Solar photovoltaic installers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Solar photovoltaic installers in the United States earn a median salary of $53,140 per year — about $26 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 29K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +42%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation is highly physical, involving manual labor, climbing roofs, and using hand tools in unpredictable outdoor environments. While AI might assist with peripheral tasks like system design optimization or site measurements via computer vision, the actual installation and maintenance require human dexterity and physical presence that current and near-future AI/robotics cannot replicate.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HIBEST VALUE | $78,360 | Above avg (109.4) | $71,632 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $67,810 | Average (100.2) | $67,665 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $71,630 | Above avg (110.4) | $64,869 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $69,550 | Above avg (109.9) | $63,287 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $69,940 | Above avg (111.0) | $63,031 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $66,320 | Above avg (105.4) | $62,910 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $59,800 | Below avg (95.5) | $62,588 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $72,150 | Above avg (115.6) | $62,406 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $70,130 | Above avg (112.6) | $62,303 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $59,950 | Average (98.2) | $61,029 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $60,230 | Average (98.9) | $60,926 |
| Modesto, CA | $59,920 | Above avg (104.1) | $57,556 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,810 | Above avg (107.8) | $57,346 |
| Salinas, CA | $62,260 | Above avg (109.0) | $57,097 |
| Fresno, CA | $58,220 | Average (102.2) | $56,990 |