Solar installer salary in Hawaii
Median $33.83 an hour for 420 solar installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2012 and the state's own outlook.
Solar installer pay in Hawaii: the full range
Hawaii ranks 2nd of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 6th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.75). 420 solar installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.83 – $26.41 | $47,480 – $54,920 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $26.41 – $38.97 | $54,920 – $81,050 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $38.97 – $50.58 | $81,050 – $105,200 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Solar installer pay by metro in Hawaii
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului | $25.00 | $37.67 | $34.43 | $48.91 | 40 | 11% above |
| Honolulu | $22.83 | $33.63 | $30.30 | $47.14 | 330 | 1% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Solar installer wages in Hawaii over time
Table
| Year | Hawaii $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $23.30 | $32.67 | $18.22 | — |
| 2013 | $24.90 | $34.41 | $19.04 | 110 |
| 2014 | $24.20 | $32.91 | $19.24 | 140 |
| 2015 | $24.07 | $32.69 | $18.19 | 130 |
| 2016 | $24.16 | $32.41 | $18.87 | 150 |
| 2017 | $26.03 | $34.19 | $18.98 | 190 |
| 2018 | $25.98 | $33.31 | $20.52 | 270 |
| 2019 | $27.13 | $34.16 | $21.58 | 350 |
| 2020 | $27.00 | $33.59 | $22.34 | — |
| 2021 | $28.29 | $33.61 | $22.92 | 410 |
| 2022 | $24.84 | $27.33 | $21.75 | 280 |
| 2023 | $29.24 | $30.89 | $23.46 | 350 |
| 2024 | $30.16 | $30.95 | $24.93 | 370 |
| 2025 | $33.83 | $33.83 | $25.55 | 420 |
In today's dollars, the median solar installer wage in Hawaii changed by +3.5% over the last ten years of data and by -1.0% since 2019.
Are there more solar installer jobs in Hawaii?
BLS counted 420 solar installers in Hawaii in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for solar installers in Hawaii
Hawaii's labor market agency projects the number of solar installers in the state to change by +38.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 370 to 510, with about 50 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +36.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 420 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in Hawaii
On federally funded construction in Hawaii, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 5 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $89.71 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $33.83.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | Union ELEC1186-001 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | HI20260001 |
| Honolulu | Union ELEC1186-001 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | HI20260001 |
| Kalawao | Union ELEC1186-001 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | HI20260001 |
| Kauai | Union ELEC1186-001 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | HI20260001 |
| Maui | Union ELEC1186-001 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | HI20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Hawaii prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Hawaii?
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at electrical contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just solar installers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu County | 367 | 4,027 | $96,145 | $1,849 |
| Hawaii County | 81 | 483 | $89,541 | $1,722 |
Keep comparing
Solar installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Hawaii
More on Hawaii
Questions this page answers
How much do solar installers make in Hawaii?
The median solar installer in Hawaii earned $33.83 an hour ($70,370 a year) in May 2025, 32% above the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $26.41–$38.97; the top 10% earn more than $50.58.
Where does Hawaii rank for solar installer pay?
Hawaii ranks 2nd of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $33.83 an hour, and 6th after adjusting for Hawaii's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.0, US = 100).
What is the union solar installer rate in Hawaii?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 5 counties, with a typical package of $89.71 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many solar installers work in Hawaii?
BLS counted 420 solar installers in Hawaii in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 3.29; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is solar installer work growing in Hawaii?
Hawaii's labor market agency projects +38.5% growth for solar installers between 2024 and 2034, from 370 to 510 jobs.
How many solar installer openings a year are there in Hawaii?
Hawaii projects about 50 openings a year for solar installers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 4,200 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Hawaii and metro areas, SOC 47-2231. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.