Solar installer salary in Vermont
Median $23.79 an hour for 250 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 Vermont: the full range
Vermont ranks 21st of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 21st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.28). 250 solar installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.44 – $23.18 | $44,600 – $48,210 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.18 – $28.52 | $48,210 – $59,330 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $28.52 – $34.63 | $59,330 – $72,030 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Solar installer wages in Vermont over time
Table
| Year | Vermont $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $18.63 | $26.12 | $18.22 | — |
| 2013 | $18.77 | $25.94 | $19.04 | 30 |
| 2014 | $19.01 | $25.85 | $19.24 | — |
| 2015 | $18.66 | $25.35 | $18.19 | 100 |
| 2016 | $17.42 | $23.37 | $18.87 | 270 |
| 2017 | $18.11 | $23.79 | $18.98 | 370 |
| 2018 | $18.27 | $23.42 | $20.52 | 400 |
| 2019 | $20.17 | $25.40 | $21.58 | — |
| 2021 | $18.11 | $21.52 | $22.92 | — |
| 2022 | $24.49 | $26.94 | $21.75 | 180 |
| 2023 | $25.77 | $27.23 | $23.46 | 150 |
| 2024 | $30.88 | $31.69 | $24.93 | 60 |
| 2025 | $23.79 | $23.79 | $25.55 | 250 |
In today's dollars, the median solar installer wage in Vermont changed by -6.1% over the last ten years of data and by -6.3% since 2019.
Are there more solar installer jobs in Vermont?
BLS counted 250 solar installers in Vermont in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 40%. 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 Vermont
Vermont's labor market agency projects the number of solar installers in the state to change by +20.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 80 to 90, with about 10 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 250 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Vermont labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in Vermont
On federally funded construction in Vermont, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 4 of the 14 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $42.85 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $27.51). 10 of the 14 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Addison County at $30.89). The market median for the state is $23.79.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden | Union ELEC0300-001 2023-06-01 | $31.90 | $10.95 | $42.85 | VT20260025 |
| Franklin | Union ELEC0300-001 2023-06-01 | $31.90 | $10.95 | $42.85 | VT20260026 |
| Grand Isle | Union ELEC0300-001 2023-06-01 | $31.90 | $10.95 | $42.85 | VT20260027 |
| Windsor | Union ELEC0300-001 2023-06-01 | $31.90 | $10.95 | $42.85 | VT20260023 |
| Addison | Survey SUVT2011-001 2011-02-10 | $21.53 | $9.36 | $30.89 | VT20260016 |
| Bennington | Survey SUVT2011-002 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260017 |
| Caledonia | Survey SUVT2011-003 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260018 |
| Essex | Survey SUVT2011-009 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260024 |
| Lamoille | Survey SUVT2011-009 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260024 |
| Orange | Survey SUVT2011-009 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260024 |
| Orleans | Survey SUVT2011-004 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260019 |
| Rutland | Survey SUVT2011-005 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260020 |
| Washington | Survey SUVT2011-006 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260021 |
| Windham | Survey SUVT2011-007 2011-02-10 | $20.24 | $7.27 | $27.51 | VT20260022 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Vermont prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Vermont?
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 13 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 9,518 in 2015 to 9,832 in 2025, +3.3%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | 92 | 578 | $73,473 | $1,413 |
| Orleans County | 11 | 129 | $73,112 | $1,406 |
| Washington County | 22 | 200 | $72,015 | $1,385 |
| Caledonia County | 18 | 74 | $69,357 | $1,334 |
| Orange County | 24 | 103 | $67,822 | $1,304 |
| Windham County | 27 | 136 | $64,662 | $1,244 |
| Rutland County | 40 | 152 | $63,768 | $1,226 |
| Lamoille County | 18 | 105 | $63,644 | $1,224 |
Keep comparing
Solar installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Vermont
More on Vermont
Questions this page answers
How much do solar installers make in Vermont?
The median solar installer in Vermont earned $23.79 an hour ($49,490 a year) in May 2025, 7% below the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $23.18–$28.52; the top 10% earn more than $34.63.
Where does Vermont rank for solar installer pay?
Vermont ranks 21st of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $23.79 an hour, and 21st after adjusting for Vermont's cost of living (BEA price parity 98.0, US = 100).
What is the union solar installer rate in Vermont?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 4 counties, with a typical package of $42.85 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many solar installers work in Vermont?
BLS counted 250 solar installers in Vermont in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 4.02; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is solar installer work growing in Vermont?
Vermont's labor market agency projects +20.8% growth for solar installers between 2024 and 2034, from 80 to 90 jobs.
How many solar installer openings a year are there in Vermont?
Vermont projects about 10 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, Vermont 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: Vermont labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.