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Solar Energy Installation Managers: Career Profile
Direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
What Tasks Do Solar Energy Installation Managers Perform?
The core tasks performed by solar energy installation managers span:
- Plan and coordinate installations of photovoltaic (PV) solar and solar thermal systems to ensure conformance to codes.
- Supervise solar installers, technicians, and subcontractors for solar installation projects to ensure compliance with safety standards.
- Estimate materials, equipment, and personnel needed for residential or commercial solar installation projects.
- Prepare solar installation project proposals, quotes, budgets, or schedules.
- Provide technical assistance to installers, technicians, or other solar professionals in areas such as solar electric systems, solar thermal systems, electrical systems, or mechanical systems.
- Coordinate or schedule building inspections for solar installation projects.
- Perform start-up of systems for testing or customer implementation.
- Identify means to reduce costs, minimize risks, or increase efficiency of solar installation projects.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top solar energy installation managers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Commercial Field Manager
- Commercial Solar Superintendent
- Commercial Subcontractor
- Installation Manager
- Photovoltaic Subcontractor
- Piping Supervisor
- Residential Field Manager
- Residential Field Supervisor
How Many Solar Energy Installation Managers Are There?
There are roughly 444,068 solar energy installation managers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.2% over the projection horizon.
Solar Energy Installation Managers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,985 |
| Hourly median | $27.88 |
| 10th percentile | $37,034 |
| 25th percentile | $47,509 |
| 75th percentile | $68,460 |
| 90th percentile | $78,936 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Solar Energy Installation Managers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $103,850 |
| Washington | $103,290 |
| Hawaii | $101,780 |
| Oregon | $100,860 |
| Illinois | $100,360 |
| Alaska | $99,020 |
| Massachusetts | $97,480 |
| California | $97,080 |
| District of Columbia | $96,330 |
| Rhode Island | $96,300 |
| Minnesota | $95,910 |
| New York | $95,330 |
| Connecticut | $85,060 |
| Missouri | $83,150 |
| Wisconsin | $81,460 |
| Nevada | $81,400 |
| Delaware | $81,170 |
| Indiana | $80,570 |
| West Virginia | $80,360 |
| North Dakota | $80,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,290 |
| New Hampshire | $79,960 |
| Colorado | $79,160 |
| Arizona | $78,350 |
| Vermont | $78,290 |
| Iowa | $77,940 |
| Ohio | $77,750 |
| Wyoming | $77,490 |
| Michigan | $77,020 |
| Maryland | $76,800 |
| Nebraska | $76,740 |
| Virginia | $76,620 |
| Utah | $76,080 |
| South Dakota | $75,840 |
| Kansas | $75,730 |
| Maine | $75,720 |
| Georgia | $75,410 |
| Montana | $74,990 |
| Virgin Islands | $74,360 |
| South Carolina | $74,240 |
| New Mexico | $73,860 |
| Texas | $73,420 |
| North Carolina | $73,310 |
| Kentucky | $73,020 |
| Louisiana | $72,380 |
| Idaho | $72,360 |
| Tennessee | $71,840 |
| Oklahoma | $71,090 |
| Florida | $71,040 |
| Mississippi | $64,740 |
| Alabama | $64,030 |
| Arkansas | $62,200 |
| Guam | $55,470 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,260 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for solar energy installation managers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $97,390 | 14.6% | 0.91 |
| New England | $91,062 | 4.5% | 0.96 |
| Middle Atlantic | $89,065 | 11.6% | 0.80 |
| Great Lakes | $83,771 | 10.8% | 0.78 |
| Plains States | $82,633 | 6.7% | 1.04 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,973 | 6.0% | 1.53 |
| Southwest | $74,048 | 15.9% | 1.26 |
| Southeast | $72,119 | 29.3% | 1.21 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Solar Energy Installation Managers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $126,570 | 4,290 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $123,410 | 480 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $113,530 | 1,420 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $107,920 | 7,110 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $106,870 | 350 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $106,680 | 350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $105,650 | 11,970 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $104,870 | 31,520 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of solar energy installation managers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 629,040 | $78,900 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 32,560 | $89,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 26,820 | $64,200 |
| Manufacturing | 16,740 | $78,620 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 10,970 | $82,580 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 5,310 | $96,710 |
| Utilities | 5,260 | $104,060 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4,330 | $79,600 |
Solar Energy Installation Managers work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Project management software: Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for solar energy installation managers reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Getting Started in This Career
Typical solar energy installation managers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Geothermal Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Construction Managers (Primary-Short)
- Wind Energy Development Managers (Primary-Long)
- Project Management Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (Supplemental)
- Civil Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electrical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future solar energy installation managers often complete programs in:
Construction Trades
19 programs across 6 majors
- Electrical & Power Installation
- Building Management & Inspection
- Carpentry
- Plumbing & Water Supply
- Construction
- Masonry
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-1011.03 (First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers).
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