Occupation salary profile

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

SOC 47-2231 BLS OEWS May 2025

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. Excludes solar PV electricians who are included in “Electricians” (47-2111) and solar thermal installers who are included in “Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters” (47-2152).

National median · BLS
$53,140
▲ +2.47% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$57,900
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
31,350
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$41,600
25th$46,700
Median (50th)$53,140
75th$62,870
90th — top pay$79,970

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Solar Photovoltaic Installers

BLS projects employment of solar photovoltaic installers to grow 36.5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 4,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
31,100 → 42,400
+11,300 jobs
Projected change
+36.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Solar Photovoltaic Installers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Installation3.4
  • Critical Thinking3.3
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Operations Monitoring3.1
  • Quality Control Analysis3.1
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Coordination3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Building and Construction4.8
  • Engineering and Technology4.4
  • Mechanical4.3
  • Design4.1
  • Administration and Management4.1
  • Customer and Personal Service4.0
  • Mathematics4.0
  • Public Safety and Security3.8
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareExtensible markup language XMLMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordSalesforce softwareCost estimating softwareWork scheduling software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What solar photovoltaic installers do

  • Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.
  • Check electrical installation for proper wiring, polarity, grounding, or integrity of terminations.
  • Identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations.
  • Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.
  • Assemble solar modules, panels, or support structures, as specified.
  • Apply weather sealing to array, building, or support mechanisms.
  • Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation.
  • Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.
Also called
PV Installer (Photovoltaic Installer)Solar InstallerSolar PV Installer (Solar Photovoltaic Installer)Solar PV Integrator (Solar Photovoltaic Integrator)Journeyman Electrician PV Installer (Journeyman Electrician Photovoltaic Installer)PV Installation Tech (Photovoltaic Installation Technician)Solar DesignerSolar Electric InstallerSolar Panel Installation Technician (Solar Panel Installation Tech)Solar Technician (Solar Tech)
More job titles for this occupation (20)
Electro-Mechanical Solar Technician (Electro-Mechanical Solar Tech)Installation Technician (Installation Tech)InstallerPV Fabrication and Testing Technician (Photovoltaic Fabrication and Testing Technician)PV Fabrication Technician (Photovoltaic Fabrication Technician)PV Panel Installer (Photovoltaic Panel Installer)PV Technician (Photovoltaic Technician)PV Testing Technician (Photovoltaic Testing Technician)Residential Solar InstallerSolar Electric PractitionerSolar ElectricianSolar Energy System InstallerSolar Energy Technician (Solar Energy Tech)Solar Field Service Technician (Solar Field Service Tech)Solar Panel InstallerSolar Power InstallerSolar Service Technician (Solar Service Tech)Solar Site Technician (Solar Site Tech)Solar System InstallerUtility Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Technician

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.