How much do solar installers make in the US in 2026?
Ranges $43,860–$78,950 across 18 states
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
In 2026, solar installers earn the most in New Jersey (~$78,950) and the least in North Carolina (~$43,860), with a national median of $53,140 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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The full kit for New Jersey: your estimated pay position, pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, and three ready counter-offer scripts. $19 once.
See the full kitBuilt per state. This opens the New Jersey kit, where solar installers earn the most; pick your state from the list above.
Which state is best for solar installers?
Different states win on different measures: here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
New Jersey
$78,950
Most workers employed
California
6,830 workers
Across 18 states: $43,860–$78,950 (median $50,130).
53,140 reasons to know what you're worth before you take the next job: that's the national median annual wage for solar installers, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle of the pay range runs from $46,700 at the 25th percentile to $62,870 at the 75th percentile, meaning the spread between a low offer and a solid one is over $16,000 a year. TradesPays covers this trade across 18 states, with wages ranging from $43,860 in North Carolina up to $78,950 in New Jersey. Ohio sits at $62,400 and California at $60,600. Those state-level gaps are real money: knowing where you stand in your state is the first step to negotiating like you know what you're doing.
Solar Installer pay by state
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $78,950 |
| 2 | Ohio | $62,400 |
| 3 | California | $60,600 |
| 4 | Illinois | $59,630 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $59,180 |
| 6 | New York | $56,160 |
| 7 | Arizona | $51,160 |
| 8 | Florida | $50,550 |
| 9 | South Carolina | $50,490 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $49,770 |
| 11 | Colorado | $49,730 |
| 12 | Virginia | $49,190 |
| 13 | Texas | $48,240 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $47,760 |
| 15 | Michigan | $47,080 |
See all 18
| 16 | Indiana | $46,140 |
| 17 | Maryland | $45,430 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $43,860 |
Solar Installer pay by metro
Among the 27 major metros TradesPays tracks, solar installers earn the most in San Francisco, CA (~$72,150) and the least in Indianapolis, IN (~$39,690) (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
| Metro | Median | Hourly | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $72,150 | $34.69 | 1.49× |
| San Jose, CA | $71,630 | $34.44 | 1.24× |
| New York, NY | $70,130 | $33.72 | 1.15× |
| Las Vegas, NV | $67,810 | $32.60 | 0.27× |
| Portland, OR | $66,320 | $31.88 | 0.88× |
| Seattle, WA | $61,630 | $29.63 | , |
| San Diego, CA | $61,340 | $29.49 | 1.79× |
| Riverside, CA | $60,050 | $28.87 | 2.28× |
| Sacramento, CA | $59,930 | $28.81 | 3.23× |
| Los Angeles, CA | $59,600 | $28.65 | 1.53× |
| Boston, MA | $59,400 | $28.56 | 0.69× |
| Philadelphia, PA | $58,350 | $28.05 | 0.98× |
+15 more metros: compare any two below.
Compare solar installer pay across metros
A solar installer at the median earns −$520 (−1%) moving from San Francisco, CA to San Jose, CA.
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median (annual) | $72,150 | $71,630 | −$520 |
| Median (hourly) | $34.69/hr | $34.44/hr | −$0.25 |
| Range (25th–75th) | $59,010–$76,990 | $57,960–$76,750 | : |
| Demand (vs US avg) | 1.49× | 1.24× | −0.25 |
Pay only: cost of living is not included. “Demand” is the BLS location quotient (jobs per worker vs the national average; 1.0 = average). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Published local scales for Solar Installers?
Named locals and the difference from the BLS all-worker median. Geography and experience levels differ; this is not a union versus non-union wage gap.
We don't have union scale data for Solar Installer across our states yet. Missing scale data does not establish union coverage. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Solar Installer.
Union landscape
Straight answer: TradesPays has no union scale data for solar installers in any of the 18 states we currently cover. That's not a gap we're hiding: it's just where our data stands right now. Some solar installers do work under a collective bargaining agreement, depending on how their employer is organized and what jurisdiction they're in. If that applies to you, your local is the only reliable source for current negotiated rates, benefit contributions, and progression schedules. Do not rely on any general figure, including the numbers on this page, as a substitute for what's in your actual CBA. Check with your local directly and get the current rate sheet. Until we have verified scale data we can stand behind, we won't publish numbers we can't confirm.
What we don't track yet
A few honest limits you should know before you use these numbers. First, we don't have metro-level pay data for solar installers. The state figures here are statewide averages: they won't tell you whether wages in your specific city or county run higher or lower than the state line suggests. Urban markets, rural utility-scale sites, and suburban residential crews can all pay differently within the same state. Second, we don't yet break out pay by apprentice, journeyman, or master tier for this trade beyond union scale data, which we don't currently have. The median and percentile figures on this page reflect the trade as a whole. If you're early in your career or a seasoned lead installer, your actual number may sit well above or below what's shown here. We're working to close both gaps. If you have verified wage data, a pay stub, a rate sheet, a union scale document, consider submitting it through TradesPays. Real data from real workers in the field is how we make these numbers more accurate for everyone in the trade.
Solar Installer pay: FAQ
- What is the national median wage for solar installers?
- According to BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the national median annual wage for solar installers is $53,140. The 25th percentile sits at $46,700 and the 75th percentile at $62,870.
- Which state pays solar installers the most in the TradesPays dataset?
- New Jersey is the highest-paying state in our current 18-state coverage, with a reported wage of $78,950. That's nearly $26,000 above the national median: a significant gap worth factoring in if you're considering where to work.
- Which state has the lowest solar installer wages in your dataset?
- North Carolina is the lowest in our current set at $43,860. That's below the national 25th percentile of $46,700, so if you're working in North Carolina, it's worth benchmarking your pay carefully against what's available.
- How many states does TradesPays cover for solar installer wages?
- We currently cover solar installer wages in 18 states. Coverage varies by trade, and we're continuing to add states as reliable data becomes available.
- Does TradesPays show solar installer wages by metro area?
- Not yet. Our current data for this trade is at the state level only. Metro-level figures are something we're working toward: if you have verified local wage data, submitting it through TradesPays helps us get there faster.
- Does TradesPays break out pay by experience level: apprentice, journeyman, or lead installer?
- Not currently for this trade. The median and percentile figures shown reflect all solar installers in the BLS dataset as a whole. We don't yet have a verified tier-by-tier breakdown. The numbers here give you a reference point, not a career ladder.
- Are solar installers typically paid hourly or annually?
- Both arrangements exist in the field. BLS reports annual figures, which TradesPays uses as the baseline. Your actual pay structure, hourly, salary, or a combination with overtime, depends on your employer and state. The annual figures here are the best apples-to-apples comparison across states, but always confirm your hourly rate and how overtime is handled before you accept an offer.
- How much do solar installers make an hour in the US?
- The median solar installer in the US earns about $25.55/hr, based on the $53,140/yr median (BLS OEWS May 2025, at 2,080 hours a year). Overtime and union scale can run higher.
- How much do solar installers make a month in the US?
- That is about $4,428/mo before taxes, from the $53,140/yr median (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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TradesPays. "Solar Installer Salary by State (2026)." Based on BLS OEWS May 2025. https://tradespays.com/solar-installer/salary
Negotiating your solar installer pay?
The full kit for New Jersey: your estimated pay position, pay by metro, the union scale where one is public, and three ready counter-offer scripts. $19 once.
See the full kitBuilt per state. This opens the New Jersey kit, where solar installers earn the most; pick your state from the states above.