Solar Photovoltaic Installers Salary
The median pay for a solar photovoltaic installers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is $45,220/year ($21.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $43,277 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 59.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Pay for solar photovoltaic installers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,857/month, which is 61.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for solar photovoltaic installerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for solar photovoltaic installers in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $48K | $49K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $58K | $57K |
| Lancaster | $50K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level solar photovoltaic installers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Solar Photovoltaic Installers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $79K | +49% | 1,880 |
| Hawaii | $70K | +32% | 420 |
| Nevada | $68K | +28% | 100 |
| Oregon | $66K | +25% | 360 |
| Ohio | $62K | +17% | 70 |
| Washington | $62K | +16% | N/A |
| Maine | $61K | +15% | 60 |
| California | $61K | +14% | 6,830 |
| Illinois | $60K | +12% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +11% | 620 |
| Iowa | $57K | +7% | 180 |
| New York | $56K | +6% | 1,230 |
| Connecticut | $56K | +5% | N/A |
| Arizona | $51K | -4% | 1,280 |
| Florida | $51K | -5% | 2,980 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -5% | N/A |
| Kansas | $50K | -6% | N/A |
| Utah | $50K | -6% | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | -6% | 90 |
| Colorado | $50K | -6% | 620 |
| Vermont | $49K | -7% | 250 |
| Virginia | $49K | -7% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $48K | -9% | 340 |
| Texas | $48K | -9% | 5,270 |
| Georgia | $48K | -10% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -10% | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $47K | -11% | 310 |
| Indiana | $46K | -13% | 490 |
| Maryland | $45K | -15% | 670 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -16% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $44K | -17% | 710 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -20% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track solar photovoltaic installers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a solar photovoltaic installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 61.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for solar photovoltaic installers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new solar photovoltaic installers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,652/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is solar photovoltaic installer a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $45K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for solar photovoltaic installers?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do solar photovoltaic installers make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $45,220 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,200, and experienced solar photovoltaic installers can clear $61,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,033/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 61.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a solar photovoltaic installers salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median solar photovoltaic installers salary is worth about $43,277 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do solar photovoltaic installers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.