Skilled Wages

Solar installer salary in Virginia

Median $23.65 an hour for — solar installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2018 and the state's own outlook.

$23.65/hrMedian hourly wageVirginia, May data
$49,190/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.65 – $28.4210th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Solar installer pay in Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrVirginia: 10th $22.65 · 25th $22.94 · median $23.65 · 75th $28.34 · 90th $28.42Virginia$23.65$22.65$28.42United States: 10th $20.00 · 25th $22.45 · median $25.55 · 75th $30.23 · 90th $38.45United States$25.55
Hourly wage percentiles for solar installers: Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

Virginia ranks 22nd of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.39). — solar installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.3× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.65 – $22.94$47,100 – $47,700roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.94 – $28.34$47,700 – $58,940the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$28.34 – $28.42$58,940 – $59,110the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Solar installer pay by metro in Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrVirginia Beach: $23.04Virginia Beach$23.04
Median hourly wage for solar installers by metro area in Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Virginia Beach$22.94$23.04$28.01—3% below

Solar installer wages in Virginia over time

Virginia, 2018-2025VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$18$20$22$24$26$2820202025$25.55United States$23.65Virginia
Median hourly wage for solar installers, Virginia vs United States, 2018–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearVirginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
2018$19.52$25.03$20.52—
2019$19.34$24.35$21.58300
2020$20.28$25.23$22.34340
2021$21.96$26.09$22.92280
2022$21.75$23.93$21.75140
2024$23.21$23.82$24.931,110
2025$23.65$23.65$25.55—

Outlook for solar installers in Virginia

+10.8%Projected growth in Virginia2024–2034, state agency
120Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,130Jobs in 20241,260 projected for 2034
+36.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of solar installers in the state to change by +10.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,130 to 1,260, with about 120 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +36.5% over 2025-35.

