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Solar Energy Industry Workers


Overview

Introduction

Solar energy industry workers perform a wide range of duties, from designing, building, repairing, and maintaining photovoltaic cells and solar power facilities to conducting research on new solar technologies; to assessing and purchasing land for solar facilities. They are also responsible for providing support services to scientific and technical workers and perform many other job duties. As of 2019, there were approximately 249,983 solar workers in the United States, according to The Solar Foundation.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$75,000

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Internship
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Skills

Building/Trades
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

Solar photovoltaic installers earned median annual salaries of $44,890 in May 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Salaries ranged from less than $31,600 to $63,880 or more.

In 2019, the Association of Energy Engineers surveyed members, non-members, and certified individuals in the energy management and energy efficiency fields regarding their compensation. About 25.6 p...

Work Environment

Work environments in the solar energy industry vary by occupation. Clerks, secretaries, receptionists, computer professionals, lawyers, and business managers work indoors in climate-controlled offices. They typically work a standard 40-hour work week. Solar photovoltaic installers often travel from site to site in order to install or maintain equipment needed for solar projects. Installers and ...

Outlook

Opportunities in solar energy should be good in the next decade. According to The Solar Foundation, approximately 5,600 new jobs were added to the solar workforce from 2018 to 2019. Over the previous 10 years, solar-related jobs increased 167 percent, creating 156,000 new positions. The pace of growth between 2014 and 2019 totaled 44 percent, outpacing the U.S. economy's overall expansion by a ...