Skilled Wages

Solar installer salary in New York

Median $27.00 an hour for 1,230 solar photovoltaic installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 2012.

$27.00/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$56,160/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.42 – $35.9510th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,230Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Solar installer pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrNew York: 10th $22.42 · 25th $23.70 · median $27.00 · 75th $28.22 · 90th $35.95New York$27.00$22.42$35.95United States: 10th $20.00 · 25th $22.45 · median $25.55 · 75th $30.23 · 90th $38.45United States$25.55
Hourly wage percentiles for solar photovoltaic installers: New York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 12th of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.02). 1,230 solar photovoltaic installers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.42 – $23.70$46,630 – $49,290roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.70 – $28.22$49,290 – $58,700the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.22 – $35.95$58,700 – $74,770the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Solar installer pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNew York City: $33.72New York City$33.72Albany: $23.79Albany$23.79
Median hourly wage for solar photovoltaic installers by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
New York City$22.89$33.72$49.062,19025% above
Albany$19.73$23.79$29.5710012% below

Solar installer wages in New York over time

New York, 2012-2025New YorkUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30201520202025$27.00New York$25.55United States
Median hourly wage for solar photovoltaic installers, New York vs United States, 2012–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew York $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
2012$18.38$25.77$18.22230
2013$20.21$27.93$19.04—
2014$18.47$25.12$19.24—
2015$17.10$23.23$18.19430
2016$18.59$24.94$18.87710
2017$18.90$24.82$18.98820
2018$22.45$28.78$20.52770
2019$23.85$30.03$21.58470
2020$23.59$29.34$22.34500
2021$22.40$26.61$22.92810
2022$21.46$23.61$21.75670
2023$25.05$26.47$23.46480
2024$25.52$26.19$24.93—
2025$27.00$27.00$25.551,230

In today's dollars, the median solar installer wage in New York changed by +16.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 57 of the 62 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $76.39 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $60.66). 1 of the 62 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Madison County at $50.02). The market median for the state is $27.00.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: $80.09 (union)Allegany: $69.73 (union)Bronx: $127.81 (union)Broome: $75.74 (union)Cattaraugus: $69.73 (union)Cayuga: $76.12 (union)Chautauqua: $69.73 (union)Chemung: $75.12 (union)Chenango: $60.66 (survey)Clinton: $71.88 (union)Columbia: $60.66 (survey)Cortland: $58.39 (survey)Delaware: $75.74 (union)Dutchess: $93.72 (union)Erie: $80.56 (union)Essex: $71.88 (union)Franklin: $71.88 (union)Fulton: $71.88 (union)Genesee: $69.73 (union)Greene: $60.66 (survey)Hamilton: $71.88 (union)Herkimer: $85.53 (union)Jefferson: $71.88 (union)Kings: $127.81 (union)Lewis: $71.88 (union)Livingston: $74.50 (union)Madison: $50.02 (survey)Monroe: $74.50 (union)Montgomery: $71.88 (union)Nassau: $111.95 (union)New York: $127.81 (union)Niagara: $77.10 (union)Oneida: $85.53 (union)Onondaga: $85.53 (union)Ontario: $76.12 (union)Orange: $93.72 (union)Orleans: $77.10 (union)Oswego: $85.53 (union)Otsego: $75.74 (union)Putnam: $93.72 (union)Queens: $127.81 (union)Rensselaer: $80.09 (union)Richmond: $127.81 (union)Rockland: $93.72 (union)St. Lawrence: $71.88 (union)Saratoga: $80.09 (union)Schenectady: $80.09 (union)Schoharie: $80.09 (union)Schuyler: $69.73 (union)Seneca: $76.12 (union)Steuben: $69.73 (union)Suffolk: $111.95 (union)Sullivan: $87.07 (union)Tioga: $75.12 (union)Tompkins: $76.39 (union)Ulster: $93.72 (union)Warren: $80.09 (union)Washington: $80.09 (union)Wayne: $85.53 (union)Westchester: $26.92 (union)Wyoming: $69.73 (union)Yates: $76.12 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$70.16$75.12$80.09$86.76survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for solar installers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$50$100$150/hrBronx (New York City): market median $33.72, prevailing (union) $127.81, gap +$94.09Bronx (New York City)+$94.09Dutchess (New York): market median $27.00, prevailing (union) $93.72, gap +$66.72Dutchess (New York)+$66.72Albany (Albany): market median $23.79, prevailing (union) $80.09, gap +$56.30Albany (Albany)+$56.30
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for solar installers, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion ELEC0003-001 2024-04-10$62.00$65.81$127.81NY20260003
KingsUnion ELEC0003-001 2024-04-10$62.00$65.81$127.81NY20260003
New YorkUnion ELEC0003-001 2024-04-10$62.00$65.81$127.81NY20260003
QueensUnion ELEC0003-001 2024-04-10$62.00$65.81$127.81NY20260003
RichmondUnion ELEC0003-001 2024-04-10$62.00$65.81$127.81NY20260003
NassauUnion ELEC0025-001 2025-04-26$64.55$47.40$111.95NY20260012
SuffolkUnion ELEC0025-001 2025-04-26$64.55$47.40$111.95NY20260012
DutchessUnion ELEC0363-001 2025-04-01$51.50$42.22$93.72NY20260007
OrangeUnion ELEC0363-001 2025-04-01$51.50$42.22$93.72NY20260007
PutnamUnion ELEC0363-003 2025-04-01$51.50$42.22$93.72NY20260025
RocklandUnion ELEC0363-006 2025-04-01$51.50$42.22$93.72NY20260020
UlsterUnion ELEC0363-001 2025-04-01$51.50$42.22$93.72NY20260007
SullivanUnion ELEC0363-007 2024-04-01$46.50$40.57$87.07NY20260118
HerkimerUnion ELEC0043-005 2025-06-01$50.50$35.03$85.53NY20260031
OneidaUnion ELEC0043-001 2025-06-01$50.50$35.03$85.53NY20260013

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New York prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.0kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kAug 2026
Construction employment in New York (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Ontario County1,055$153,246$2,947
Queens County8,573$107,577$2,069
New York County6,079$106,509$2,048
Erie County2,550$104,856$2,016
Albany County1,528$101,858$1,959
Richmond County2,548$101,064$1,944
Herkimer County104$98,948$1,903
Onondaga County1,263$97,027$1,866
Rensselaer County457$96,282$1,852
Westchester County3,813$94,987$1,827
Chautauqua County180$94,770$1,822
Nassau County4,772$94,509$1,817

Keep comparing

Solar installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

Questions this page answers

How much do solar installers make in New York?

The median solar installer in New York earned $27.00 an hour ($56,160 a year) in May 2025, 6% above the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $23.70–$28.22; the top 10% earn more than $35.95.

Where does New York rank for solar installer pay?

New York ranks 12th of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $27.00 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union solar installer rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 57 counties, with a typical package of $76.39 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many solar installers work in New York?

BLS counted 1,230 solar photovoltaic installers in New York in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York and metro areas, SOC 47-2231.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.