Average listed salary for Solar Photovoltaic Installer positions across the United States, computed from 245 active solar job listings. States with fewer than 3 listings are grouped into their US Census region below instead of being excluded.
$57,033
National avg.
245
Active listings
$93,177
Highest (Florida)
$23
Lowest (OH)
Based on 50 active Lead Solar Installer listings, moving up to Lead pays on average +19% more than the national Solar Photovoltaic Installer average.
See Lead Solar Installer salary by state →Listings mentioning NABCEP average $46,867 vs $57,791 without — a -19% difference.
Based on 17 listings mentioning NABCEP and 228 that don't.
A Solar Photovoltaic Installer mounts racking, places panels, runs conduit, and wires arrays on residential and commercial roofs or ground mounts. Most of the day is physical: carrying panels, working at height, and following an electrician or lead installer's directions on wiring and layout. Crews typically run 3 to 5 installs a week depending on system size and season.
Entry into the role rarely requires a license. Many installers start through an employer's in-house training or a community college solar program lasting a few weeks. A NABCEP PV Associate credential is a common early milestone and signals baseline knowledge of system design and safety to employers, even before full installer certification.
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Installers typically move up after 1 to 3 years on the tools, once they can run a crew, read a permit set unsupervised, and troubleshoot a string fault without escalating. That track usually leads to Lead Installer, then site supervisor or a design role.
States with fewer than 3 individual listings, grouped by US Census region for a reliable average.
See all 245 active Solar Photovoltaic Installer listings across the US
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