Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2231.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $53,129
- Projected change
- +39%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 34.14K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
44.7% of the workforce
Growing to 47.45K by 2035
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The work
What solar photovoltaic installers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Diagram layouts and locations for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment, including existing building or site features.
- Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.
- Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.
- Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment.
- Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.
- Activate photovoltaic (PV) systems to verify system functionality and conformity to performance expectations.
- Identify and resolve any deficiencies in photovoltaic (PV) system installation or materials.
- Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
- Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit.
- Demonstrate system functionality and performance, including start-up, shut-down, normal operation, and emergency or bypass operations.
- Identify methods for laying out, orienting, and mounting modules or arrays to ensure efficient installation, electrical configuration, or system maintenance.
- Measure and analyze system performance and operating parameters to assess operating condition of systems or equipment.
- Program, adjust, or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes.
- Determine connection interfaces for additional subpanels or for connecting photovoltaic (PV) systems with utility services or other power generation sources.
- Determine photovoltaic (PV) system designs or configurations based on factors such as customer needs, expectations, and site conditions.
- Select mechanical designs, installation equipment, or installation plans that conform to environmental, architectural, structural, site, and code requirements.
- Perform routine photovoltaic (PV) system maintenance on modules, arrays, batteries, power conditioning equipment, safety systems, structural systems, weather sealing, or balance of systems equipment.
- Compile or maintain records of system operation, performance, and maintenance.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $41,546
- 25th percentile
- $46,653
- 50th percentile
- $53,129
- 75th percentile
- $62,931
- 90th percentile
- $80,058
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $53,129 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+39%much faster than average
202534,135 jobs
2035 projected47,447 jobs
13,312 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 44.7%
- Certificate
- 36.9%
- Bachelor's degree
- 13.9%
- Associate degree
- 3.4%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 1.1%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Solar Technicians1,101 postings
- 02Solar Installers1,031 postings
- 03Solar Service Technicians468 postings
- 04Installers232 postings
- 05Lead Solar Installers124 postings
- 06Installation Technicians113 postings
- 07Lead Installers106 postings
- 08Solar Panel Installers85 postings
- 09Solar Electricians79 postings
- 10Gutter Installers72 postings
- 11Solar Pv Installers46 postings
- 12Solar Energy Technicians44 postings
- 13Advanced Technicians39 postings
- 14Rooftop Solar Service Technicians36 postings
- 15Solar Farm Technicians36 postings
- 16Field Service Technicians33 postings
- 17Residential Energy Operations Installers31 postings
- 18Field Operations Technicians29 postings
- 19Field Solar Specialists27 postings
- 20Field Technicians22 postings
Top employers
- 01Res Agency227 postings
- 02NextEra Energy209 postings
- 03Sunrun199 postings
- 04The AES Corporation167 postings
- 05Trinity Solar151 postings
- 06Aerotek88 postings
- 07Solv Energy80 postings
- 08Freedom Forever78 postings
- 09Ion Developer73 postings
- 10Invenergy63 postings
- 11Samuel Knight International61 postings
- 12Qe Solar46 postings
- 13AVI-SPL42 postings
- 14Spartan X39 postings
- 15Novasource Power Services33 postings
- 16Aec Solar Energy Corporation30 postings
- 17Oci30 postings
- 18Mccarthy Building Companies29 postings
- 19Tesla29 postings
- 20First Solar28 postings
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