How much do solar installers make in Pennsylvania in 2026?

Solar installers in Pennsylvania earn a median wage of $47,760 per year, which works out to roughly $22.96 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number comes from BLS OEWS May 2025 data and gives you the clearest single benchmark for what most solar installers in the state are actually taking home.

The spread across the pay range tells you a lot about where experience and employer type fit in. Workers at the 25th percentile — those earlier in their careers or working for lower-paying employers — earn $45,630 per year, or about $21.94 per hour. Move up to the 75th percentile and pay reaches $52,940 annually, which is roughly $25.45 per hour. That $7,310 gap between the bottom and top quartiles is meaningful. It reflects the difference between a crew member who just cleared their NABCEP PV Associate credential and someone who's been running rooftop and ground-mount jobs for several years and can work with minimal supervision.

Pennsylvania's solar market has grown steadily as the state pushes toward its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards targets. Most of the work is concentrated around Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the surrounding suburban counties, where commercial and residential installations are both active. Rural areas see more ground-mount utility-scale work, which tends to involve longer stints on-site and can bump weekly hours — and therefore annual earnings — above what the hourly rate alone suggests.

The physical demands of the job are real. Solar installers spend long hours on rooftops in all weather, handle panels that weigh 40 to 50 pounds each, and work around DC electrical systems that carry risk if proper lockout/tagout and PPE procedures aren't followed. Employers who specialize in commercial-scale projects generally pay toward the top of the range, partly because the work is more technically complex and partly because they compete for workers who can also handle conduit runs and inverter wiring.

No union scale is available for this trade in Pennsylvania, which means wages are negotiated directly between employers and workers. That makes knowing your percentile position more valuable — if you're at or below the 25th percentile ($21.94/hr) with two or more years of field experience, you have a concrete number to cite when asking for a raise or evaluating a competing offer.

Certifications move the needle here. NABCEP PV Installation Professional is the most recognized credential in the industry and is frequently listed as a requirement — not just a preference — by commercial contractors. Electrical apprenticeship hours, either through a formal JATC program or documented on-the-job training, also tend to push workers toward the upper end of the pay band.

Benefits vary by employer. Larger regional installers and EPC contractors more often provide health insurance, paid time off, and retirement contributions, while smaller residential shops may offer higher base hourly rates without benefits to offset. When comparing offers, convert any hourly figure to an annual equivalent and factor in the value of benefits before deciding which is the better deal.

The bottom line: a solar installer in Pennsylvania with solid field experience and a relevant certification should realistically target pay between the median ($47,760) and the 75th percentile ($52,940). Workers just entering the trade should expect to start near $45,630 and move up as they build hours and credentials. TradesPays will update this page as new BLS data becomes available.