47 Series · SOC 47-2231
Solar Photovoltaic Installers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $53,140
- Median / year
- $79,970
- Top 10% earn
- +42.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 31,350
- US workers
Solar Photovoltaic Installers earn a median of $53,140 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $53,140, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $41,600 (10th percentile) to $79,970 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 31,350 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($78,950), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Solar Photovoltaic Installers earn a median of $53,140, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 39% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #38 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 42.1% by 2033.
- $53,140
- Median annual wage
- Top 61%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #38 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $78,950. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers (SOC 47-2231) pays a national median of $53,140 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $41,600 at the 10th percentile to $79,970 at the 90th, with a mean of $57,900 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 31,350 Americans work in this occupation across 33 reporting states and 54 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +42.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $78,950, which is +49% above the national figure. The top metro is Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area at $78,420 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$53,140
per year
Median Hourly
$25.55/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$57,900
average
Employment
31,350
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$53,140 Bottom 39% higher than 39% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Solar Photovoltaic Installers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Solar Photovoltaic Installers sits on the faster-growing side at +42.1% growth and $53,140 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+42.1%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
4,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Solar Photovoltaic Installers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.
- ▸ Check electrical installation for proper wiring, polarity, grounding, or integrity of terminations.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.
- ▸ 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.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$41,600
25th Percentile
$46,700
Median
$53,140
75th Percentile
$62,870
90th Percentile
$79,970
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 33 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $78,950 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $70,370 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Nevada | $67,810 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Oregon | $66,320 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Ohio | $62,400 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $61,630 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Maine | $61,210 | +15% above national |
| 8 | California | $60,600 | +14% above national |
| 9 | Illinois | $59,630 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $59,180 | +11% above national |
| 11 | Iowa | $56,740 | +7% above national |
| 12 | New York | $56,160 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Connecticut | $55,590 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Arizona | $51,160 | 4% below national |
| 15 | Florida | $50,550 | 5% below national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $50,490 | 5% below national |
| 17 | Kansas | $49,990 | 6% below national |
| 18 | Utah | $49,980 | 6% below national |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $49,770 | 6% below national |
| 20 | Colorado | $49,730 | 6% below national |
| 21 | Vermont | $49,490 | 7% below national |
| 22 | Virginia | $49,190 | 7% below national |
| 23 | New Mexico | $48,490 | 9% below national |
| 24 | Texas | $48,240 | 9% below national |
| 25 | Georgia | $47,790 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $47,760 | 10% below national |
| 27 | Michigan | $47,080 | 11% below national |
| 28 | Indiana | $46,140 | 13% below national |
| 29 | Maryland | $45,430 | 15% below national |
| 30 | Arkansas | $44,820 | 16% below national |
| 31 | North Carolina | $43,860 | 17% below national |
| 32 | South Dakota | $42,380 | 20% below national |
| 33 | Puerto Rico | $26,860 | 49% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 54 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $78,420 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $78,360 | +47% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $72,150 | +36% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $71,630 | +35% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $70,130 | +32% above national |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $69,940 | +32% above national |
| 7 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $69,550 | +31% above national |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $67,810 | +28% above national |
| 9 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $66,320 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $64,540 | +21% above national |
| 11 | Salinas, CA | $62,260 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,810 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,630 | +16% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $61,340 | +15% above national |
| 15 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $61,020 | +15% above national |
| 16 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $60,230 | +13% above national |
| 17 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $60,050 | +13% above national |
| 18 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $59,960 | +13% above national |
| 19 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $59,950 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,930 | +13% above national |
| 21 | Modesto, CA | $59,920 | +13% above national |
| 22 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,800 | +13% above national |
| 23 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $59,650 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,600 | +12% above national |
| 25 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,400 | +12% above national |
| 26 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $59,110 | +11% above national |
| 27 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,350 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Fresno, CA | $58,220 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $56,990 | +7% above national |
| 30 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $54,410 | +2% above national |
| 31 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $53,700 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $53,140 | same as national |
| 33 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $51,200 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $51,170 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Flagstaff, AZ | $50,890 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $50,580 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $49,990 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Lancaster, PA | $49,950 | 6% below national |
| 39 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $49,470 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $49,430 | 7% below national |
| 41 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $49,070 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $48,350 | 9% below national |
| 43 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,290 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Ogden, UT | $48,290 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,020 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $47,930 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Grand Junction, CO | $47,620 | 10% below national |
| 48 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,060 | 11% below national |
| 49 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,660 | 12% below national |
| 50 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $45,970 | 13% below national |
| 51 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $45,220 | 15% below national |
| 52 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $39,690 | 25% below national |
| 53 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $26,860 | 49% below national |
| 54 | Aguadilla, PR | $26,340 | 50% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Solar Photovoltaic Installers make? ▼
What state pays Solar Photovoltaic Installers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Solar Photovoltaic Installers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Solar Photovoltaic Installers? ▼
Is Solar Photovoltaic Installers a good career? ▼
How does Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Solar Photovoltaic Installers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $62,870/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $78,950/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.