Solar Photovoltaic Installers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 47-2231 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$53,144
$25.55/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installers is $53,144 per year ($25.55/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $46,696 and $62,878 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $79,976 per year. There are approximately 31,350 solar photovoltaic installers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+42.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
4K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
29K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
29% from new growth71% from people leaving the role
Mixed: openings come from both new growth and people exiting the role.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Building Equipment Contractors
NAICS 238200
15K
$58,310
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
6K
$47,100
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
NAICS 221100
4K
$51,460
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
3K
$48,460
Residential Building Construction
NAICS 236100
600
$63,460
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,100 to $63,460 (35% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$20.00
$41,600
P25
$22.45
$46,696
P50MEDIAN
$25.55
$53,144
P75
$30.23
$62,878
P90
$38.45
$79,976
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average solar photovoltaic installers salary?
The national median salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installers is $53,144 per year ($25.55/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $46,696 and $62,878 annually.
How much do top-earning solar photovoltaic installers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installers is $79,976 per year ($38.45/hr). The 75th percentile is $62,878 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for solar photovoltaic installers?
Entry-level Solar Photovoltaic Installers (10th percentile) earn approximately $41,600 per year ($20.00/hr). The 25th percentile is $46,696 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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