Source: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in Virginia

On federally funded construction in Virginia, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 90 of the 131 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $55.97 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.09). 41 of the 131 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Albemarle County at $32.29). The market median for the state is $23.65.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, VAAccomack: $55.97 (union)Albemarle: $32.29 (survey)Alleghany: $19.75 (survey)Amelia: $55.97 (union)Amherst: $31.09 (survey)Appomattox: $31.09 (survey)Arlington: $82.56 (union)Augusta: $24.56 (survey)Bath: $19.75 (survey)Bedford: $31.09 (survey)Bland: $55.97 (union)Botetourt: $31.09 (survey)Brunswick: $55.97 (union)Buchanan: $55.97 (union)Buckingham: $32.29 (survey)Campbell: $31.09 (survey)Caroline: $55.97 (union)Carroll: $55.97 (union)Charles City: $55.97 (union)Charlotte: $55.97 (union)Chesterfield: $55.97 (union)Clarke: $82.56 (union)Craig: $31.09 (survey)Culpeper: $82.56 (union)Cumberland: $55.97 (union)Dickenson: $55.97 (union)Dinwiddie: $55.97 (union)Essex: $55.97 (union)Fairfax: $82.56 (union)Fauquier: $82.56 (union)Floyd: $65.74 (union)Fluvanna: $32.29 (survey)Franklin: $31.09 (survey)Frederick: $41.64 (survey)Giles: $65.74 (union)Gloucester: $51.06 (union)Goochland: $55.97 (union)Grayson: $55.97 (union)Greene: $32.29 (survey)Greensville: $55.97 (union)Halifax: $55.97 (union)Hanover: $55.97 (union)Henrico: $55.97 (union)Henry: $55.97 (union)Highland: $19.75 (survey)Isle of Wight: $51.06 (union)James City: $51.06 (union)King and Queen: $55.97 (union)King George: $55.97 (union)King William: $55.97 (union)Lancaster: $55.97 (union)Lee: $55.97 (union)Loudoun: $82.56 (union)Louisa: $19.75 (survey)Lunenburg: $55.97 (union)Madison: $19.75 (survey)Mathews: $51.06 (union)Mecklenburg: $55.97 (union)Middlesex: $55.97 (union)Montgomery: $65.74 (union)Nelson: $32.29 (survey)New Kent: $55.97 (union)Northampton: $55.97 (union)Northumberland: $55.97 (union)Nottoway: $55.97 (union)Orange: $19.75 (survey)Page: $19.75 (survey)Patrick: $55.97 (union)Pittsylvania: $55.97 (union)Powhatan: $55.97 (union)Prince Edward: $55.97 (union)Prince George: $55.97 (union)Prince William: $82.56 (union)Pulaski: $65.74 (union)Rappahannock: $82.56 (union)Richmond: $55.97 (union)Roanoke: $31.09 (survey)Rockbridge: $19.75 (survey)Rockingham: $24.56 (survey)Russell: $55.97 (union)Scott: $31.09 (survey)Shenandoah: $19.75 (survey)Smyth: $55.97 (union)Southampton: $55.97 (union)Spotsylvania: $41.32 (survey)Stafford: $82.56 (union)Surry: $55.97 (union)Sussex: $55.97 (union)Tazewell: $55.97 (union)Warren: $24.28 (survey)Washington: $31.09 (survey)Westmoreland: $55.97 (union)Wise: $55.97 (union)Wythe: $55.97 (union)York: $51.06 (union)Alexandria: $82.56 (union)Bristol: $31.09 (survey)Buena Vista: $19.75 (survey)Charlottesville: $32.29 (survey)Chesapeake: $51.06 (union)Colonial Heights: $55.97 (union)Covington: n/aDanville: $55.97 (union)Emporia: $55.97 (union)Fairfax: $82.56 (union)Falls Church: $82.56 (union)Franklin: $55.97 (union)Fredericksburg: $41.32 (survey)Galax: $55.97 (union)Hampton: $51.06 (union)Harrisonburg: $24.56 (survey)Hopewell: $55.97 (union)Lexington: n/aLynchburg: $31.09 (survey)Manassas: $82.56 (union)Manassas Park: $82.56 (union)Martinsville: $55.97 (union)Newport News: $51.06 (union)Norfolk: $50.98 (union)Norton: $55.97 (union)Petersburg: $55.97 (union)Poquoson: $51.06 (union)Portsmouth: $50.98 (union)Radford: $65.74 (union)Richmond: $55.97 (union)Roanoke: $31.09 (survey)Salem: $31.09 (survey)Staunton: $24.56 (survey)Suffolk: $51.06 (union)Virginia Beach: $24.88 (survey)Waynesboro: $24.56 (survey)Williamsburg: $51.06 (union)Winchester: $41.64 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$31.09$51.06$55.97n/asurvey 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
ArlingtonUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260013
ClarkeUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260018
CulpeperUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260174
FairfaxUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260178
FauquierUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260020
LoudounUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260158
Prince WilliamUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260162
RappahannockUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260174
StaffordUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260174
AlexandriaUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260013
FairfaxUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260178
Falls ChurchUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260178
ManassasUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260162
Manassas ParkUnion ELEC0026-003 2025-06-02$59.50$23.06$82.56VA20260162
FloydUnion ELEC0466-001 2024-06-01$41.90$23.84$65.74VA20260175

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Virginia prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Virginia?

230.8kConstruction jobsVirginia, 2026-09
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025231kSep 2026
Construction employment in Virginia (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. Across the 117 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 111,128 in 2015 to 136,979 in 2025, +23.3%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Loudoun County8811,474$111,334$2,141
Newport News city271,558$104,907$2,017
Louisa County14145$103,259$1,986
Henrico County822,352$98,725$1,899
Fairfax County1913,232$97,767$1,880
Suffolk city14244$95,289$1,832
Manassas city16316$87,906$1,691
Arlington County1329$86,214$1,658
Norfolk city36557$85,720$1,648
Prince William County1041,370$85,708$1,648
Manassas Park city639$78,862$1,517
Hanover County931,455$78,689$1,513

Keep comparing

Solar installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Virginia

More on Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do solar installers make in Virginia?

The median solar installer in Virginia earned $23.65 an hour ($49,190 a year) in May 2025, 7% below the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $22.94–$28.34; the top 10% earn more than $28.42.

Where does Virginia rank for solar installer pay?

Virginia ranks 22nd of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $23.65 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).

What is the union solar installer rate in Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 90 counties, with a typical package of $55.97 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many solar installers work in Virginia?

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

Is solar installer work growing in Virginia?

Virginia's labor market agency projects +10.8% growth for solar installers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,130 to 1,260 jobs.

How many solar installer openings a year are there in Virginia?

Virginia projects about 120 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, Virginia 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: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.