Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Solar installer
Solar photovoltaic installers assemble and mount panels on roofs and ground systems, connect wiring, and troubleshoot systems. It is the fastest-growing occupation on this site by BLS projections, with most jobs at installation companies.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a solar installer makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$53,140
$25.55 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $46,700
- 75th percentile
- $62,870
- 90th percentile
- $79,970
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 85%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +36.5%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 4,200
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
A high school diploma and on-the-job training of one month to a year is the typical entry; roofing, construction, or electrical experience helps. The NABCEP PV Associate credential is optional and inexpensive, and some states require an electrician to make final connections.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks.
The next step
On-the-job training; optional NABCEP PV Associate credential
- Typical cost
- NABCEP PV Associate exam about $150; short training courses $300 to $1,500
- Time to complete
- 1 to 12 months of on-the-job training
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for solar photovoltaic installers by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $37.96 | $78,950 | $61,150 to $102,050 | 1,880 |
| Hawaii | $33.83 | $70,370 | $54,920 to $81,050 | 420 |
| Nevada | $32.60 | $67,810 | $55,910 to $83,690 | 100 |
| Oregon | $31.88 | $66,320 | $60,380 to $87,370 | 360 |
| Ohio | $30.00 | $62,400 | $51,200 to $66,030 | 70 |
| Washington | $29.63 | $61,630 | $50,450 to $61,630 | — |
| Maine | $29.43 | $61,210 | $58,050 to $61,300 | 60 |
| California | $29.14 | $60,600 | $50,140 to $72,660 | 6,830 |
| Illinois | $28.67 | $59,630 | $47,890 to $70,800 | — |
| Massachusetts | $28.45 | $59,180 | $49,550 to $70,400 | 620 |
| Iowa | $27.28 | $56,740 | $52,760 to $60,650 | 180 |
| New York | $27.00 | $56,160 | $49,290 to $58,700 | 1,230 |
| Connecticut | $26.73 | $55,590 | $45,240 to $59,430 | — |
| Arizona | $24.60 | $51,160 | $45,300 to $60,500 | 1,280 |
| Florida | $24.30 | $50,550 | $46,180 to $56,160 | 2,980 |
| South Carolina | $24.27 | $50,490 | $47,760 to $59,270 | — |
| Kansas | $24.04 | $49,990 | $43,280 to $56,370 | — |
| Utah | $24.03 | $49,980 | $48,290 to $56,670 | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $23.93 | $49,770 | $47,880 to $65,340 | 90 |
| Colorado | $23.91 | $49,730 | $48,930 to $56,280 | 620 |
| Vermont | $23.79 | $49,490 | $48,210 to $59,330 | 250 |
| Virginia | $23.65 | $49,190 | $47,700 to $58,940 | — |
| New Mexico | $23.31 | $48,490 | $46,040 to $61,560 | 340 |
| Texas | $23.19 | $48,240 | $40,260 to $59,220 | 5,270 |
| Georgia | $22.98 | $47,790 | $47,790 to $57,880 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $22.96 | $47,760 | $45,630 to $52,940 | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $22.63 | $47,080 | $44,650 to $57,720 | 310 |
| Indiana | $22.18 | $46,140 | $39,670 to $47,890 | 490 |
| Maryland | $21.84 | $45,430 | $44,720 to $58,860 | 670 |
| Arkansas | $21.55 | $44,820 | $44,820 to $49,150 | — |
| North Carolina | $21.09 | $43,860 | $39,710 to $48,460 | 710 |
| South Dakota | $20.37 | $42,380 | $41,600 to $67,180 | 50 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a solar installer?
No. BLS lists "high school diploma or equivalent" as the typical education for entry, and 85% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is on-the-job training; optional NABCEP PV Associate credential.
How much does a solar installer make?
The median pay was $53,140 a year ($25.55 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $46,700 and $62,870, and the top 10 percent earned more than $79,970.
How long does it take to become a solar installer?
1 to 12 months of on-the-job training. The typical cost is nABCEP PV Associate exam about $150; short training courses $300 to $1,500.
Is solar installer work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 36.5% from 2025 to 2035 with about 4,200 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 47-2231.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile