Skilled Wages

Solar installer salary in South Carolina

Median $24.27 an hour for — solar photovoltaic installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 2019.

$24.27/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Carolina, May data
$50,490/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.49 – $37.5810th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Solar installer pay in South Carolina: the full range

Wage percentiles, South CarolinaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrSouth Carolina: 10th $19.49 · 25th $22.96 · median $24.27 · 75th $28.50 · 90th $37.58South Carolina$24.27$19.49$37.58United 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: South Carolina vs United States, May 2025.

South Carolina ranks 16th of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 13th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.90). — solar photovoltaic installers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$19.49 – $22.96$40,540 – $47,760roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.96 – $28.50$47,760 – $59,270the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.50 – $37.58$59,270 – $78,170the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Solar installer pay by metro in South Carolina

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrCharlotte: $22.10Charlotte$22.10
Median hourly wage for solar photovoltaic installers by metro area in South Carolina, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Charlotte$18.00$22.10$37.471509% below

Solar installer wages in South Carolina over time

South Carolina, 2019-2025South CarolinaUnited StatesSOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$17.50$20$22.50$25$27.5020202025$25.55United States$24.27South Carolina
Median hourly wage for solar photovoltaic installers, South Carolina vs United States, 2019–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Carolina $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
2019$18.08$22.77$21.5850
2020$19.66$24.46$22.3470
2021$22.51$26.74$22.92—
2023$22.69$23.97$23.46180
2024$23.70$24.32$24.93270
2025$24.27$24.27$25.55—

Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in South Carolina

On federally funded construction in South Carolina, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 31 of the 46 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $46.79 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $15.86). 15 of the 46 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Allendale County at $24.03). The market median for the state is $24.27.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, SCAbbeville: $49.20 (union)Aiken: $49.20 (union)Allendale: $24.03 (survey)Anderson: $45.97 (union)Bamberg: $24.03 (survey)Barnwell: $24.03 (survey)Beaufort: $18.33 (survey)Berkeley: $46.79 (union)Calhoun: $46.79 (union)Charleston: $15.86 (survey)Cherokee: $49.20 (union)Chester: $15.00 (survey)Chesterfield: $15.00 (survey)Clarendon: $15.00 (survey)Colleton: $46.79 (union)Darlington: $46.79 (union)Dillon: $15.00 (survey)Dorchester: $46.79 (union)Edgefield: $49.20 (union)Fairfield: $46.79 (union)Florence: $46.79 (union)Georgetown: $46.75 (union)Greenville: $45.97 (union)Greenwood: $45.97 (union)Hampton: $46.75 (union)Horry: $18.15 (survey)Jasper: $46.75 (union)Kershaw: $46.79 (union)Lancaster: $45.97 (union)Laurens: $45.97 (union)Lee: $15.00 (survey)Lexington: $46.79 (union)McCormick: $49.20 (union)Marion: $15.00 (survey)Marlboro: $15.00 (survey)Newberry: $24.03 (survey)Oconee: $49.20 (union)Orangeburg: $24.03 (survey)Pickens: $45.97 (union)Richland: $46.79 (union)Saluda: $46.79 (union)Spartanburg: $45.97 (union)Sumter: $46.79 (union)Union: $49.20 (union)Williamsburg: $46.75 (union)York: $45.97 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$18.33$45.97$46.79survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for solar installers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AbbevilleUnion ELEC1579-012 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260017
AikenUnion ELEC1579-001 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260032
CherokeeUnion ELEC1579-012 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260017
EdgefieldUnion ELEC1579-001 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260032
McCormickUnion ELEC1579-012 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260017
OconeeUnion ELEC1579-012 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260017
UnionUnion ELEC1579-012 2025-10-01$32.25$16.95$49.20SC20260017
BerkeleyUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260022
CalhounUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260033
ColletonUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260011
DarlingtonUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260005
DorchesterUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260024
FairfieldUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260033
FlorenceUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260005
KershawUnion ELEC0776-002 2024-03-01$32.80$13.99$46.79SC20260027

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

Is construction work growing in South Carolina?

129.7kConstruction jobsSouth Carolina, 2026-08
+4.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k140k19901995200020052010201520202025130kAug 2026
Construction employment in South Carolina (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
Berkeley County746$86,600$1,665
Greenville County3,031$82,971$1,596
Charleston County1,791$79,866$1,536
York County540$79,225$1,524
Richland County811$75,980$1,461
Orangeburg County77$70,976$1,365
Lancaster County193$69,792$1,342
Sumter County155$69,516$1,337
Dorchester County314$69,030$1,328
Lexington County780$64,644$1,243
Anderson County239$63,384$1,219
Spartanburg County586$61,466$1,182

Keep comparing

Solar installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Carolina

Questions this page answers

How much do solar installers make in South Carolina?

The median solar installer in South Carolina earned $24.27 an hour ($50,490 a year) in May 2025, 5% below the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $22.96–$28.50; the top 10% earn more than $37.58.

Where does South Carolina rank for solar installer pay?

South Carolina ranks 16th of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $24.27 an hour, and 13th after adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.7, US = 100).

What is the union solar installer rate in South Carolina?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 31 counties, with a typical package of $46.79 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many solar installers work in South Carolina?

BLS counted — solar photovoltaic installers in South Carolina in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Carolina 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.