Solar Photovoltaic Installers Salary
The median pay for a solar photovoltaic installers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $58,350/year ($28.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $56,899 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 46.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Solar photovoltaic installers pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 46.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for solar photovoltaic installers in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | $50K | $51K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $70K | $62K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $45K | $43K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $49K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level solar photovoltaic installers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $38K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a solar photovoltaic installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 46.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new solar photovoltaic installers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,021/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for solar photovoltaic installers?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do solar photovoltaic installers make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $58,350 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,350, and experienced solar photovoltaic installers can clear $88,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,928/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 46.1% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $56,899 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.