Solar Photovoltaic Installers Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 31K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$53,140
Median hourly
$26
Average annual
$57,900
Typical range
$41,600–$79,970
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installers is $53,140 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $26 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules.
Most earn between $41,600 and $79,970 a year. There are roughly 31K people employed as solar photovoltaic installers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Solar Photovoltaic Installers.
- Hourly
- $25.55
- Daily
- $204
- Weekly
- $1,022
- Bi-weekly
- $2,044
- Monthly
- $4,428
- Annual
- $53,140
$53,140 a year is around the 50th percentile for Solar Photovoltaic Installerss. The median is $53,140.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Jersey$78,950
- 2Hawaii$70,370
- 3Nevada$67,810
- 4Oregon$66,320
- 5Ohio$62,400
- 6Washington$61,630
- 7Maine$61,210
- 8California$60,600
- 9Illinois$59,630
- 10Massachusetts$59,180
- 11Iowa$56,740
- 12New York$56,160
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$78,360
- 2San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$72,150
- 3San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$71,630
- 4New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$70,130
- 5Urban Honolulu, HI$69,940
- 6Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$69,550
- 7Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$67,810
- 8Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$66,320
- 9Salinas, CA$62,260
- 10Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$61,810
- 11Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$61,630
- 12San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$61,340
Related job titles
Employers advertise Solar Photovoltaic Installers roles under these titles.
- PV Installation Tech (Photovoltaic Installation Technician)
- PV Installer (Photovoltaic Installer)
- PV Panel Installer (Photovoltaic Panel Installer)
- PV Technician (Photovoltaic Technician)
- PV Testing Technician (Photovoltaic Testing Technician)
- Residential Solar Installer
- Solar Electric Installer
- Solar Electric Practitioner
- Solar Energy System Installer
- Solar Panel Installer
- Solar PV Installer (Solar Photovoltaic Installer)
- Solar PV Integrator (Solar Photovoltaic Integrator)
- Solar Site Technician (Solar Site Tech)
Related occupations
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians$64,120
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$49,230
- Lighting Technicians$68,060
- Power Plant Operators$102,040
- Electricians$63,190
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,090
What a Solar Photovoltaic Installers does
- Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.
- Identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations.
- Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.
- Assemble solar modules, panels, or support structures, as specified.
- Apply weather sealing to array, building, or support mechanisms.
- Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation.
- Diagram layouts and locations for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment, including existing building or site features.
- Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Solar Photovoltaic Installers make?
- The median annual wage for Solar Photovoltaic Installers is $53,140 ($26 per hour). Pay ranges from about $41,600 at the 10th percentile to $79,970 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Solar Photovoltaic Installers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $57,900, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Solar Photovoltaic Installerss the most?
- New Jersey has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $78,950.
- Is Solar Photovoltaic Installers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 31K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Solar Photovoltaic Installers do?
- Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.; Identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations.; Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays..