How much do solar installers make in New Jersey in 2026?

Solar installers in New Jersey earn a median of $78,950 per year, which works out to roughly $37.96 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That puts New Jersey comfortably above the national median for this trade, reflecting both the state's aggressive solar incentives and the sheer volume of residential and commercial installations happening across the state.

The full pay spread tells the real story. The bottom quarter of solar installers in New Jersey — those with less experience, working smaller residential jobs, or employed by contractors that pay entry-level rates — earn up to $61,150 per year, or about $29.40 per hour. The top quarter clears $102,050 per year, which is roughly $49.06 per hour. That's a $40,900 gap between the 25th and 75th percentiles, meaning the difference between an entry-level position and a seasoned role with a high-volume commercial installer is substantial. It pays to move up.

New Jersey's solar market is one of the busiest in the country. The state ranks among the top ten nationally for installed solar capacity, and programs like the Transition Incentive and the Community Solar program have kept installation crews busy year-round. That sustained demand gives experienced installers real leverage when negotiating pay. Companies competing for certified, experienced workers are not cutting wages — they're adding incentives, per diem rates for travel to commercial sites, and overtime that can push total annual earnings well past the 75th percentile figure.

The type of work you do matters a lot for where you land on that pay scale. Residential rooftop installation tends to pay toward the lower end of the range, especially for newer workers running ground-level labor. Commercial and utility-scale projects — solar farms, large warehouse rooftops, carport arrays — typically pay higher hourly rates and come with more consistent hours, fewer weather-dependent slowdowns, and more overtime. Installers who add electrical skills, earn their NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification, or cross-train to handle battery storage systems routinely command wages at or above the 75th percentile.

No union scale is currently available for solar installers in New Jersey, which means pay is largely set by employer, project type, and individual negotiation. That makes it especially important to know where you stand relative to the market. The median of $78,950 is your anchor. If you have three or more years of experience, a NABCEP credential, and you're working commercial projects, anything below $90,000 is worth pushing back on.

Hours and scheduling also affect annual take-home. New Jersey winters slow some exterior installation work, but the state's demand is consistent enough that many employers keep crews on year-round by mixing in service calls, system upgrades, and storage retrofits during slower months. Installers who stay flexible with their schedule and can work commercial sites during off-peak hours tend to accumulate more billable hours than those limited to standard residential windows.

Geographic location within the state shifts pay too. Installers working in the northern New Jersey suburbs — Bergen, Essex, Passaic, and Morris counties — are close to a dense base of residential customers and large commercial buildings, which keeps workloads high. The Shore counties and South Jersey market have seen strong growth in community solar and agricultural solar installations. Wages in both regions track close to the statewide median, though high-demand periods can push effective hourly earnings above posted rates through overtime.

The numbers here come from BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the most current available federal wage survey for this occupation in New Jersey. These are wage figures for workers on payroll — they do not include self-employed installers who own their own businesses, whose earnings can vary widely based on overhead and volume.