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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

47-2231 Solar Photovoltaic Installers

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 estimates for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Industry profile for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Geographic profile for Solar Photovoltaic Installers

National estimates for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
16,420 8.7 % $ 24.38 $ 50,710 3.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.46 $ 18.26 $ 22.92 $ 28.37 $ 34.65
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,320 $ 37,990 $ 47,670 $ 59,010 $ 72,080


Industry profile for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Solar Photovoltaic Installers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Solar Photovoltaic Installers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 11,040 0.49 $ 24.44 $ 50,830
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 1,310 0.09 $ 25.45 $ 52,930
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,020 0.27 $ 25.09 $ 52,180
Employment Services 880 0.03 $ 19.92 $ 41,430
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 210 0.02 $ 25.42 $ 52,870

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 11,040 0.49 $ 24.44 $ 50,830
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,020 0.27 $ 25.09 $ 52,180
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 1,310 0.09 $ 25.45 $ 52,930
Employment Services 880 0.03 $ 19.92 $ 41,430
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 210 0.02 $ 25.42 $ 52,870

Top paying industries for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonresidential Building Construction (8) (8) $ 30.58 $ 63,600
Management of Companies and Enterprises (8) (8) $ 29.53 $ 61,420
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) 160 0.01 $ 29.30 $ 60,950
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 1,310 0.09 $ 25.45 $ 52,930
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 210 0.02 $ 25.42 $ 52,870


Geographic profile for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Solar Photovoltaic Installers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Solar Photovoltaic Installers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of solar photovoltaic installers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 6,300 0.38 3.27 $ 24.72 $ 51,420
Texas 2,050 0.17 1.44 $ 29.44 $ 61,240
Arizona 1,080 0.37 3.21 $ 22.25 $ 46,270
New York 810 0.09 0.81 $ 23.06 $ 47,970
Florida 780 0.09 0.78 $ 18.48 $ 38,440


Map of location quotient of solar photovoltaic installers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 410 0.74 6.34 $ 27.85 $ 57,930
California 6,300 0.38 3.27 $ 24.72 $ 51,420
Arizona 1,080 0.37 3.21 $ 22.25 $ 46,270
Utah 540 0.34 2.96 $ 22.99 $ 47,830
New Jersey 780 0.20 1.74 $ 22.97 $ 47,780


Map of annual mean wages of solar photovoltaic installers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 2,050 0.17 1.44 $ 29.44 $ 61,240
Massachusetts 290 0.08 0.72 $ 29.23 $ 60,800
Hawaii 410 0.74 6.34 $ 27.85 $ 57,930
Nevada (8) (8) (8) $ 27.70 $ 57,620
Oregon 320 0.17 1.50 $ 26.91 $ 55,970



Map of employment of solar photovoltaic installers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 940 0.62 5.29 $ 23.46 $ 48,800
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 920 0.41 3.52 $ 27.61 $ 57,440
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 910 0.10 0.90 $ 24.43 $ 50,810
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 900 0.43 3.66 $ 22.64 $ 47,080
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 670 0.63 5.37 $ 27.95 $ 58,140
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 530 0.38 3.25 $ 24.04 $ 49,990
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 420 0.43 3.69 $ 23.44 $ 48,760
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 380 0.31 2.62 $ 24.91 $ 51,820
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 290 0.10 0.84 $ 25.49 $ 53,020
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 280 0.19 1.65 $ 18.83 $ 39,170


Map of location quotient of solar photovoltaic installers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Provo-Orem, UT 250 0.92 7.89 $ 19.50 $ 40,560
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 240 0.82 7.03 $ 23.22 $ 48,300
Urban Honolulu, HI 270 0.68 5.87 $ 28.23 $ 58,720
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 670 0.63 5.37 $ 27.95 $ 58,140
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 940 0.62 5.29 $ 23.46 $ 48,800
Fresno, CA 210 0.56 4.77 $ 23.36 $ 48,590
Modesto, CA 90 0.49 4.19 $ 22.75 $ 47,320
Bakersfield, CA 150 0.48 4.16 $ 23.23 $ 48,310
Redding, CA 30 0.48 4.08 $ 24.30 $ 50,550
El Paso, TX 140 0.47 4.06 $ 29.52 $ 61,400


Map of annual mean wages of solar photovoltaic installers by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 170 0.06 0.55 $ 29.85 $ 62,090
El Paso, TX 140 0.47 4.06 $ 29.52 $ 61,400
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 90 0.32 2.72 $ 28.32 $ 58,900
Urban Honolulu, HI 270 0.68 5.87 $ 28.23 $ 58,720
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 670 0.63 5.37 $ 27.95 $ 58,140
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 920 0.41 3.52 $ 27.61 $ 57,440
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 220 0.19 1.65 $ 27.43 $ 57,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 290 0.10 0.84 $ 25.49 $ 53,020
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 380 0.31 2.62 $ 24.91 $ 51,820
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 910 0.10 0.90 $ 24.43 $ 50,810

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 50 0.56 4.85 $ 30.31 $ 63,040
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 50 0.53 4.55 $ 27.57 $ 57,340

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 50 0.56 4.85 $ 30.31 $ 63,040
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 50 0.53 4.55 $ 27.57 $ 57,340

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Solar Photovoltaic Installers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 50 0.56 4.85 $ 30.31 $ 63,040
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 50 0.53 4.55 $ 27.57 $ 57,340
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 22.28 $ 46,340


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022