Solar Energy Installation Managers: Career Overview
Direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
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What Do Solar Energy Installation Managers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of solar energy installation managers include:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective solar energy installation managers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
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
Job Outlook
There are about 444,068 solar energy installation managers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected 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 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Solar Energy Installation Managers Salary by State
| 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 shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| 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 |
Top Industries Employing Solar Energy Installation Managers
Most solar energy installation managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| 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:
Tools and Technology
- 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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of solar energy installation managers reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Education and Training
Entry-level solar energy installation managers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
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)
Where to Study
Aspiring 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
This profile draws on 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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