Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers assemble, install, and maintain solar panel systems on rooftops or other structures.
Work Environment: Most solar panel installations are done outdoors, but PV installers sometimes work in attics and crawl spaces to connect panels to the electric grid. Installers must also travel to jobsites.
How to Become One: Although most installers need a high school diploma and typically receive on-the-job training lasting up to 1 year, some candidates take courses at a technical school or community college.
Salary: The median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers is $47,670.
Job Outlook: Employment of solar photovoltaic installers is projected to grow 27 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of solar photovoltaic installers with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a solar photovoltaic installer with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Solar Installer Jobs
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Field Sales Representative (Solar Division)
- SUNRGY Solar Distribution
- Dallas, TX
We love solar , and our goal is to help residential and commercial installers grow their businesses through our mission of enhancing the customer experience, every step of the way. Our customers are ...
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Canvassing Representative
- Guiding Light Solar Group
- Richmond, CA
At Guiding Light Solar Group, we're revolutionizing the solar industry with our innovative approach to solar manufacturing and installation . Our mission is to provide sustainable energy solutions ...
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Canvassing Representative
- Guiding Light Solar Group
- Concord, CA
At Guiding Light Solar Group, we're revolutionizing the solar industry with our innovative approach to solar manufacturing and installation . Our mission is to provide sustainable energy solutions ...
What Solar Photovoltaic Installers Do[About this section] [To Top]
Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers, also known as PV installers, assemble, install, and maintain solar panel systems on rooftops or other structures.
Duties of Solar Photovoltaic Installers
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 in accordance with 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
Solar PV panels convert sunlight to electricity, and PV installers put these systems in place. PV installers use a variety of hand and power tools to install PV panels. They often use drills, wrenches, saws, and screwdrivers to connect panels to frames, wires, and support structures.
Many new PV installers begin by performing basic tasks, such as installing support structures and placing PV panels or PV shingles on top of them. Once the panels are in place, more-experienced installers usually perform more-complex duties, such as connecting electrical components.
Depending on the job and state laws, PV installers may connect the solar panels to the electric grid, although electricians sometimes perform this duty. Once the panels are installed, workers check the electrical systems for proper wiring, polarity, and grounding, and they also perform maintenance as needed.
Work Environment for Solar Photovoltaic Installers[About this section] [To Top]
Solar photovoltaic installers hold about 17,100 jobs. The largest employers of solar photovoltaic installers are as follows:
| Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors | 52% |
| Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors | 14% |
| Utilities | 5% |
| Self-employed workers | 3% |
Because photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into electricity, most PV installation is done outdoors. Residential installers work on rooftops but also sometimes work in attics and crawl spaces to connect panels to the electrical grid. PV installers who build solar farms work at ground level.
PV installers may work alone or as part of a team. Installation of solar panels may require the help of roofers and electricians.
Injuries and Illnesses for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Solar photovoltaic installers risk falls from ladders and roofs, shocks from electricity, and burns from hot equipment and materials while installing and maintaining PV systems. To reduce the risk of injury, PV installers must wear safety equipment, such as harnesses, gloves, and hard hats.
How to Become a Solar Photovoltaic Installer[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Solar Photovoltaic Installers near you!
There are multiple paths to becoming a solar photovoltaic (PV) installer, often called a PV installer. Most workers need a high school diploma and receive on-the-job training lasting up to 1 year. Other candidates take courses at a technical school or community college. Some PV installers learn to install panels as part of an apprenticeship.
Education for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Most employers require PV installers to have a high school diploma. Some PV installers take courses at local community colleges or trade schools to learn about solar panel installation. Courses range from basic safety and PV knowledge to system design. Although course lengths vary by state and locality, most usually last a few days to several months.
Some candidates may enter the field by taking online training courses. This option is particularly useful for candidates with prior construction experience, such as former electricians.
Solar Photovoltaic Installer Training
Some PV installers learn their trade on the job by working with experienced installers. On-the-job training usually lasts between 1 month and 1 year. During training, PV installers learn about safety, tools, and PV system installation techniques.
Electrician and roofing apprentices and journey workers may complete photovoltaic-specific training modules through apprenticeships.
Solar PV system manufacturers may also provide training on specific products. Such training usually includes a system overview and proper installation techniques for the manufacturer's products.
Military veterans may benefit from the Solar Ready Vets program, which is a joint effort of the U.S Departments of Defense and Energy to connect veterans with training and jobs in the solar industry.
Important Qualities for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Communication skills. PV installers often need to communicate effectively with clients to ensure customer satisfaction and with other workers to ensure that proper safety and installation procedures are followed.
Detail oriented. PV installers must carefully follow instructions during installation. If they fail to do so, the system may not work properly.
Mechanical skills. PV installers work with complex electrical and mechanical equipment in order to build support structures for solar panels and to connect the panels to the electrical system.
Physical stamina. PV installers are often on their feet carrying panels and other heavy equipment. When installing rooftop panels, workers may need to climb ladders many times throughout the day.
Physical strength. PV installers often lift heavy equipment and materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Experience in construction may shorten a new employee's training time. For example, workers with experience as an electrician, roofer, carpenter, or laborer typically already understand and can perform basic construction duties.
In addition, those with knowledge of electrical work, such as electricians, are highly valued by contractors.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Most employers require PV installers to have a driver's license.
Certification is not a requirement but can demonstrate a PV installer's competency in solar panel installation. The Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA); the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners; and Roof Integrated Solar Energy (RISE) Inc., all offer certification for PV installers.
Solar Photovoltaic Installer Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers is $47,670. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,320, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,080.
The median annual wages for solar photovoltaic installers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Utilities | $48,370 |
| Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors | $47,930 |
| Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors | $47,610 |
Job Outlook for Solar Photovoltaic Installers[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of solar photovoltaic (PV) installers, often called PV installers, is projected to grow 27 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 2,500 openings for solar photovoltaic installers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Solar Photovoltaic Installers
The continued expansion and adoption of solar PV systems is expected to create jobs for their installation and upkeep. As the cost of PV panels and shingles continues to decrease, more households are expected to take advantage of these systems, resulting in greater demand for the workers who install and maintain them. The increasing popularity of solar leasing plans—in which homeowners lease, rather than purchase, systems—should create additional demand, because homeowners no longer bear the upfront costs of installation.
Demand may be greatest in states and localities that provide incentives to reduce the cost of PV systems.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Solar photovoltaic installers | 17,100 | 21,700 | 27 | 4,600 |
More Solar Photovoltaic Installer Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about accredited training programs, visit
Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA)
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc.
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
For details about apprenticeships or other training opportunities in this trade, contact the offices of the state employment service, technical colleges, the state apprenticeship agency, local photovoltaic contractors, firms that employ PV installers, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about apprenticeships for solar photovoltaic installers, visit
IBEW–NECA Electrical Training Alliance
For career and industry resources, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.