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How Much Does a Solar Photovoltaic Installer Make?

A solar photovoltaic installer in the US earns a median salary of $53,140 a year, or $25.55 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $57,900, and the middle half earn between $46,700 and $62,870.

Median a year $53,140
Median an hour $25.55
Median a month $4,428
Average a year $57,900

Solar photovoltaic installer pay range

What solar photovoltaic installers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $41,600 $20.00
25th $46,700 $22.45
Median (50th) $53,140 $25.55
75th $62,870 $30.23
90th (top 10%) $79,970 $38.45

The median is 4% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 31,350 people work as solar photovoltaic installers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,022
Every two weeks
$2,044
Twice a month
$2,214
A month
$4,428

At the median salary, before tax.

Solar photovoltaic installer salary by state

Sorted by average pay. New Jersey pays solar photovoltaic installers the most, at $78,690 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
New Jersey $78,690 $78,950 1,880 After tax
Hawaii $73,000 $70,370 420 After tax
Oregon $71,390 $66,320 360 After tax
Nevada $70,830 $67,810 100 After tax
Maine $64,350 $61,210 60 After tax
California $63,280 $60,600 6,830 After tax
Illinois $62,480 $59,630 – After tax
Massachusetts $61,910 $59,180 620 After tax
Ohio $59,010 $62,400 70 After tax
Wisconsin $58,150 $49,770 90 After tax
Washington $58,030 $61,630 – After tax
New York $56,940 $56,160 1,230 After tax
Iowa $56,890 $56,740 180 After tax
Vermont $55,730 $49,490 250 After tax
Connecticut $55,290 $55,590 – After tax
South Carolina $54,980 $50,490 – After tax
Utah $54,960 $49,980 770 After tax
Florida $54,780 $50,550 2,980 After tax
Colorado $54,510 $49,730 620 After tax
Arizona $54,170 $51,160 1,280 After tax
New Mexico $53,810 $48,490 340 After tax
South Dakota $53,180 $42,380 50 After tax
Virginia $53,160 $49,190 – After tax
Texas $52,500 $48,240 5,270 After tax
Maryland $51,540 $45,430 670 After tax
Kansas $51,210 $49,990 – After tax
Georgia $51,030 $47,790 – After tax
Pennsylvania $50,680 $47,760 1,210 After tax
Michigan $50,520 $47,080 310 After tax
Indiana $49,310 $46,140 490 After tax
Arkansas $48,710 $44,820 – After tax
North Carolina $47,420 $43,860 710 After tax
Puerto Rico $27,040 $26,860 1,890

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other construction and extraction jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” (SOC 47-2231). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a solar photovoltaic installer make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a solar photovoltaic installer is $25.55, and the average is $27.84. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $20.00 an hour and the top 10% over $38.45.

How much does a solar photovoltaic installer make a month?

At the median salary of $53,140, a solar photovoltaic installer earns about $4,428 a month before tax, or $2,044 every two weeks.

Which state pays solar photovoltaic installers the most?

New Jersey has the highest average pay for a solar photovoltaic installer, at $78,690 a year. Next are Hawaii and Oregon. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a solar photovoltaic installer?

The lowest-paid 10% of solar photovoltaic installers earn less than $41,600 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $46,700. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid solar photovoltaic installers make?

The top 10% earn more than $79,970 a year, and the top 25% more than $62,870.