Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Also called: Electro-Mechanical Solar Technician (Electro-Mechanical Solar Tech), Installation Technician (Installation Tech), Installer, Journeyman Electrician PV Installer (Journeyman Electrician Photovoltaic Installer), PV Fabrication and Testing Technician (Photovoltaic Fabrication and Testing Technician), PV Fabrication Technician (Photovoltaic Fabrication Technician), PV Installation Tech (Photovoltaic Installation Technician), PV Installer (Photovoltaic Installer)
Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics.
What solar photovoltaic installers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.
- Diagram layouts and locations for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment, including existing building or site features.
- Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.
- Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.
- Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Solar Photovoltaic Installers salary
The median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers is $53,140 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $41,600 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $79,970. The mean annual wage is $57,900.
The mean hourly wage of $27.00 is 3.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Solar Photovoltaic Installers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $53,140 → in 3 years $58,900 → in 5 years $63,100 → in 10 years $75,000 (10-year range $64,500–$87,000). The model assumes pay growth of +3.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Solar Photovoltaic Installers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers United States | 太陽光発電の設計・施工 Japan | 太陽光発電のメンテナンス Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $53,140 | ¥6.25M ≈ $39,742 | ¥5.71M ≈ $36,323 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $75,000 | ¥7.87M | ¥8.06M |
| Outlook score | 78 | 62 | 69 |
| AI replacement risk | 10% Very low | 69% High | 38% Low |
| Workers | 31K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become solar photovoltaic installers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as solar photovoltaic installers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.