Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2152.04United States
Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
- Median annual earnings
- $61,592
- Projected change
- +8%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 538.14K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
43.2% of the workforce
Growing to 580.97K by 2035
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The work
What solar thermal installers and technicians do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Test operation or functionality of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and control systems.
- Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.
- Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.
- Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations.
- Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.
- Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners.
- Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.
- Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.
- Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.
- Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.
- Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions.
- Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment.
- Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
- Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required.
- Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.
- Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics.
- Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings.
- Install monitoring system components, such as flow meters, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges, according to system design and manufacturer specifications.
- Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.
- Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $40,652
- 25th percentile
- $47,655
- 50th percentile
- $61,592
- 75th percentile
- $84,338
- 90th percentile
- $112,365
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $61,592 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+8%faster than average
2025538,144 jobs
2035 projected580,966 jobs
42,822 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
- 43.2%
- Some college
- 24.9%
- Bachelor's degree
- 22.5%
- Certificate
- 7.5%
- Associate degree
- 1.9%
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.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- 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.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Solar Technicians75 postings
- 02Solar Installers73 postings
- 03Solar Service Technicians28 postings
- 04Solar Farm Technicians20 postings
- 05Solar Electricians11 postings
- 06Solar Roofers7 postings
- 07Solar Array Operatives6 postings
- 08Lead Solar Installers5 postings
- 09Solar Analysts5 postings
- 10Solar Panel Installers5 postings
- 11Fireplace Installers4 postings
- 12Installation Helpers4 postings
- 13Installation Technicians4 postings
- 14Installers4 postings
- 15Cellar Workers3 postings
- 16Commissioning Technicians3 postings
- 17Operations and Management Technicians3 postings
- 18Renewable Energy Specialists3 postings
- 19Solar Inverter Test Technicians3 postings
- 20Wind Technicians3 postings
Top employers
- 01RWE17 postings
- 02Our World Energy12 postings
- 03Blue Origin11 postings
- 04Freedom Forever8 postings
- 05Pacific Power Solutions8 postings
- 06ENGIE5 postings
- 07Solar Gaines4 postings
- 08Solar Landscape4 postings
- 09The Aleut Corporation4 postings
- 10Cannon Solar Limited3 postings
- 11CyberCoders3 postings
- 12Keepro Srl3 postings
- 13Lifestyle Solar3 postings
- 14The Solar Doctors3 postings
- 15Vallum Associates Limited3 postings
- 16Gamechange Solar2 postings
- 17Global Apprenticeship2 postings
- 18Namasté Solar2 postings
- 19Scalo Solar Solutions2 postings
- 20Semper Solaris Construction2 postings
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