Construction and Extraction · Holland code RCI

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks.

Also called: PV Installer (Photovoltaic Installer), Solar Installer, Solar PV Installer (Solar Photovoltaic Installer), Solar PV Integrator (Solar Photovoltaic Integrator), Journeyman Electrician PV Installer (Journeyman Electrician Photovoltaic Installer), PV Installation Tech (Photovoltaic Installation Technician), Solar Designer, Solar Electric Installer.

O*NET 47-2231.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $53,140; Middle half earn $46,700 to $62,870. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Post-Secondary Certificate; 37% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: +42% · Much faster than average; 28,600 jobs in 2024, projected 40,600. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Solar photovoltaic installers".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

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.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Critical Thinking3.3 / 5
Active Listening3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
Active Learning3.0 / 5
Speaking2.9 / 5

Knowledge areas

Building and Construction4.8 / 5
Engineering and Technology4.4 / 5
Mechanical4.3 / 5
Design4.1 / 5
Administration and Management4.1 / 5
Customer and Personal Service4.0 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative27
Artistic6
Social3
Enterprising12
Conventional51

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

solar energy technician · DE Solartechniker/Solartechnikerin · FR électricien photovoltaïque/électricienne photovoltaïque

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Electricians and electrical fitters (5241)193,000 employed
Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers (5246)43,300 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.94. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (47-2231).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test