Solar installer salary in New Jersey
Median $37.96 an hour for 1,880 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 New Jersey: the full range
New Jersey ranks 1st of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.89). 1,880 solar installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.89 – $29.40 | $47,600 – $61,150 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $29.40 – $49.06 | $61,150 – $102,050 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $49.06 – $49.06 | $102,050 – $102,050 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Solar installer pay by metro in New Jersey
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $22.89 | $33.72 | $29.95 | $49.06 | 2,190 | 11% below |
| Atlantic City | $23.20 | $28.96 | $29.28 | $50.14 | 70 | 24% below |
| Philadelphia | $24.21 | $28.05 | $27.34 | $42.60 | 580 | 26% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Solar installer wages in New Jersey over time
Table
| Year | New Jersey $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $22.73 | $31.87 | $18.22 | 70 |
| 2013 | $18.25 | $25.22 | $19.04 | 140 |
| 2014 | $20.90 | $28.42 | $19.24 | 270 |
| 2015 | $20.36 | $27.66 | $18.19 | 480 |
| 2016 | $20.37 | $27.32 | $18.87 | 610 |
| 2017 | $18.71 | $24.57 | $18.98 | 750 |
| 2018 | $21.15 | $27.12 | $20.52 | 760 |
| 2019 | $20.57 | $25.90 | $21.58 | 1,050 |
| 2020 | $21.47 | $26.71 | $22.34 | 1,370 |
| 2021 | $23.24 | $27.61 | $22.92 | 780 |
| 2022 | $24.28 | $26.71 | $21.75 | 1,090 |
| 2023 | $28.19 | $29.79 | $23.46 | 1,460 |
| 2024 | $31.09 | $31.91 | $24.93 | 1,280 |
| 2025 | $37.96 | $37.96 | $25.55 | 1,880 |
In today's dollars, the median solar installer wage in New Jersey changed by +37.3% over the last ten years of data and by +46.5% since 2019.
Are there more solar installer jobs in New Jersey?
BLS counted 1,880 solar installers in New Jersey in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 17%. 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 New Jersey
New Jersey's labor market agency projects the number of solar installers in the state to change by +44.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,260 to 1,820, with about 180 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 1,880 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in New Jersey
On federally funded construction in New Jersey, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 18 of the 18 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $103.81 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $37.96.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | Union ELEC0164-006 2024-06-03 | $73.59 | $45.99 | $119.58 | NJ20260026 |
| Morris | Union ELEC0102-023 2025-06-02 | $65.43 | $42.86 | $108.29 | NJ20260038 |
| Passaic | Union ELEC0102-023 2025-06-02 | $65.43 | $42.86 | $108.29 | NJ20260040 |
| Sussex | Union ELEC0102-023 2025-06-02 | $65.43 | $42.86 | $108.29 | NJ20260043 |
| Union | Union ELEC0102-023 2025-06-02 | $65.43 | $42.86 | $108.29 | NJ20260044 |
| Warren | Union ELEC0102-023 2025-06-02 | $65.43 | $42.86 | $108.29 | NJ20260045 |
| Hunterdon | Union ELEC0269-018 2026-01-05 | $63.82 | $41.99 | $105.81 | NJ20260034 |
| Mercer | Union ELEC0269-016 2026-01-05 | $63.82 | $41.99 | $105.81 | NJ20260035 |
| Atlantic | Union ELEC0351-011 2024-09-30 | $55.05 | $48.76 | $103.81 | NJ20260025 |
| Burlington | Union ELEC0351-001 2024-09-30 | $55.05 | $48.76 | $103.81 | NJ20260027 |
| Cape May | Union ELEC0351-011 2024-09-30 | $55.05 | $48.76 | $103.81 | NJ20260029 |
| Cumberland | Union ELEC0351-011 2024-09-30 | $55.05 | $48.76 | $103.81 | NJ20260030 |
| Gloucester | Union ELEC0351-007 2024-09-30 | $55.05 | $48.76 | $103.81 | NJ20260032 |
| Essex | Union ELEC0164-006 2024-06-03 | $62.90 | $39.31 | $102.21 | NJ20260031 |
| Hudson | Union ELEC0164-006 2024-06-03 | $62.90 | $39.31 | $102.21 | NJ20260033 |
| Somerset | Union ELEC0269-019 2025-07-07 | $61.84 | $40.32 | $102.16 | NJ20260042 |
| Middlesex | Union ELEC0456-008 2025-06-02 | $61.40 | $39.14 | $100.54 | NJ20260036 |
| Camden | Union ELEC0351-007 2024-09-30 | $46.51 | $34.39 | $80.90 | NJ20260028 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Jersey prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in New Jersey?
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. Across the 21 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 89,656 in 2015 to 102,779 in 2025, +14.6%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 78 | 1,095 | $119,747 | $2,303 |
| Middlesex County | 188 | 2,828 | $109,116 | $2,098 |
| Hudson County | 69 | 670 | $107,356 | $2,065 |
| Camden County | 121 | 1,726 | $101,439 | $1,951 |
| Morris County | 230 | 2,536 | $99,850 | $1,920 |
| Union County | 151 | 1,260 | $98,837 | $1,901 |
| Essex County | 126 | 969 | $98,136 | $1,887 |
| Passaic County | 159 | 1,314 | $93,030 | $1,789 |
| Burlington County | 91 | 857 | $92,352 | $1,776 |
| Bergen County | 340 | 2,251 | $90,402 | $1,738 |
| Gloucester County | 69 | 822 | $90,322 | $1,737 |
| Somerset County | 104 | 1,236 | $87,920 | $1,691 |
| Monmouth County | 238 | 2,743 | $87,115 | $1,675 |
| Cumberland County | 29 | 320 | $87,014 | $1,673 |
| Sussex County | 63 | 308 | $85,617 | $1,646 |
| Atlantic County | 58 | 880 | $79,205 | $1,523 |
| Ocean County | 234 | 1,488 | $67,376 | $1,296 |
| Cape May County | 47 | 244 | $55,375 | $1,065 |
Keep comparing
Solar installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Jersey
More on New Jersey
Questions this page answers
How much do solar installers make in New Jersey?
The median solar installer in New Jersey earned $37.96 an hour ($78,950 a year) in May 2025, 49% above the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $29.40–$49.06; the top 10% earn more than $49.06.
Where does New Jersey rank for solar installer pay?
New Jersey ranks 1st of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $37.96 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).
What is the union solar installer rate in New Jersey?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 18 counties, with a typical package of $103.81 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many solar installers work in New Jersey?
BLS counted 1,880 solar installers in New Jersey in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.17; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is solar installer work growing in New Jersey?
New Jersey's labor market agency projects +44.6% growth for solar installers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,260 to 1,820 jobs.
How many solar installer openings a year are there in New Jersey?
New Jersey projects about 180 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, New Jersey 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: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.