services (18.4%) and Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (12.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 15,260 | 48.7% | $58,310 | $28.03 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 5,770 | 18.4% | $47,100 | $22.65 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 4,000 | 12.8% | $51,460 | $24.74 |
| Utility System Construction NAICS 237100 | 3,280 | 10.5% | $48,460 | $23.30 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 600 | 1.9% | $63,460 | $30.51 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (31,350). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,670 for solar photovoltaic installers in May 2021 and $53,140 in May 2025, with employment of 16,420 and 31,350.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,670 | $22.92 | 16,420 |
| May 2022 | $45,230 | $21.75 | 27,760 |
| May 2023 | $48,800 | $23.46 | 24,510 |
| May 2024 | $51,860 | $24.93 | 28,280 |
| May 2025 | $53,140 | $25.55 | 31,350 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
32 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey profile | $37.96 | $78,950 | $47,600 | $102,050 | 1,880 | 0.44 | 2.17 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $33.83 | $70,370 | $47,480 | $105,200 | 420 | 0.66 | 3.29 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $32.60 | $67,810 | $51,170 | $89,200 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.33 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $31.88 | $66,320 | $54,110 | $87,370 | 360 | 0.18 | 0.91 |
| 5 | Ohio profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $48,270 | $70,150 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.06 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $29.63 | $61,630 | $50,440 | $61,640 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Maine profile | $29.43 | $61,210 | $51,970 | $86,730 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.49 |
| 8 | California profile | $29.14 | $60,600 | $47,070 | $83,770 | 6,830 | 0.38 | 1.86 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $28.67 | $59,630 | $35,360 | $103,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $28.45 | $59,180 | $46,150 | $76,280 | 620 | 0.17 | 0.85 |
| 11 | Iowa profile | $27.28 | $56,740 | $41,430 | $72,450 | 180 | 0.12 | 0.58 |
| 12 | New York profile | $27.00 | $56,160 | $46,630 | $74,770 | 1,230 | 0.13 | 0.63 |
| 13 | Connecticut profile | $26.73 | $55,590 | $45,240 | $70,820 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Arizona profile | $24.60 | $51,160 | $38,770 | $78,780 | 1,280 | 0.39 | 1.96 |
| 15 | Florida profile | $24.30 | $50,550 | $44,450 | $76,550 | 2,980 | 0.30 | 1.49 |
| 16 | South Carolina profile | $24.27 | $50,490 | $40,540 | $78,170 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Kansas profile | $24.04 | $49,990 | $41,920 | $61,630 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Utah profile | $24.03 | $49,980 | $44,550 | $76,740 | 770 | 0.44 | 2.19 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $23.93 | $49,770 | $44,910 | $85,650 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 20 | Colorado profile | $23.91 | $49,730 | $45,930 | $76,170 | 620 | 0.22 | 1.07 |
| 21 | Vermont profile | $23.79 | $49,490 | $44,600 | $72,030 | 250 | 0.81 | 4.02 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $23.65 | $49,190 | $47,100 | $59,110 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | New Mexico profile | $23.31 | $48,490 | $40,020 | $75,370 | 340 | 0.39 | 1.93 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $23.19 | $48,240 | $37,660 | $73,690 | 5,270 | 0.37 | 1.86 |
| 25 | Georgia profile | $22.98 | $47,790 | $45,080 | $57,900 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.96 | $47,760 | $40,940 | $61,250 | 1,210 | 0.20 | 0.99 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $22.63 | $47,080 | $38,340 | $60,270 | 310 | 0.07 | 0.35 |
| 28 | Indiana profile | $22.18 | $46,140 | $38,250 | $71,020 | 490 | 0.15 | 0.76 |
| 29 | Maryland profile | $21.84 | $45,430 | $44,190 | $61,410 | 670 | 0.24 | 1.20 |
| 30 | Arkansas profile | $21.55 | $44,820 | $44,800 | $62,870 | ** | ** | ** |
| 31 | North Carolina profile | $21.09 | $43,860 | $37,440 | $60,170 | 710 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| 32 | South Dakota profile | $20.37 | $42,380 | $37,560 | $73,590 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.51 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2231 Solar Photovoltaic Installers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2231, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2231.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.