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Overview
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.
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Titles for this career often contain these words
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Responsibilities and activities
PV installers typically do the following:
- Plan PV system configurations based on customer needs and site conditions
- Measure, cut, and assemble the support structure for solar PV panels
- Install solar modules, panels, and support structures according to building codes and standards
- Connect PV panels to the electrical system
- Apply weather sealant to equipment being installed
- Activate and test PV systems
- Perform routine PV system maintenance
At the jobsite, PV installers verify the measurements and design of the structure on which the PV system is being set up. For PV systems on flat roofs, PV installers must first add a structure that allows the PV system to be mounted at an angle. PV installers set up new systems on support structures and place PV panels or PV shingles on top of them. Once the panels are in place, they sometimes connect the panels to electrical components. After the system is in place, PV installers must test the system and its components.
PV installers use a variety of handtools and power tools, including drills, wrenches, saws, and screwdrivers, to set up PV panels and connect them to frames, wires, and support structures.
Depending on the job and state laws, PV installers may connect the solar panels to the electrical grid, although electricians sometimes do this task. Once the panels are set up, workers check the electrical systems for proper wiring, polarity, and grounding, and they also perform maintenance as needed.
Salary
Median salary: $46,470 annually
Half of those employed in this career earn between $37,860 and $55,760.
Context: Median Salary
How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?
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Salary growth for solar photovoltaic installers
Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.
Experience quotient percentile
Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?
Salary distribution
Number employed
About Solar Photovoltaic Installers
How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.
Employee has health insurance
Employer is providing health insurance
Worker concerns
Some jobs are more stressful than others, and some are just plain dangerous. The following list gives the percentages of solar photovoltaic installers who report hazardous or difficult situations typically occurring at least once a week.
- High Places (81%)
- Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites (71%)
- Hazardous Conditions (69%)
- Hazardous Equipment (63%)
- Time Pressure (63%)
- Consequence of Error (58%)
- Responsible for Others' Health (41%)
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Personality and skills
Can you see yourself in the ranks of Solar Photovoltaic Installers? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.
Ability to work at heights
PV installers often must work on roofs, ladders, or lifts that are far above the ground.
Communication skills
PV installers need to convey information effectively to clients, team members, and other workers.
Detail oriented
PV installers must carefully follow instructions to ensure that the system works properly.
Math skills
. PV installers use algebra, geometry, and trigonometry to calculate angles, measurements, and areas.
Mechanical skills
PV installers work with complex electrical and mechanical equipment in order to build support structures for solar panels, connect the panels to the electrical system, and troubleshoot problems.
Physical stamina
PV installers are often on their feet carrying panels and other heavy equipment. Especially when installing rooftop panels, workers may need to climb ladders many times throughout the day.
Physical strength
PV installers must lift heavy equipment and materials weighing up to 60 pounds.
Injury and Illness
About 87 solar photovoltaic installers become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 78% of other careers. The most common specific concerns detailed following.
All cuts, lacerations, punctures
Education pathways to this career
Education attained by solar photovoltaic installers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), solar photovoltaic installers typically hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as solar photovoltaic installers as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.
Details: Education and training recommended for solar photovoltaic installers
PV installers typically need a high school diploma. Some PV installers take courses at local community colleges or technical schools to learn about solar panel installation. Courses range from basic safety and PV knowledge to system design. Although course length varies, most usually last a few days to several months.
Some candidates, especially those with construction experience, enter the field by taking online training courses.
Details: Licensing and certification recommended for solar photovoltaic installers
Some states require a license for PV installers. Contact your state’s licensing board for more information.
PV installers must travel to jobsites, so employers may require them to have a driver’s license.
Although not required for employment, certification demonstrates competency in solar panel installation. The Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners offer certification for PV installers. Some states require that for projects to qualify for solar-related subsidies, all PV installers working on the projects must have certification.
Education level of Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Only 9% of solar photovoltaic installers have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Education attained by solar photovoltaic installers
None
High School
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Professional Degree
Doctorate
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Programs recommended by the Department of Education
The Department of Education recommends the following college degree programs as preparation for this career. You can click a program row to learn more about the program and explore a list of schools that offer the program.
Where are the jobs
State-by-state employment numbers
Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.
Select a state to see local area details
Number of Solar Photovoltaic Installers per 1,000 workers (ACS)
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Job density versus job count
Which states hire the most solar photovoltaic installers? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as solar photovoltaic installers. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.
Salaries by state
Let's get a feel for where solar photovoltaic installers earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...
Median salary versus state ratio
We use two methods to compare salaries across states:
- In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for solar photovoltaic installers compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
- Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for solar photovoltaic installers.
The darkest shading corresponds to states in which solar photovoltaic installers earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.
Select a state to see local area details
Location-adjusted median salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installers (ACS)
Employment
13% of Solar photovoltaic installers are working part time.
We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 13% part-time workers, this occupation has a higher percentage of part-time workers than 51% of careers.
Employer types
This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.
Employers of undefined (ACS)
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit
Local government
State government
Federal government
Self-employed incorporated
Self-employed not incorporated
Working without pay
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Distribution: Salaries of solar photovoltaic installers by type of employer
Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.
Gender
Solar photovoltaic installers and gender
With 3% women, this occupation has a lower percentage of women than 91% of careers.
Gender of Solar photovoltaic installers
Men (97%)
Women (3%)
Distribution: salaries by gender
Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
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Context: Women in the workforce
How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.
Race/Origin
Race and origin of Solar photovoltaic installers
This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Solar photovoltaic installers.
Race/origin of solar photovoltaic installers
White (73% )
Other (11% )
Black (9% )
Multiracial (4% )
Asian (2% )
Hispanic (1% )
American Indian (1% )
Pacific Islander (0% )
Distribution: salaries by race/origin
Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
